CLAS 205
Ancient Wisdom Literature Spring 2014
Division I
Cross-listed REL 205 / JWST 205 / COMP 217
This is not the current course catalog

Class Details

The Biblical books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job are often grouped together under the Hebrew category of hokhmah, ‘wisdom.’ Although these books are very different in content, they can all be interpreted as meditations on ethical and practical philosophy. In this way, they represent the Hebrew Bible’s canonical embrace of a widespread Near Eastern literary phenomenon. From the instructional literature of Egypt and Mesopotamia to Greek didactic poetry and fables, ancient Mediterranean cultures offer a wide range of texts that engage the issues of personal behavior, leadership, and justice. Starting with the central wisdom books of the Hebrew Bible and moving through relevant material from the Apocrypha, New Testament, and the Egyptian and Babylonian traditions, this course will examine the literature of wisdom throughout the ancient world with an eye toward understanding its various social, political, and philosophical contexts. We will then consider the Greek wisdom tradition in such texts as Hesiod’s Works and Days, Aesop’s fables, and fragments from the pre-Socratic philosophers. Finally, we will explore the influence of these ancient sources on later expressions of wisdom in medieval European literature, as well as more recent examples such as Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack. All readings are in translation.
The Class: Format: lecture/discussion
Limit: 19
Expected: 19
Class#: 3565
Grading: yes pass/fail option, yes fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation: evaluation will be based on class participation, short written assignments, and two longer papers
Prerequisites: none
Distributions: Division I
Notes: meets Division 2 requirement if registration is under REL or JWST; meets Division 1 requirement if registration is under CLAS or COMP
This course is cross-listed and the prefixes carry the following divisional credit:
REL 205 Division II JWST 205 Division II COMP 217 Division I CLAS 205 Division I
Attributes: JWST Core Electives
REL Jewish Tradition Courses

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