NCHU Course Outline

Course Name	(中) 西洋文學概論(1055)
	(Eng.) Introduction to Western Literature
Offering Dept	Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Course Type	Required	Credits	2	Teacher	Ho, TAI-CHUN
Department	Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures/Undergraduate	Language	English	Semester	2025-SPRING
Course Description	This course gives first-year NCHU English majors the opportunity to explore some of the most enduring works of Western Literature from Homer’s epics to Dante's Inferno. Participants are not expected to read these texts in their entirety but selectively and critically. It is designed to introduce the major concerns and conventions of western literary canon whilst encouraging students to think about what makes a literary text ‘classic’ and how it is still relevant to modern readers.
Prerequisites				self-directed learning in the course	Y

Relevance of Course Objectives and Core Learning Outcomes(%)			Teaching and Assessment Methods for Course Objectives
Course Objectives	Competency Indicators	Ratio(%)	Teaching Methods	Assessment Methods
At the end of the course, students will be able to: (1) become familiar with some of the major authors and issues of Western Literature (2) understand both Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian traditions and literary genres (3) enhance their reading skills and critical thinking through complex literary texts. (4) develop an understanding of the formal, stylistic, and aesthetic qualities of literary texts.	1.Foreign language skills 2.Professional expertise	50 50	Lecturing Discussion Networking/Distance Education	Quiz Assignment Oral Presentation Attendance Written Presentation
Course Content and Homework/Schedule/Tests Schedule
Week Course Content Week 1 Week 1 (19 Feb) Introduction Homer’s Odyssey Week 2-6 Euripides’ Medea Week 8-9 Virgil’s Aeneid Week 11-13 Dante’s Inferno Week 14-15 Ovid’s Metamorphoses Week 16 Shaw’s Pygmalion Mid-Term and Final Exams: Week 10 and 18 Week 2 (26 Feb) Homer’s Odyssey Headnote to Homer’s Odyssey (pp. 185-88) Book 1: Athena Inspires the Prince (pp. 291-301, lines 1-470) Quiz 1 Week 3 (4 March) Homer’s Odyssey Book 4: The King and Queen of Sparta (pp. 324-337, lines 1-617) Quiz 2 Week 4 (11 March) Homer’s Odyssey Book 8: A Day for Songs and Contests (pp. 371-385) Quiz 3 Week 5 (18 March) Homer’s Odyssey Book 9: In the One-Eye’ Giant’s Cave (pp. 385-397) Quiz 4 Week 6 (25 March) Homer’s Odyssey Book 23: The Great Rooted Bed (pp.559-568) Quiz 5 Week 7 (1 April) Holiday Week 8 (8 April) Euripides’ Medea Headnote to Euripides (pp. 742-45) Medea (pp. 745-66, lines 1-845) Quiz 6 Week 9 (15 April) Euripides’ Medea Euripides’ Medea (pp.765-781, lines 846-1469) Quiz 7 Week 10 (22 April) Mid-Term Exam Week 11 (29 April) A. Reviewing the Mid-Term Exam B. Introduction to Virgil’s Aeneid Book I: Safe Haven after Storm (pp. 981-990; lines 1-367) Quiz 8 Week 12 (6 May) Virgil’s Aeneid Book I: Safe Haven after Storm (pp. 990-1002; lines 368-908) Quiz 9 Week 13 (13 May) Virgil’s Aeneid Book II: The Final Hours of Troy (pp. 1002-1024) Quiz 10 Week 14 (20 May) Dante’s Inferno Canto 1-3 (pp. 1595-1610) Quiz 11 Week 15 (27 May) Dante’s Inferno Canto 4-5 (pp. 1610-1617) Quiz 10 Week 16 (3 June) Self-Learning Film Assignment: Shaw’s Pygmalion Read Ovid’s description of Pygmalion in Metamorphoses (pp.1121-22) and watch the 1938 film ‘Pygmalion’ and submit the written response by 10 June. Week 17 (10 June) Holiday Week 18 (17 June) Final Exam
Evaluation
Grades 30% participation (class participation 15%; attendance 15%) 5% written assignment (in week 16) 65% exams (quizzes 10%;Midterm 25%; Final 30%) 15% class participation: 0-10 scale system is used. 1-4= didn’t speak but attended the classes 5-6= spoke only a few times 7-8= made a few comments 9-10=talked a lot Absences ＞Sickness: If you can’t come to class because you’re sick, please apply for a leave of absence via the university’s online system and attach a document which shows your doctor’s notes or your visit to a clinic or hospital. You will need to show me absent notes approved by the university on the day of a quiz or test; otherwise, your absence will be unexcused. Each class absence will drop 1 point off your final grade. ＞Tardiness: You should come to class on time. If you arrive late after I take attendance, you will be marked absent. ＞Other reasons: Please discuss them with me beforehand.
Textbook & other References
Textbook: The Norton Anthology of Western Literature (Ninth Edition) Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton
Teaching Aids & Teacher's Website
Worksheets containing reading comprehension and discussion questions are available via I-Learning BBC Podcasts: Homer’s Odyssey: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09kqjc0 Ovid’s Metamorphosis: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00546p6 Virgil’s Aeneid: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p003k9c1 Dante’s Inferno: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-j9bCJ7wl4
Office Hours
Monday 3:10-5:00 pm (by appointment)
Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs
04.Quality Education   05.Gender Equality   16.Peace and Justice include experience courses：N

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Update Date, year/month/day：None	Printed Date, year/month/day：2025 / 1 / 22
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