An Overview of World Literature I

Objectives of the course

The course deals with Oriental Literatures, Greek-Roman Ancient literature, literature of Middle Ages, Humanism and Renaissance. Oral tradition. Special focus on the relationship between literature, mythological-ritual tradition and religion, which influences literature. Themes such as travelling, love, public-private will be discussed. Students should be able to distinguish between their own perception and the message of a text, as well as learn the differences between Ancient Times and Renaissance. The collapse of myth in Homer's epic poetry and Greek tragedies (hamartia, hybris, public-private).

Prerequisites

At the beginning of the year the students’ knowledge about the Bible and ancient tales will be checked.

Assessment methods

In order to be able to take the exam, students are required to produce a seminar paper, actively participate in the discussions, as well as read recommended reading (25 % of the total grade). The exam is composed of the written and oral parts. Students are required to pass the written part of the exam in order to be able to take the oral exam.

Course contents

• Orientalska književnost: Ep o Gilgamešu, Pesem za kralja Šu-sina, Inanina pot v podzemlje, Visoka pesem, Jobova knjiga;
• Grška književnost: vznik starogrške tragedije iz krize homerskega epa, vznik grškega antičnega romana, motiv popotovanja
• Rimska književnost: Ovid, elegije
• Srednjeveška književnost (izbor): chansons de geste, trubadurska lirika in invencija poezije, viteški romani, religiozni ep
• Renesančna književnost: Petrarkov model lirike, Boccacciev vpliv na novelistiko, Shakespearova dramatika, Cervantesov Don Kihot, Rabelaisov Gargantua in Pantagruel in ljudska kultura smeha

Recommended reading

• Janko KOS. Pregled svetovne književnosti. Ljubljana: DZS, 1979.
• Janez VREČKO. Ep in tragedija. Maribor: Obzorja, 1994. 7–114, 348–453.
• Janez VREČKO. Atiška tragedija. Maribor: Obzorja, 1997.
• Janez VREČKO. Med antiko in avantgardo.
• Primož SIMONITI. »Grški ljubezenski roman in Heliodorove Etiopske zgodbe«. V: Heliodor, Etiopske zgodbe. Ljubljana: Cankarjeva založba, 1977 (Sto romanov 99). M. Bahtin: Teorija romana. Ljubljana: Cankarjeva založba, 1982. 219 – 257, 277–339.
• Kajetan GANTAR. Antična poetika. Literarni leksikon.
• Miha PINTARIČ. Trubadurji. Ljubljana: ZIFF, 2001.
• Miha PINTARIČ. Občutje časa v francoski srednjeveški in renesančni književnosti. Ljubljana: LUD Literatura (Novi pristopi).
• Boris A. NOVAK. Ljubezen iz daljave: antologija trubadurske lirike. Ljubljana: MK (Kondor).
• M. HOWATSON (ur.). Antika: leksikon. Ljubljana: Cankarjeva založba, 1998.
• Eleazar Moiseevič MELETINSKI. Poetika mita. Beograd: Nolit, 1983. (Oziroma slovenski prevod, ko izide.)