WESTERN CIVILIZATION
SYLLABUS
Objective
The objective of this course is to give students a better understanding of the present age and what it owes to the past by demonstrating movement through the historical periods of Western Civilization. This process is summarized by the concept of the Zeitgeist or "Spirit of the Age" as applied to each epoch.
Requirements
Three examinations and a fourth factor to be assigned by the individual discussion leader will determine the semester. Each of these four components will be of equal weight.
Texts
Roy T. Matthews and F. DeWitt Platt, The Western Humanities, 3rd ed.
William Shakespeare, Othello.
Elie Wiesel, Night.
Class Schedule
| Chapter and Pages in | ||||
| Matthews & Platt; | ||||
| Date | Lecture Topic | Additional Reading | Lecturer | |
| W | 1/19 | Introduction | i-xix, 1-25 | Dannehl |
| F | 1/21 | Discussion | ||
| M | 1/24 | Hellenic Philosophy and Science | 2: 27-37, 42 | Kelley |
| 3: 51-56, 62-67 | ||||
| 4: 79-91 | ||||
| W | 1/26 | Hellenic Religion and Arts | 2: 37-49 | Williams |
| 3: 56-62, 67-76 | ||||
| 4: 83-85, 91-99 | ||||
| Sophocles: Oedipus the King | ||||
| F | 1/28 | Discussion | ||
| M | 1/31 | Roman Government and Empire | 5: 101-108, 114-116 | Dannehl |
| 7: 155-161, 175 | ||||
| W | 2/2 | Roman Society and the Arts | 5: 108-114, 116-131 | Moloney |
| 7: 161-175 | ||||
| F | 2/4 | Discussion | ||
| M | 2/7 | Judaism, Christianity, and Islam | 6: 133-152 | Kelley |
| 8: 177-195 | ||||
| W | 2/9 | Medieval Quest for Security | 8: 196-200 | Williams |
| 9: 210-217 | ||||
| F | 2/11 | Discussion | ||
| M | 2/14 | Medieval Daily Life | 9: 207-210, 218-220 | Dannehl |
| 10: 246-249 | ||||
| W | 2/16 | Medieval Arts and Intellectual Life | 8: 200-205 | Kelley |
| 9: 220-239 | ||||
| 10: 249-271 | ||||
| F | 2/18 | Discussion | ||
| M | 2/21 | FIRST EXAM | ||
| W | 2/23 | The Renaissance | 11: 273-281 | Moloney |
| 12: 299, 304 | ||||
| F | 2/25 | Renaissance Arts | 11: 281-297 | Moloney |
| 12: 304-327 | ||||
| 13: 338-351 | ||||
| M | 2/28 | The Reformation | 13: 329-338, 350 | Dannehl |
| W | 3/1 | The Nation State | 10: 241-246 | Dannehl |
| 12: 299-304, 306-308 | ||||
| F | 3/3 | Discussion | Shakespeare: Othello | |
| M | 3/6 | The Age of Power | 14: 353-358 | Kelley |
| 15: 391-395 | ||||
| W | 3/8 | Baroque Arts | 14: 358-379 | Kelley |
| F | 3/10 | Discussion | ||
| SPRING BREAK (3/11 through 3/19) | ||||
| M | 3/20 | The Scientific Revolution | 15: 391-395 | Dannehl |
| W | 3/22 | The Enlightenment | 16: 401-409, 418-419 | Kelley |
| F | 3/24 | Discussion | ||
| M | 3/27 | Enlightenment Arts | 16: 409-424, 433-436 | Kelley |
| W | 3/29 | SECOND EXAM | ||
| F | 3/31 | The French Revolution | 17: 429-432 | Moloney |
| M | 4/3 | The Industrial Revolution | 17: 427-429, 460-464 | Williams |
| W | 4/5 | Romanticism | 17: 437-453 | Williams |
| 18: 465-481 | ||||
| F | 4/7 | Discussion | ||
| M | 4/10 | Nineteenth Century Ideologies | 18: 455-465 | Dannehl |
| W | 4/12 | The Age of Uncertainty | 19: 483-513 | Williams |
| F | 4/14 | Discussion | ||
| M | 4/17 | Nationalism and Imperialism; World War I | 20: 515-517 | Williams |
| W | 4/19 | Twentieth Century Ideologies | 20: 518-519 | Williams |
| F | 4/21 | Discussion | ||
| M | 4/24 | World War II | 20: 520-522 | Moloney |
| Wiesel: Night | ||||
| W | 4/26 | Twentieth Century Arts | 20: 522-543 | Moloney |
| 21: 554-583 | ||||
| F | 4/28 | Discussion | ||
| M | 5/1 | Late Twentieth Century | 21: 545-555 | Moloney |
| Th | 5/4 | THIRD EXAM (12:00 noon) |