SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS University of Virginia, Academic Sponsor

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1 SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS University of Virginia, Academic Sponsor Voyage: Fall 2015 Discipline: Special Topics in English Literature ENSP : Literature of the Sea Division: Lower Faculty Name: Daniel Brayton Credit Hours: 3; Contact Hours: 38 Pre-requisites: None COURSE DESCRIPTION Writers have long found the sea and the modes of human interaction with it a cause for wonder and reflection. A mirror of the soul, for some, but for others a desert, the sea has profoundly influenced the imaginations of writers throughout history and across cultures. The sheer variety of literary genres with which writers have reflected upon the sea and its meanings suggests that writing and voyaging on the water share a deep affinity. In this course we will read a sampling of global literature in which the sea acts as the setting, a body of symbolism, a mystery, the agent of divine wrath, an epistemological challenge, a means of escape, and a reason to reflect on the human relationship to nature. COURSE OBJECTIVES In this course we will familiarize ourselves with the maritime literary tradition, with a particular emphasis on works written about the regions we will encounter; to develop our critical reading, discussing, and writing skills; and to deepen our understanding of the relationship between literature, history, and the biophysical environment. We will read works of poetry (lyric and narrative) and prose (novels, novellas, and stories). Classes will consist of lecture and discussion; there will also be a formal presentation and a series of essay assignments. Our approach to the texts (listed below) will involve a mix of formal and contextual methods. REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS Homer, The Odyssey Shakespeare, The Tempest Peter Jay, ed., The Sea, The Sea! : An Anthology of Poems Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea Roffey, Archipelago Tesdell (ed.) Stories of the Sea AUTHOR: Homer (translated by Robert Fagles) TITLE: The Odyssey PUBLISHER: Penguin ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: 1996 (or more recent) 1

2 AUTHOR: Shakespeare TITLE: The Tempest PUBLISHER: Oxford University Press ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: 1998 (or more recent) AUTHOR: Peter Jay, editor TITLE: The Sea, the Sea! An Anthology of Poems PUBLISHER: Anvil Press ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: 2005 AUTHOR: Hemingway TITLE: The Old Man and the Sea PUBLISHER: Scribner ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: 2003 (or more recent) AUTHOR: Roffey TITLE: Archipelago PUBLISHER: Penguin ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: 2013 AUTHOR: Tesdell, editor TITLE: Stories of the Sea PUBLISHER: Everyman ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: 2010 TOPICAL OUTLINE OF COURSE Depart Southampton September 13 A1 September 15: Introductory-- Cosmogonies of the sea (Handout: Genesis, Hesiod, Ovid) Homework: Read The Seafarer + Sea Fever (in poetry anthology) A2 September 17: Discussion of The Seafarer + Sea Fever ; HW: The Odyssey, Books A3 September 19: Discuss The Odyssey, Books 1+2; HW: The Odyssey, Books 5+6 Civitavecchia September Naples September A4 September 27: Discuss The Odyssey, Books 5+6; HW: The Odyssey, Books

3 A5 September 29: Discuss The Odyssey, Books 9+10; HW: Updike, Cruise (in Stories ) Istanbul September 30-October 5 A6 October 7: Discuss Updike s Cruise ; HW: Shakespeare, The Tempest, Acts 1-3 Study Day October 8 A7 October 10: Discuss The Tempest, Acts 1-3; HW: The Tempest, Acts 4+5 Barcelona October A8 October 18: Discuss The Tempest, Acts 4+5; HW: Coleridge, Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Parts 1-III Study Day October 20 A9 October 21: Discuss Coleridge, Rime, Parts I-III; HW: Coleridge, Rime, Parts IV-VII A10 October 23: Discuss Coleridge, Parts IV-VII; HW: Poe, A Descent into the Maelstrom Dakar October A11 October 30: Discuss Poe, Maelstrom ; HW: Slocum, Sailing Alone, Intro +Chapts. 1-5 A12 November 1: HW: Slocum, Sailing Alone Around the World, Introduction and Chapters 1-5 Takoradi November 2-6 A13 November 8: Discuss Slocum, Sailing Alone Around the World, Chapters 1-5; HW: Slocum, Chapters 6-12 Study Day November 10 A14 November 11: Discuss Slocum, Chapters 6-12; HW: Finish Slocum A15 November 13: Final discussion Slocum; HW: Butler s Titanic Victim Speaks through Waterbed + Hardy, The Convergence of the Twain Salvador November A16 November 21: Discuss Butler s Titanic + Hardy s Convergence ; HW: Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea, pp A17 November 23: Discuss Hemingway s The Old Man and the Sea, pp. 1-65; HW: Read Hemingway, pp. 66-finish 3

4 Study Day November 25 A18 November 26: Discuss Hemingway, finish; HW: Walcott, The Sea is History A19 November 28: Discuss Walcott, Sea is History ; HW: Read Archipelago, Chapters 1-6 Arrive/Depart Port of Spain November 29 A20 December 1: Discuss Archipelago, Chapters 1-6; HW: Read Archipelago, Chapters 7-12 Study Day December 2 A21 December 4: Discuss Archipelago, Chapters 7-12; HW: Finish Archipelago Puntarenas December 6-11 A22 December 12: Discuss Archipelago, conclusion; HW: Read Crossing the Bar A23 December 14: Discuss Crossing the Bar Study Day December 16 A24 December 17; A-Day Finals Arrive San Diego December 21 FIELD WORK Field lab attendance is mandatory for all students enrolled in this course. Do not book individual travel plans or a Semester at Sea sponsored trip on the day of your field lab. -Field Seminar, Option 1: National Hellenic Maritime Museum, Piraeus -Field Seminar, Option 2: National Maritime Museum of Turkey, Istanbul FIELD LAB (At least 20 percent of the contact hours for each course, to be led by the instructor.) This field lab will consist of a walking tour of the waterfront in the port of Piraeus (or Istanbul), followed by a visit to the national maritime museum of Greece (or of Turkey). Port and museum will take about 3 hours each; the other two hours will be taken up by discussions and lunch. Our goals will be to develop and understanding of the port as a historical palimpsest (series of overlying layers) and to examine critically the institutional formation of cultural narratives of the sea (What does the sea mean in Greek history? Turkish history?); and to reflect on key features of the port infrastructures, present and past. FIELD ASSIGNMENTS Students will be required to complete two projects based on their port stop experiences and field 4

5 seminars. The first will be a short response paper (3-4 pp.); the second will be a concept map describing some aspect of the historical development of seaports, shipping, ship design, trade routes, or a particular historical infrastructure (e.g canals, Greek-Phoenician interactions, etc.). Students will present their concept maps orally in class (~10 min. each). Both of these assignments will receive a letter grade that will be factored into the overall class grade. METHODS OF EVALUATION / GRADING RUBRIC Essay 1: 20 % Essay 2: 20% Attendance/Participation: 30% Field Lab Response Paper: 10% Concept Map: 10% Oral Presentation: 10% RESERVE BOOKS AND FILMS FOR THE LIBRARY Raban, Jonathan, The Oxford Book of the Sea (Oxford UP; out of print!) Films: Das Boot, Master and Commander AUTHOR: Jonathan Raban, ed. TITLE: The Oxford Book of the Sea PUBLISHER: Oxford University Press ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: 1992, 1993, or 2001 (anything available) ELECTRONIC COURSE MATERIALS (None needed) ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (None) HONOR CODE Semester at Sea students enroll in an academic program administered by the University of Virginia, and thus bind themselves to the University s honor code. The code prohibits all acts of lying, cheating, and stealing. Please consult the Voyager s Handbook for further explanation of what constitutes an honor offense. Each written assignment for this course must be pledged by the student as follows: On my honor as a student, I pledge that I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment. The pledge must be signed, or, in the case of an electronic file, signed [signed]. 5