Survey Questions

Please answer the survey questions below and email them to me at chrisreno@mvcs.org.

1. What do you think I should change to make Classy Lit a better course for next year's students? 
2. How do you think I could better serve you as a teacher? Is there anything I need to change?
3. What did you think of the Leithart journals versus the journal-by-book approach, and which one did you like better and thought more conducive to learning?
4. What was the best thing about this class for you? 

Final Exam Announcement

Several things to take care of to ensure a wonderful, glorious final exam outcome:

1. We will meet at my home, NOT in my classroom. But in order to do this . . . 
2. You must get one more permission slip signed by parent or guardian in order to come to my home on campus (see Focus).
3.  ATTENTION: please have your parent say it's OK to go through the course of this school year since we will be doing a few more trips next semester, too. I'll keep this one on file for the record so you don't have to fill any more out. You may email the signed PDF as a PDF.
4. Please bring any teas or snacks you'd like to enjoy. We will provide cups and hot water. Please leave a comment here telling everyone what you will be bringing. You might consider bringing any of the following:



Odysseus being turned back and forth by Athena

1. half & half
2. honey
3. sausages to roll back and forth, sizzling in their fatty juices of wrath . . . just kidding.  

Aeneid Test on Monday

The exam will cover both The Aeneid and Leithart's Heroes of the City of Man (pages 2213-270). Please use the study guide I tried to email to you or see the post below, which contains the same information. Enjoy!

O Come, O come, Emmanuel

Em                           Am D Em

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

        G              C          Am D Em
And ransom captive Israel,

            Am                  G        D
That mourns in lonely exile here

  Em                   Am D   G
Until the Son of God appear.

     D          Bm

Rejoice! Rejoice!

  Am  D  Em            G             C      Am D Em
Emmanuel   shall come to thee, O Is-rael.

Em                              Am D Em

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

             G             C        Am D Em
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;

            Am                           G        D
From depths of hell Thy people save,

         Em                     Am D         G
And give them victory over the grave.

Em                                           Am    D

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and

  Em

Cheer

        G          C             Am D   Em
Our spirits by Thine advent here;

       Am                         G            D
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

          Em                          Am D     G
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Em                              Am D    Em

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

         G          C           Am  D       Em
And open wide our heavenly home;

          Am                        G           D
Make safe the way that leads on high,

         Em                   Am D G
And close the path to misery.

Wednesday, 12/12 - Turnus into Corpses

*P&P

*Discuss Book 10 and begin 11 and 12.

HW:  

1. Read Books 11-12
2. Finish Journals 1-12 (If you email, please send me the PDF)  

Tuesday, 12/11 - Slipping on grass slick with slaughter

*P&P

*Discuss Book 9

HW: 

1. Test on the Aeneid on Monday (which will cover Leithart readings, too)
2. Book 10 and journal. 
3. All journals due block day at one time.
1. You should have 12 entries with the following: 
1. quote
2. why you selected it 
3. and one additional question or insight about the book, separate from the quote. 

Monday, 12/10 - The Iliad in the Aeneid

*P&P

*Today we discuss Books 7-8. 

HW: read and journal Book 9 

Wednesday, 12/5 - Broodal!

*P&P

*Figgered I'd title today's entry with a neologism that covers both Dido (brooder) and Aeneas (brutal). That silliness aside, let's discuss what Virgil is doing with Dido and Aeneas as fictional characters representing a tenuous historical relationship between Rome and Carthage during the hundred years that spanned the three Punic Wars.

To do this, let's read the following overview of the wars here. 

Let's now discuss Book 4 and then begin Book 5.  

Here is a link to the schedule over the next two days.

HW: 

1. Books 5-6
2. Leithart

Tuesday, 12/4 - Book 4: Dido . . . So Hot Right Now

*P&P

*Discuss Book 3, Leithart, and begin Book 4 

HW: 

1. Read Book 4 (for tomorrow) 
2. Work on Leithart below (due Friday)

 Leithart - Heroes (228-239)

1. How does Virgil hint that Carthage might be Aeneas’ new home, yet also a false one?
2. Describe Dido's character (What goddesses is she like? How is she an "Amazon"?) How do her character traits, office, and sex doom her to a life of furor?
3. Describe the significance of the "serpent-like flame" imagery, in addition to the further significance of Sinon's name.
4. What is the significance of Aeneas' visit to Buthrotum?
5. How is Aeneas' departure from Carthage (his suppression of personal desire beneath public duty) significant on the political, philosophical, geographical, gender, and cosmic levels?
6. What do many modern critics suggest Virgil is doing with Dido's suicide? How does Leithart qualify their gross over-simplification?    

Monday, 12/3 - Aeneas: More Like Abraham than like Achilles

Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius Fleeing Troy, Federico Barocci (1596)

*P&P

*Discuss Books 1-2 and Leithart as time allows.

HW: Read through Book 3 with journals, of course. 

Block, 11/30 - Book 2

Don't forget your Leithart!

*P&P

*Discuss Book 1

*Begin Book 2 

HW: 

1. Finish Books 2 and 3 
2. Do journal for each book
1. Favorite quote
2. Why it's your fave
3. One question or additional insight about the book  
3. Read Leithart (213-227), taking notes on the following questions:

1. Why does Virgil invoke the Muse for a second time in Book 7?
2. What is the main difference between Odysseus’ journey and that of Aeneas?
3. In what ways does the second half of the Aeneid reflect the Iliad?
4. How does the Aeneid reflect Virgil’s historical situation?
5. Explain how and why Aeneas is different from the Homeric heroes.
6. What is pietas? How does Aeneas symbolize pietas in his escape from Troy?
7. What is furor? How is the conflict of pietas/fatum and furor reflected on various levels in the Aeneid?