"And he always performs in a coffee house...."
Read the story of perhaps Syria's
last hakawati here.
Comment on aspects of this apparently dying art:
(1) How does the reporter claim this type of storyteller's presentation differs from the recitation of a "rawi"?
(2) Is a coffee house a surprising setting for these story-telling marathons? Why or why not?
(3) According to the article, these stories are "not considered real literature." What reasons does the reporter imply for this? Why do you think this is?
You have until Thursday to answer.
Ok, Finally...
...the question you've been waiting for (well, Kyle anyway).
Please write your own message(s) of wisdom in emulation of
The Poem of Zuhair. Study the form and feel free to write any type of warnings, preachings, wise observations, and the like. The more you write, the better your grade on this assignment. These can be deep or they can be silly. Your choice.
I know
Cobber's going to enjoy this little assignment.
You have till Monday because I have been so lame all week.
Ancient Semitic Poetry
Please read The Song of Songs, also known as The Song of Solomon,
here.
Comment on the similarities and differences between the Arabic poem we are studying in class and this ancient Hebrew love poem.
Some questions to answer:
How do the openings of each poem function? What do they do and where do they place the reader/listener?
Why do you believe human romantic love has figured so deeply in poetry for thousands of years? Why poetry? Why love?
Is there a relationship in each poem between love of a human and love of G-d, or not?
Try not to be
too succinct in your answers. More than a single sentence per question, please!
Ye Gods!
Choose one of the
Mesopotamian deities from our chart, and do some background research to find out more about:
--alternate names for the deity
--powers and purview
--stories about the deity
--other deities directly and indirectly related to it (not as in marriage, but as in similar deities in other cultures)
--any other facts of interest (patron of..., animals associated with, Biblical adaptions and parallels)
And please--
please!--use sources other than Wikipedia. Yes, I know it's good, but let's diversify, hmm?
'Cause you'll probably find quirky and more interesting
stuff like this.
Or this.
Words and Images
Our goal for this exercise is to see how images begin to work
across works of literature. So I'd like you to choose
only one of the images listed below, and (1) do a little research and find out the Arabic or Hebrew word for this image, and see if there are any special meanings or ideas of interest; and (2) comment here on the blog on what you found in your research, as well as on how the three poets we've studied--Darwish, Amichai, and Nye--use these images in their work.
Use tonight or tomorrow night for your comment; then please come back on Thursday to check your classmates' responses and be ready to talk a bit on Friday.
mother
brothers
prison cell
moon
birds
trees of any kind, esp. the olive tree
roots, branches
sky
blood
cellars, bomb shelters, underground
gazelle
goat, kid
World Literature: Brothers and Others from the Middle East to the Diaspora
Welcome to the class! Here is the syllabus.
Ms. Schamess
lisa.schamess@emersonprep.netOVERVIEW
What are the cultures and stories of the Semitic (generally Arabic and Hebraic) people? How do they differ and how are they the same? In some ways, these two cultures can be seen as siblings, their daily lives and fates braided together in early life, but going their separate way in the early Middle Ages and beyond. Now, the establishment of the state of Israel has reintroduced an uneasy intimacy between the two cultures. From the Sumerian/Babylonian epic Gilgamesh to contemporary stories and poetry from the Middle East and the Diaspora, this course examines key eras in Arab and Hebraic thought through religious commentary, folktales, poetry, and contemporary fiction.
BOOK LIST
You will be expected to have the following books for this class:
1. Gilgamesh, $9
# ISBN-10: 0618275649
# ISBN-13: 978-0618275649
2. Tales from the One Thousand and One Nights $10
# ISBN-10: 0140442898
# ISBN-13: 978-0140442892
3. The Anchor Book of Modern Arabic Fiction, about $13
# ISBN-10: 1400079764
# ISBN-13: 978-1400079766
4. Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon, about $14
# ISBN-10: 0345502078
# ISBN-13: 978-0345502070
In addition, I will distribute several packets of supplemental materials to each student.
EXPECTATIONS
This is a discussion-based, Honors-level class. The most important things you can do to ensure your success are to read assignments on time, take notes both when reading and in class, and bring the book we are reading to class. This is crucial, as we will be examining specific passages to deepen our understanding of each reading day by day.
This is a discussion-based, Honors-level class. We need full participation from all students for the class to really work. I recognize that some of you enjoy speaking up during class and some of you prefer to listen. That is why we also have a blog,
www.artistsfloatingworld.blogspot.com, where you will be expected to share your thoughts and continue the discussion outside of class. On occasion you will also be asked to do in-class writing on the concepts we are exploring key concepts.
This is a discussion-based, Honors-level class. By the end of term you will be expected to be able to take notes in such as way that you can retain most of what we discuss and read. To reinforce this skill, every Friday there will be a short quiz over that week’s reading and discussion. Your success will depend heavily on the quality of your notes, which you may use during the quiz.
Electronics? No, not especially. For the most part I want you, in the words of the sage, “to be present, be here.” Put your phones to OFF or vibrate and do not expect to listen to music while in discussion (when we do in-class writing, that is a different matter). If you bring a laptop, expect me to look over your shoulder a lot until I am satisfied you really are just taking notes or, at a maximum, looking up material pertinent to our discussion.
Food? Drink? Sleep? My rule about food and drink is, if we can smell it or it stains, it does not belong in class. If the hour for lunch was not enough for you, you’ll likely miss some of class to finish your lunch in library. Now sleep is another matter: sleep happens, sleep is important, sleep has even been known to enhance creativity. If you are not a habitual sleeper in my class, and you do fall asleep, rest assured that you are in a safe place to catch some winks. Make it a habit, however, and you’ll miss too much. And of course, it is incumbent upon me to keep you in a place where you want to stay awake!
GRADING
Class participation 25%
Includes discussion, participation on the blog, note-taking, promptness, attendance.
Assignments 25%
Includes in-class writing, blog comments, papers or projects, and short homework assignments.
Quizzes and Tests 25%
Includes all Friday quizzes and any other tests except the mid-term and final exams.
Exams 25%
Mid-term and Final Exams combined.
SCHEDULE (subject to shifts)
Sept 14-18
Introduction
--The challenge of covering the Semitic world
--Just what is a Semite?
--Creation and hero myths from ancient cultures (packet)
Sept 21-25
-- Gilgamesh
--Bible (packet)
--Qu’ran (packet)
--Other packet readings as appropriate
Sept 28-Oct 2
--Pre-Islamic Arabic Poetry to early Middle Ages (packet)
NO SCHOOL OCT 2 - Friday quiz will be on Thursday
Oct 5-9
--Test on material through Middle Ages
--storytelling traditions
--1001 Nights
Oct 12-16 OCT 12 IS A HOLIDAY
--1001 Nights
--Field trip
Oct 19-23
Kabbalah and Sufism
Oct 26-30
Review for midterm
Nov 2-6 MIDTERM WEEK 3-6
Nov 9-13 NOV 11 IS A HOLIDAY
--The Christian Conquests
--Diaspora and expulsions
--Religious teachings of the middle ages and Renaissance
-- Poems: Rumi, Hafiz?, Jewish mystics
--code for endangered cultures in Europe?
--Kabbalah
--Sufism
--Paper #1 is assigned; due Nov 20
Nov 16-20
--Semitic cultures in the Age of Reason
--Science and religion and philosophy
--the Golem of Prague?
--The second flowering of Arabic literature
Nov 23-24 SHORT WEEK
--Field trip/film/guest lecture(s)
Nov 30-Dec 4
--19th century Hasidic movement
--folktales, Wisdom of Chelm
--pogroms, conscriptions
--comparable Arab experiences
Dec 7-11
--20th century Jewish and Arabic literature
--The Holocaust
--Founding of Israel
--Conflict of the Jewish state in Palestine: writings on all sides of question by leading thinkers and politicians
--Test over material to date
Dec 14-18
Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon
BREAK
Jan 4-8
--Next wave: Young writers and the 21st century
--women’s issues
--gay writers
--other languages, cultures – Persephone, Maus, Julius Knipl
--Paper #2 assigned; part of Final Exam grade and due on Final Exam day
Jan 11-15
--Review
Jan 18 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR DAY
Jan 19-22
--Review
Jan 25-29 FINAL EXAM WEEK
Evaluation
Please cut and paste the following questions into an
anonymous comment evaluating the class. It's been a pleasure working with all of you this summer.
Don't forget to email me a draft of your final paper by 5 pm Friday, July 31; the final draft is due by 12:30 Thursday, August 6:
lisa.schamess@emersonprep.net.1. How well do you feel the book list worked? Were there choices you would like to see on the book list for the future?
2. Did the teacherl cover enough material, not enough material, or too much?
3. How did you like the blog homework and electronic submissions?
4. Did you feel the in-class lectures were relevant, well-prepared, interesting, informative?
5. What was the greatest benefit of this class for you?
6. How would you improve this class if it were offered in the future?
Read the story of perhaps Syria's last hakawati here.
