LS 195: STUDY GUIDES AND SUGGESTED ESSAY TOPICS
Suggested Topics -- First Essay
Write a short paper (4-6 pages double spaced) exploring the
similarities and differences between Hebrew and Greek
civilisations regarding ONE of the following:
cosmology -- order and/or disorder in the
universe
politics -- legitimation of authority, political
structures (or the lack of them)
religion -- polytheism/monotheism
gender -- family life, male-female relations,
the role of women
You are encouraged to think of other topics within the
Hebrew/Greek framework which interest you and which you wish to
explore. Discuss such topics in advance with me, however.
SUGGESTED TOPICS -- SECOND ESSAY
1. Write a short essay comparing Agricola with ONE of the
following: Moses, Agamemnon, Socrates
2. Compare and/or contrast the selections we considered from the
Hebrew Bible with those we discussed from the New Testament.
You should probably focus on a single important aspect;
however, if you have ideas that focus more broadly, see me for
additional advice and counsel.
3. Write a short essay comparing the Germans as portrayed by
Tacitus in GERMANIA and the Hebrews as seen in Genesis and
Exodus. If you choose this topic, your essay should address
Genesis and Exodus in their entirety, not just the passages
I distributed via the Clarkson net.
4. Compare and/or contrast the trial of Orestes with that of
Socrates.
5. Develop a topic of your own based at least partly on the works
we have considered in class since Aeschylus. Your essay may,
of course, include material from our earlier classes as well.
SUGGESTED TOPICS -- THIRD ESSAY
You will note that all of the topics below, with the
possible exception of #6, are focused on THE TEMPEST, yet the
syllabus indicates that we will not begin class discussion of this play
until after the essay is due. This is by design -- my thinking being
that independent work should be stressed towards the latter part of
our course. Many of you have already demonstrated considerable ability
to work independently. For those who have not, now is your opportunity!
1. Compare and contrast Gonzalo's ideal commonwealth with
another society you have lived in or studied.
2. Discuss the development of ONE of the following in THE
TEMPEST: Miranda, Prospero, Caliban
3. Discuss social order (and disorder) in THE TEMPEST
4. Discuss politics as it is reflected in THE TEMPEST
5. For adventurous hackers, do a text search on the networked
OED for one of the following characters from THE TEMPEST: Ariel,
Caliban, Prospero. Download the results (I will work with you
individually to show you how). Then develop a paper based on
SOME of the uses made by others of this play.
6. As with your first two essays, students are welcome to
develop topics on their own. However, prior approval from me is
required in this case.
STUDY GUIDE -- FIRST TEST
Please do not regard this guide as final until 48 hours before the test.
Part One will consist of short answers and will be worth 40%.
You will be asked to give the significance of or to provide a short
answer to EIGHT items drawn from the following list.
Samuel Cebes Jah Thyestes Harold Kushner
Why is God angry with the Israelites in the Amos passages we
discussed?
Loxias Meletus I-tal food a "dresser of sycamore trees"
What is Samuel's response to God in the passages we discussed
from the First Book of Samuel?
Aegisthus Cronus innate ideas "plumbline" in Amos
"Any who touch the mountain shall be put to death"
With what punishments does God threaten the Israelites in the
Amos passage we discussed?
"Here I am" Haile Selassie Cassandra Thessaly
"This is my prayer: Civil War fattening on men's ruin shall not thunder in our
city"
Priam Euthyphro "equality" for Socrates King Alpha
Part Two will be worth 60%. You will be asked to write an essay
on ONE of the following:
Discuss the choruses in the ORESTEIA. How are they alike?
How are they different? (Remember "The Eumenides" has two
choruses.)
Discuss the concepts of liability outlined in Chapter 21 of
Exodus.
Discuss the role of women in our readings thus far.
Discuss the changing political conditions of the ancient Hebrews,
focusing on Abraham, Moses, David and Amos.
Discuss the trials of Orestes and Socrates. In what ways do the two
trials reflect the Athens of Aeschylus' time and that of Socrates'?
STUDY GUIDE -- SECOND TEST
L.S. 195
FINAL VERSION
"They created a desolation and called it peace"
Domitian "So savage and hostile to merit was the age"
Sycorax the Batavi(or Batavians) "What is truth"?
Paul's wild and cultivated olives Nichomachus
Trinculo Luther's "Tower Experience" Ariel
What are Stephano's plans for Caliban? the Sitones
"Our revels now are ended" "the fox and the lion"
Ariel "Greek" as used in the Letter to the Romans?
Calgacus Gonzalo "fortune is a woman" Boatswain
"The universal dress in Germany is a cloak fastened with a brooch or, failing that, a thorn."
"a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved"
Part Two will be worth 60 points and will consist of a choice of
one out of three essays drawn from the following list:
Discuss Paul's comments on Rome in the first chapter of the
LETTER TO THE ROMANS. What do these comments tell us about Paul
and his background?
Discuss the "vine and branches" passage (15:1-10) in the Gospel of
John. What are some of the implications of this passage for the
later development of Christianity?
Discuss Paul's view of circumcision.
RASHOMON is a story about the inability of people to tell the truth
about themselves or to themselves. Comment.
RASHOMON is a story about the relativity of truth. Comment.
Discuss the use made by Martin Luther -- in the passages selected
for our class -- of the Gospel of John and the Letter to the
Romans.
Discuss Prospero's words in the "Epilogue" of THE TEMPEST.
Discuss the concept of happiness set forth by Aristotle in the
passages from the NICHOMACHEAN ETHICS we discussed in class.