Some material to support your understanding of Shakespeare's Hamlet:

We have watched part of the Franco Zeffirelli film ("the Mel Gibson version") in class.  In addition, I am also providing you with the links to another full video of Hamlet here.  You can read the text along side your viewing of this masterpiece if you choose.    

David Tennant is a superb actor, bringing Hamlet's story to vivid fruition.  He is exceptional in this challenging role.  In addition, Patrick Stewart is excellent as the villain Claudius.  This film adaptation is not faithful to the original Shakespearean setting (12th century Denmark).  Instead, the film lends the medieval revenge story a modern context.  Still, this interpretation is faithful to Shakespeare's language, which is important to me in having you watch a film production of Hamlet.  

See you in class!

Oedipus Rex

Just a reminder that there will be class on Monday October 12, and we complete our discussion of Oedipus Rex.  You will be writing in-class for your first paper assignment on Thursday, Oct. 15.  

The preparation handout for your in-class paper on Thursday is posted on this site, as well as the links to your shared notes for both Inanna and Oedipus Rex.  I noticed that the collaborative notes haven't been developed too much.  I know that many of you have been taking notes in class, and if you feel inclined, you are invited to share your notes in those documents before Thursday.  Please remember that your in-class writing will NOT be open book or open notes, so these documents are meant merely as a reference point for your overall preparation (study/review) before the in-class assignment on Thursday.

Attached here is a (dated) dramatic version of Oedipus Rex.  You are welcome to watch this video as a supplement to your reading/understanding of the play.  That said, it is not required and is just meant as another resource for your learning.

Welcome to World Literature!

Welcome to World Literature everyone!  

This is our class website, where I will periodically post information pertinent to our World Literature class.  I will use this site to disseminate new class information, along with videos, readings, and materials that are required throughout the semester.

I look forward to a productive and inspiring Fall semester with all of you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mia Zamora

How to get to most of the class readings: E-Reserve screencast

Here is a video which explains how to get to our reserved course readings.  I filmed this screencast earlier in the Spring, but the information I share here is the same for all of you.  Please watch this video to understand how to acquire your readings for this class:

Regarding your first reading of the semester which is Inanna - the text is broken up into smaller sections:

-The Huluppu Tree;
-Inanna & Enki (The God of Wisdom);
-The Courtship of Inanna  & Dumuzi;
-Inanna's Journey to the Underworld

Together, these four sections make up the Sumerian epic entitled Inanna:  Queen of Heaven and Earth.  Our first reading for the semester will be each of these sections of Inanna in this listed chrological order.

In order to know the reading assignment for each class, please listen to my announcements in class.  I will announce our reading for next class at the beginning of our class time each time we meet.

Growing Knowledge

An inspirational video for all of you at the start of our semester.  

Zack Matere says wisely here, "Information is powerful, but it is how we use it that will define us."

So as we embark on our journey through World Literature together, let us remember that we must reach beyond "information for information sake" as we collectively strive for meaning and understanding.   If we find shared meaning and understanding, then we can figure out how to apply the information at our finger tips to solving the problems of this shared world.