Argonautika.html

(Un)Common Reading Program – Spring 2012
IDH3931 (section 05HF): “Jason & the Argonauts: an Epic Adventure from Ancient Greece”
Mondays, 6th Period (12:50-1:40)
Little 117

instructor
Jim Marks
UF Department of Classics
jmarks@ufl.edu
office hours: Dauer 380 MWF 10:00-10:30, WF 12:45-1:45
352-273-3695

course description and goals
     The Argonautika by Apollonios Rhodios is the earliest (3rd century BCE) extensive account we have of the Greek hero Jason as he leads his Argonauts from Greece to a distant land on a seemingly hopeless quest, falls in love with a beautiful young princess who also happens to be a witch, and with difficulty brings them back home.
        This voyage to the edge of the Greek world and back offers a great story told with skill, compassion, and even humor, filled with bizarre people and monsters and gods. The Argonautika also touches on some of the key issues in the contemporary study of the humanities. Thus for example the encounters between the Argonauts and various semi- and non-Greek peoples intersect with current discussions about the construction of ethnic identity, and the centrality of the figure of Medea and other female characters in the epic sheds light on women’s roles in the ancient world and the representation of the female at a significant inflection point in the history of Western literature.
        We will explore these issues by working through a standard English translation of the text, supplemented with brief readings in background mythological material, examples of other translations over the centuries, and representations of the story in comic books and on film. Most of the weekly meetings will be devoted to discussion of the epic. Because the text is relatively short, we will be able to read it completely and in detail, and to focus on just a few adventures per class. Our goals are to appreciate and understand this text and its place in the Western literary tradition and to develop skill at interpreting texts.

required texts
(1) Apollonius of Rhodes: Jason and the Golden Fleece (the Argonautica), translated by E. V. Rieu. Penguin ISBN 9780140440850

(2) Gods and Heroes of the Greeks: The Library of Apollodorus, translated by Michael Simpson. University of Massachusetts Press ISBN 0870232061.

Class schedule (click here)

Evaluation (click here for UF grading policies)

In-class participation (60% of the final grade). ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY; the final grade will drop for every 2 missed classes (example: student earning an A will receive an A- after 2 missed classes, a B+ after 4 missed classes, and so on). Excused absences are granted only for documented illness, family emergency, or UF-sanctioned activity (such as athletics).
Two character studies (15% each = 30%), 400-500 word explorations of a character in the Argonautika

click here for an explanation of the assignment

One essay-format exam (10%) will be administered on the last class day; students will be asked to analyze a brief passage from the Argonautika.

grading scale: A= 90 and above; A- = 87-89; B+ = 84-86; B = 80-83; B- = 77-79; C+ = 74-76; C = 70-73; C- = 67-69
(note that UF does not consider a C- to be a passing grade); D+ = 64-66; D = 60-63; D- = 57-59; E = 56 and below
for UF policy on minus-grades, see http://www.isis.ufl.edu/minusgrades.html

This course is conducted in compliance with all University of Florida policies regarding special needs, academic honesty, and absences for emergencies, religious holidays and extracurricular activities. For details, see http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drc/ (special needs); https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/advising/info/student-honor-code.aspx#honesty (academic honesty).

Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.