January 31

Spend some time this week working on your canto translation from The Inferno.  Be sure to read all the notes at the end of your canto.  If you have yet to choose one, please do so this week and let me know your choice.

Read The Coming of Arthur from The Idylls of the King by Lord Alfred Tennyson.  Click on the image of Arthur on the left side of the screen.  I will also send an e-mail with the poem attached as a word document if you prefer to print it out.

January 24

Great class yesterday everyone!  Here are your assignments for this week focusing on Dante's Inferno.  There is no additional reading in The Once and Future King this week.  Don't forget to click on the Virtual Tour link.  It will give you a nice overview. 

Part 1: Survey of the Inferno

• Thoroughly familiarize yourself with your new copy of Dante's Inferno.  Remember this is the first of three poems in his Divine Comedy trilogy.  Don't let the word comedy fool you.  A journey through hell hardly sounds "comical".  The word comedy is being used in a different sense than we are used to.  Classical Comedy originates in despair and moves toward redemption.  Classical Tragedy begins in bliss and ends in sorrow.  True to this pattern, The Divine Comedy begins in sorrowful circumstances as Dante is lost in a dark wood and then brought down into the very pit of hell.  So to understand this as a "comedy" you must keep in mind that Dante will ascend to Paradise over the course of the trilogy. 
• Inside the back cover of your book list ten things you notice during your survey of the book.  How is the book organized?  What resources has the publisher made available to you?  What details do you notice?

Part 2: Read the Greater Images section beginning on page 67.  Highlight key words!

Part 3: Introduction

• Scan the entire Introduction (pgs. 9-66)
• Carefully read the section you were assigned and list the 5 most interesting facts you learn.   We will share these in class.
• I have written the section assignments below

Part 4: Read the Dante's Universe essay beginning on page 292.  Highlight key words!

Part 5: Choose the canto you would like to translate into modern English and e-mail your selection to me.

Introduction Assignments
paragraph#s are in parenthesis

1. Davis -  9 - 16 (2)
2. Walker - 16(3) - 24
3. Alex - 25 - 31(3)
4. Emma - 31(4) - 38(1)
5. Mrs. Simcox - 38(2) - 45(1)
6. Caleb - 45(2) - 52(2)
7. Carter - 52(3) - 59(1)
8. Eva - 59(2) - 66

January 17

I hope you all are enjoying our stay at the Castle Sauvage.  What you may not realize is that I have turned you into invisible subjects of Uther Pendragon.  We are going to hang out here awhile with Merlyn, Kay, and Wart to see what we can learn during our brief stay in this fantastical society.  Will anything we notice here aid us in our pursuit of "eddication".  How is this book like the moat?...the ant farm?.....the mews?

Assignments

• Finish reading liber primus (chapters 17-24)
• Highlight/underline as usual
• Write titles for each chapter
• Be prepared to narrate any chapter
• Reread Mr. P's speech on page 52

January 10

 

Welcome back everyone!  It was great to see each of you today.  We're off and running with The Once and Future King.  I believe it will be a breath of fresh air after our wade through epic poetry last semester.  But don't underestimate this entertaining and lighthearted novel.  There are plenty of meaty ideas to explore.  I am looking forward to more discussion.  

So far we have met Kay and the Wart. What do you notice about each?  What sort of character traits emerge as we read about their youth at Sir Ector's castle?  Which of the two boys do you consider to be the most noble, and why?

In addition to White's novel, we'll read slowly through Dante's Inferno.  I plan to stretch it out over the entire semester so that we can truly savor this influential classic. 

Speaking of Dante’s influence, I’d like to introduce you all to another early English poet – Geoffrey Chaucer.  I’m planning a class trip to see CYT’s Canterbury Tales next weekend.  Click on the link to see the details and description. 

Assignment for next week

·      Read chapters 13-16 in Once and Future King

·      Highlight flow of thought in yellow.  If your highlighter is bleeding through the pages, you have the option of underlining.  You may use stars for blue.

·      Find at least 2 blues to share with the class

·      Mark any anachronisms you notice

·      Write a title for each chapter