Céline Debourse (Department of Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations)
First-Year Seminar 65Q | 4 Credits (Fall 2024) | CANVAS SITE
Wednesday, 03:00 PM–05:45 PM
Stories shape the way we make sense of the world. They also offer windows onto worlds unknown, bringing us closer to people and experiences that are far removed from us. In this seminar we willexplore some of the worlds oldest works of literature, inscribed on clay tablets that were discovered in modern times after having been hidden in the ground for thousands of years. These ancient texts disclose a world of epic heroes, monsters, quests for immortality, divine wrath, and sex and love. In them we find ancient ideas of how the universe came to be and how humans were created. They teach us about history, moral behaviors, and society in antiquity. But more than anything, these works of literature reveal something about human lives that we can still recognize. This seminar offers a highly interactive way of learning about some of the most significant pieces of world literature beyond translation and discussion. We will visit several locations on and off campus, where we will engage in conversation with experts, experience modern adaptations of old narratives, and handle objects that are close to 4000 years old. In doing so, we will understand how these ancient stories are still relevant today.
Note: Seminar students will have the opportunity to view texts and artifacts during visits to several locations on and off campus.