Mesopotamia Literature
The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest works of literature in existence. The earliest versions of the story date back over 4,000 years to a time more than 1,000 hears before the Iliad and the Odyssey or the first books of the Bible. Yet the story is one that modern readers can understand and enjoy because it deals with concerns that still matter to people today: friendship, heroism, mortality, and the desire to control one's destiny.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor
Ch. 1 "Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It's Not)" List the five aspects of the QUEST and then apply them to something you have read (or viewed) in the form used on pages 3-5. |
|
Egyptian Literature
The selections we will read reflect important features of ancient Egyptian culture:
As different as these features might seem to be, they are interrelated. The Egyptians believed that in the afterlife people would have the same interests and experience the same pleasures as in earthly life. They saw the sun god as the giver of life to all of nature.
- concern about the afterlife
- worship of a sun god
- delight in everyday life
As different as these features might seem to be, they are interrelated. The Egyptians believed that in the afterlife people would have the same interests and experience the same pleasures as in earthly life. They saw the sun god as the giver of life to all of nature.
from The Book of the Dead
The Chapter of Not Letting the Body Perish |
The Book of the Dead is based upon the most important myth in Egyptian culture -- the myth of Osiris. Osiris was a benevolent god who taught human begins agriculture and other arts of civilization. His younger brother Set became jealous and killed him for the throne. Isis, the sister of Osiris, found her brother's body and brought it back to life. Osiris then became lord of the otherworld.
|
Adoration of the Disk
King Akhenaten and Princess Nefertiti |
The second example of ancient Egyptian literature was written by the pharaoh Akhenaten, who ruled Egypt about 1353-1336 BCE. Akkenaten rejected the traditional worship of many gods and goddesses. Instead, he declared that the sun god Aten was the only true god and built a new capital city in his honor. Akhenaten also wrote "Adoration of the Disk" in Aten's honor.
|
New Kingdom Poetry
"I'm Going Downstream on Kingswater Canal" "Whenever I Leave You, I Go Out of Breath" |
The ancient Egyptian's were obviously fascinated with death and the afterlife. This fact has led to a popular image of their culture as being as dried up and lifeless as one of their mummies. The truth is that the ancient Egyptians were a people who know how to enjoy life immensely. This was especially true during the period of the New Kingdom, a time of unparalleled prosperity and cultural enrichment -- the result of political expansion and international commerce.
|
|
|
Creation Literature - Comparing Literature Across Cultures
Many cultures have stories about the creation of the world and of the human race. Such stories, even from unrelated cultures, can be remarkably similar, suggesting that the stories may reflect beliefs and values held by all people. However, the differences between creation stories are also revealing. Differences in particular details can reflect differences in the cultures from which the stories come.
You will use these texts to compare and contrast the creation stories in the Hebrew Bible and the Popol Vuh, a work from the Mayan culture of Central America.
Points of Comparison
The following list shows the basic plot of many creation stories.
Creation Literature Plot Structure
You will use these texts to compare and contrast the creation stories in the Hebrew Bible and the Popol Vuh, a work from the Mayan culture of Central America.
Points of Comparison
The following list shows the basic plot of many creation stories.
Creation Literature Plot Structure
- A creator creates people to inhabit a world.
- The creator has certain expectations about the people.
- The people do or do not meet these expectation.
- The creator punishes or rewards the people.
Creation Literature Analysis Chart | |
File Size: | 33 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Hebrew Literature
|
Creation and the Fall | |
File Size: | 2117 kb |
File Type: |
Noah and the Flood | |
File Size: | 376 kb |
File Type: |
Mayan Literature
Popol Vu
Popol Vuh | |
File Size: | 1512 kb |
File Type: |
Sacred Texts
Sacred texts are writings that are closely linked with a specific religion or religious tradition. These texts, which include poetry, epics, parables, songs, and sermons are often revered as holy.
Arabia - from the Koran
The Exordium
Faith in God
Night
Daylight
Parallelism - the use of similar grammatical forms of sentence structures to express ideas that are related or of equal importance.
"Did He not find you in error and guide you?
Did He not find you poor and enrich you?"
Antithesis - parallel structures that bring together ideas in a way that suggests they are opposities
"For him that gives in charity . . . We shall smooth the path of salvation; but for him that neither gives nor
takes . . . We shall smooth the path of affliction"
Arabia - from the Koran
The Exordium
Faith in God
Night
Daylight
Parallelism - the use of similar grammatical forms of sentence structures to express ideas that are related or of equal importance.
"Did He not find you in error and guide you?
Did He not find you poor and enrich you?"
Antithesis - parallel structures that bring together ideas in a way that suggests they are opposities
"For him that gives in charity . . . We shall smooth the path of salvation; but for him that neither gives nor
takes . . . We shall smooth the path of affliction"
The Koran | |
File Size: | 794 kb |
File Type: |
India - from the Rig-Veda
Creation Hymn
Burial Hymn
After Reading Questions (Tuesday, 9/9)
After reading the Creation Hymn and Burial Hymn for Rig-Veda, respond to these questions on paper or a document.
1. What is the most interesting or puzzling idea you found in these hymns from the Rig Veda
2. Who knows how the universe was created, according to “Creation Hymn”?
3. What does the priest ask of the earth in “Burial Hymn”?
Critical Thinking Questions (Thursday, 9/11)
1. What questions does “Creation Hymn” raise about how the universe was created? What answers does it give?
2. What are you told about “that one” who is mentioned in “Creation Hymn”
3. From the words of “Burial Hymn,” what did you infer was happening during the funeral ritual?
4. Judging from “Burial Hymn,” how would you say the ancient Aryans viewed death?
What they believed would happen to the dead man
How desirable or frightening death seemed
Literary Term
Creation Hymn
Burial Hymn
After Reading Questions (Tuesday, 9/9)
After reading the Creation Hymn and Burial Hymn for Rig-Veda, respond to these questions on paper or a document.
1. What is the most interesting or puzzling idea you found in these hymns from the Rig Veda
2. Who knows how the universe was created, according to “Creation Hymn”?
3. What does the priest ask of the earth in “Burial Hymn”?
Critical Thinking Questions (Thursday, 9/11)
1. What questions does “Creation Hymn” raise about how the universe was created? What answers does it give?
2. What are you told about “that one” who is mentioned in “Creation Hymn”
3. From the words of “Burial Hymn,” what did you infer was happening during the funeral ritual?
4. Judging from “Burial Hymn,” how would you say the ancient Aryans viewed death?
What they believed would happen to the dead man
How desirable or frightening death seemed
Literary Term
Paradox - a statement that appears to be contradictory yet expresses a certain truth.
“There was neither non-existence nor existence then”
“There was neither non-existence nor existence then”
Rig-Veda | |
File Size: | 778 kb |
File Type: |
Hebrew Literature
The Book of Psalms is the hymnal of ancient Israel. The word psalm (säm) comes from a Greek word meaning “to play the harp.” Like many other lyric poems, psalms were originally intended to be sung. Most of the psalms were written to be used during worship in the Temple.
If the Book of Psalms presents us with some of the first lyric poems, the Book of Ruth gives us one of the first and most memorable short stories. Ruth is very different from earlier biblical heroes. A parable is a very short and simple story that teaches a religious a moral lesson. Parables function on both a literal and metaphorical level, describing details and scenarios from everyday life while teaching a deeper lesson. The Parable of the Prodigal Son from The New Testament is an example of a parable.
If the Book of Psalms presents us with some of the first lyric poems, the Book of Ruth gives us one of the first and most memorable short stories. Ruth is very different from earlier biblical heroes. A parable is a very short and simple story that teaches a religious a moral lesson. Parables function on both a literal and metaphorical level, describing details and scenarios from everyday life while teaching a deeper lesson. The Parable of the Prodigal Son from The New Testament is an example of a parable.
|
How to Read Literature Like a Professor
|