FACULTY
Dr. Melinda Menzer, English Department (FH 114 D)
Dr. David Rutledge, Religion Department  (FH 215 B)
Dr. David Spear, History Department (FH 211 C)
and course coordinator
Dr. Mark Stone, Philosophy Department  (FH 101 D)
Karen Guth, Furman Advantage Teaching Fellow

COURSE INFORMATION
The Humanities sequence introduces students to the development of Western Civilization through an integration of historical, literary, philosophical, and religious perspectives.  The general theme for the year is "Empire and Crisis" which, in its broadest sense, is the ways in which successive cultures, nations, institutions, or movements of thought came to dominate western life.  Humanities 11 focuses on "The Roots of Western Civilization," with attention to subordinate themes of "Questions of Gender," "Orthodoxy and Dissent," and "Medium and Message."

TEXTS
We will be reading several required books, all of which can be purchased at the Furman University Bookstore:

 • Marvin Perry, Western Civilization:  A Brief Survey, 4th ed., (Houghton Mifflin, 2000).
 • "Selected Readings for Humanities 11."   (The Selected Readings is abbreviated SR in this syllabus).
 • The Epic of Gilgamesh, tr. N. K. Sandars (Penguin Books).
 • The Odyssey of Homer, tr. R. Lattimore (Harper & Row).
 • Sophocles, "Antigone," tr. C. Blackwell (on the web at http://classics.furman.edu/Antigone/index.html).
 • Plato, Phaedrus and the Seventh and Eighth Letters, tr. W.Hamilton (Penguin Books).
 • Aristophanes, Lysistrata, tr. D. Parker (Mentor).
 • Virgil, The Aeneid, tr. R. Fitzgerald (Vintage).
 • Augustine, The Confessions, tr. H. Chadwick (Oxford)
 • Beowulf, tr. R. M. Liuzza (Broadview).
 • The Song of Roland, tr. R. Harrison (Mentor).
 • Dante, The Inferno, tr. J. Ciardi (Mentor).

In addition we strongly recommend that you purchase the following texts, which will be used all year long in the Humanities course, as well as in other courses in the University:

 • The New Oxford Annotated Bible (Oxford University Press).  [This work is abbreviated NOAB in this syllabus].
 • The St. Martin's Handbook, or appropriate substitute English composition handbook.

DISCUSSION GROUPS
We break into discussion groups about once a week, where we are able to talk about the texts on a more informal level.  Sometimes the meeting begins with a quiz on the assigned readings (see below).  Students from Meagan Anderson to Janna Deloach are with Dr. Menzer, whose discussion groups meet in Plyler 204. Students from Kathleen Deloach to Nicholas Iglowski are with Dr. Rutledge, whose group meets in Plyler 238. Students from David Johnsen to Erin Parks are with Dr. Spear, whose group meets in Plyler 213. Students from Elizabeth Patrick to Margaret Zeiler are with Dr. Stone, whose group meets in McEachern.This term we also have a Furman Advantage Teaching Fellow, Karen Guth (class of 2001), who will help with various aspects of the discussion groups.  The Humanities instructors welcome your questions and opinions.  Feel free to talk with us.

QUIZZES
The purpose of having quizzes is to make sure the students are up on their reading.  After all, it makes little sense to hold a discussion if only a few of the students are prepared.  These quizzes are based more on factual than on interpretive aspects of the readings.  There are no make-ups, so missed quizzes result in a zero.  But we drop each student's lowest quiz score at the end of the term.

PAPERS
Students will write two five-page papers.  Further information about this assignment, including the topics themselves, will be provided at a future date.  Due dates are Friday, October 13, and Friday, November 17.  Late papers will be penalized.  Papers must conform to standards of academic honesty:  it is assumed that students will have read "Plagiarism and Academic Integrity at Furman University," which each student received as part of the university orientation packet.

GRADES
Course grades will be calculated on the following formula:

two papers    30%
two hour exams   25%
quizzes    10%
discussion participation   5%
final exam    30%

DISABILITIES

If anyone has a condition that he or she believes qualifies as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, please see Ms. Susan Clark (ext. 2322) who is Furman's Disability Services Coordinator.

WEB SITE
As a backup, the syllabus, some of the lecture outlines, and other materials will be found on the web at http://www.furman.edu/mmenzer/hum11