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An Awakening of Passion
David L. Vinson
Class:
This is a full year course that explores the great classical writers of Greek and Roman literature with a strong emphasis on written expression. You will study the foundations of Western Civilization through Greek and Roman philosophers and their writings of the medieval era. Critical reading and writing skills will serve as an effective starting point for any future academic studies. College entrance essays, scholarship essays, post high school preparation, and an original myth will highlight the written portion. We will examine the visual artists and listen to music from this era as well. Also, you have the opportunity to earn 5 credit hours from the Seattle University through the Matteo Ricci Institute if you complete the course and pay the reduced tuition cost. Please note: the outcomes and expectations for this course are set by Seattle University.Course Outcomes:
You will analyze, synthesize, apply and evaluate core ideas of Western Civilization through primary texts, in depth papers and interaction between your peers and the faculty. This will involve lecture, Socratic seminar, small group discussions and more. The themes of hero, revenge, atonement, and forgiveness are pertinent in our readings—plan on integrating these themes into your writings.Course Texts:
Between the World and Me by Ta-Neishi CoatesThe Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Little Bee by Chris CleeveThe Odyssey by Homer (I prefer Richmond Lattimore’s version)Works and Days by Hesiod--translated by Richmond LattimoreQuotes and Selections from Socrates Aristotle, selections from Poetics Antigone by SophoclesMedea and Other Plays by EuripidesThe Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius Hamlet by ShakespeareElectronic Devices:
Refer to the FAQs for Electronic Device use in class—remember, we dock our devices at the beginning of class; your device does NOT need to leave the room or go to the restroom. You’re not on call for surgery so I trust this won’t be a problem!College Credit:
This is a Seattle University course and you can earn 5 college credits (transferable to many/most local colleges) and there is an opportunity to purchase these credits in the spring (May)Seattle Opera 2020-2021
Thursday, Thursday, Thursday, Thursday, As per tradition—we dress our best for the last opera in the spring. We will continue the tradition of attending the Seattle Opera as you will attend four performances. Operatic reviews are also a course requirement. You may check my website for a description of EACH opera we will see this year! These are mandatory and required—adjust your calendar now please. Tickets are $15.00 PER SHOW and there are opportunities to bring other family members/friends to the performances as well.Participation and Late Policy
I do not accept late work. An assignment is considered late if it is not in my hands at the time it is called for (This will usually be at the BEGINNING OF THE DAY—7:50am!) on the due date. If you will not be in class on the day an assignment is due (illness, field trip, other school-related events) you must turn in your work—this is a college course. If you do not communicate your absence (before the period begins/ends), the assignment will be considered late and not graded. No work in pencil…it won’t be graded! Blue/Black ink only…this is a college-in-the-high-school course. Participation is vital—have a voice! A great deal of time will be spent in groups, discussing texts and writing and reviewing texts and writing. Do you come to class on time? Great Ideas discussion means questioning the thought process, assumptions and skills—we don’t attack one another—we push each other.Grading:
We will follow the school grading scale. I grade on a point scale which will be converted to letter grades by a percentage system. 40% of overall grade is Written Work 25% of overall grade is Oral Work 15% of overall grade is Daily Work 20% of overall grade is Tests/Quizzes 10% of overall grade is Summer Work (1st semester only)NO LATE WORK!!! EVER!!!
Communication:
My email address is vinsond@kennedyhs.org. Please use this as a primary source of communication as access to a private phone conversation is difficult! Use email! Thank you! I will check and respond to email inquiries until 8pm each evening. Remember to email me from your Last name, first initial @kennedyhs.org email address too!Plagiarism
Plagiarism, or academic dishonesty, is presenting someone else's ideas or writing as your own. In your writing for this class, you are encouraged to refer to other people's thoughts and writing -- as long as you cite them. As a matter of policy, any student found to have plagiarized any piece of writing in this class will be immediately reported to the Matteo Ricci Institute for review. I understand the course expectations for Great Ideas (Introductory Composition, HUMT 1500) and know what is expected of me to earn 5 credits from the Seattle University.______________________________________________________
Student
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Parent/Guardian
Socrates believed:
Socrates extolled the value of pursuing truth. He stated that the unexamined life is not worth living. He typically carried out his search for understanding through a process now known as the Socratic method — a series of dialectical questions meant to discern erroneous prejudices from truth.
Socrates was Plato’s teacher:
Plato believed that the world we see around us is only a shadow of reality, which he referred to as the world of the forms. From this belief, he developed the Theory of Forms and Allegory of the Cave--click the links below to watch them and learn!
Theory of Forms--an easy to understand version
Theory of Forms
Plato was Aristotle’s teacher:
Aristotle was practical and dealt with the question of 'how should we live our lives? Aristotle believed that every person was seeking "having lived a successful life" as the ultimate goal in his/her life.
How did all of this begin you ask?
THE JUDGEMENT OF PARIS (aka—The Beauty Contest) was a contest between the three most beautiful goddesses of Olympus--Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena--for the prize of a golden apple addressed "To the Fairest!"
The story began with the wedding of Peleus and Thetis which all the gods had been invited to attend except for Eris, goddess of discord. When Eris appeared at the festivities she was turned away and, because she was angry (nothing worse than a woman scorned), she cast a golden apple among the guests and said to the women: "To the Fairest." Three goddesses laid claim to the apple--Aphrodite, Hera and Athena. Zeus was asked to mediate and he ordered Hermes to lead the three goddesses to Paris of Troy to decide the issue. The three goddesses each offered Paris gifts for favor, but he chose Aphrodite, swayed by her promise to give him Helen, the most beautiful woman, for himself (she was married by the way) to marry.
BAM—thus starts the 10 year Trojan War and off they go:
Troy's side:
Priam (King); Paris--prince and his brother Hector...they are the sons of Priam, but when Hector killed Achilles friend, Achilles killed Hector and then tied him behind his chariot and dragged Hector's body around the outside of Troy until Priam begged Achilles to have the body (don't ever say I'm mean). Paris dies because he is wounded in battle and his fiance' refuses to treat his wounds since he left her for Helen....giggle. Revenge has no bounds indeed!
Greek's side:
Menelaus--king of Sparta--to get his wife, HelenAgamemnon--king of Mycenae and BROTHER of Menelaus to get Helen (he woo'd her once)
Odysseus--king of Ithaca--guess what? He woo'd Helen once too. When Achilles was killed by Paris (shot in the heel), he got Achilles' armor instead of Ajax (who was the 2nd bravest Greek warrior) because he was the wisest. Ajax goes insane and kills himself over this injustice. (these folks were cray-cray)
Achilles--son of Peleus who was the king of Myrmidon
The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius
Boethius was not only charged of treason, but also of sacrilege for practicing mathematics and astrology.
In 520, Boethius was working to revitalize the relationship between the Church in Rome and the Church in Constantinople.
In 522, the same year his two sons were appointed joint consuls, Boethius accepted the appointment to the position of the head of all the government and court services.
In 523, Boethius fell from power; after a period of imprisonment in Pavia for what was deemed a treasonable offense, he was eventually executed.
Boethius was brutally executed in 524 because of political differences.
Boethius wrote the Consolation of Philosophy while in exile under house arrest in prison while awaiting his execution, but his lifelong project was to preserve ancient classical knowledge, particularly philosophy. The book argues that despite the apparent inequality of the world, there is a higher power and everything else is secondary to that of divine Providence.
Boethius intended to translate all the works of Aristotle and Plato from the original Greek into Latin because he understood the end of the classical world was coming.
Seattle University Information!
Registration Materials due:
Transcripts:
https://www.seattleu.edu/registrar/student-records/transcripts/
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