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HONORS HUMANITIES II SPRING 2007
Picasso, Pablo |
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A chronological interdisciplinary survey designed to strengthen the student’s fundamental grasp of human values through the study of humanity’s ideas, discoveries, and creative achievements. Areas of consideration will include art, literature, and philosophy. This course begins with the Renaissance and continues through the modern period. No prerequisite.
This course has two main objectives. The first is to introduce the student to the humanities, to provide a sense of the richness and diversity of human achievement since the Renaissance. The second is to improve the student’s ability to think critically, write clearly, and speak persuasively. Critical thinking about the past is essential to understanding the present.
By the end of the course, each student will demonstrate progress in the following course objectives:
- Students differentiate between world cultures and between various historical/cultural eras.
- Students display basic knowledge of major world religions and philosophies.
- Students display basic knowledge of major world events and developments during the modern period.
- Students develop an appreciation for the value of the arts and sciences within society and civilization.
- Students interpret the perspectives of the disciplines within the broader, systematic context of the humanities.
- Students demonstrate a basic analysis of primary source materials and the ability to communicate that analysis.
- Students make a more extensive connection with at least one era, aspect, artifact, or figure from our modern past.
The following lectures are archived for your convenience. Please note that the lectures may differ slightly from what is presented in class, and I will often say more about these subjects in class than I do in these presentations. All students are responsible for the material presented in class. These lectures give you a chance to review the material at your own pace. Enjoy.
Lecture #2: The Early Renaissance
Lecture #3: High Renaissance Masters
Lecture #4: Northern Renaissance, Northern Humanism...
Lecture #5: Painting in the Baroque Age
Lecture #7: The Age of Reason Part II
UNIT II
Lecture #9: Impressionism and Early Modernism
Lecture #10: Post-Impressionism (NGA Collection)
Lecture #11: Van Gogh (Source Report candidates)
Lecture #12: Post-Impressionism (background)
To visit the actual tours at the National Gallery of Art, use the following link: http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/french19.htm
Guest Lecture-- Van Gogh.pptinal
Source Report #2: Painting after Impressionism
Your second source report is due Friday. For your second source report, I want you to choose a painting by one of the following artists to examine in depth. Because each artist has a great many fascinating works, we will use websites as our galleries. Unfortunately, the more recent the artist's death, the less chance their works are available for viewing on the internet (for free, anyway). I have chosen four significant artists from roughly the time period following Impressionism- Van Gogh, Gauguin, Picasso, and Matisse. Check the websites below for some possibilities. If you have another painting you'd rather do, great, you just need to find a decent image of the painting (I have heard of something called "books" that might have such images, or I guess you could see a painting in person). Great artists only please. So go to one of the following sites, pick a painting, and write a 1 1/2 to 2 page paper. In your paper you need to do the following:
1. Describe what you see, as much as you can and in your own words;
2. Discuss how the painting affects you- how do you feel, why do you like, what strikes you about what you see;
3. Explain why you chose the painting.
This is very basic stuff. What do you see and why do you like what you see? Obviously, then, you need to choose a painting that you like, or at least that's interesting to you. Don't choose anything out of the book, or that Professor Lurz discussed in her Van Gogh lecture. Otherwise, everything's fair game. You may have to do some navigating, and ignore any pleas for money.
Here are the links:
For some easy to find Van Gogh works, click this link: Lecture #11: Van Gogh.
For more Van Gogh:
http://www.vangoghgallery.com/
For Gauguin:
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/gauguin/
For Picasso:
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/P/picasso.html
For Matisse:
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/matisse/
Good luck, see you Friday. 1 1/2 to 2 pages (yes, typed). Due at the beginning of class Friday.
HUMANITIES
II--
LIST OF SUGGESTED FILMS for Film Analysis Paper (due Monday, Apr. 2nd)
Amadeus Mozart’s life
Amistad African slavery & America
Apocalypse Now Insanity & the Vietnam War
Chinatown
Crash
Dead Poets Society Value of literature and open mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Fight Club
Fisher King Search for redemption in urban American society
Hamlet Shakespeare’s Danish tragedy- Brannagh version
The Mission Search for redemption in colonial South America
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Platoon Reality of Vietnam War
Saving Private Ryan Reality of World War II: Normandy invasion
Schindler’s List Nazi Germany and the Holocaust
V for Vendetta
Please review all due dates- be sure all of your work is turned in on time.
All student work will be judged according to the following academic criteria:
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Accuracy of information.
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Organization and clarity of thoughts.
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Depth of critical thinking and observation.
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Basic writing mechanics.
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Fidelity of work (no plagiarism, cheating, etc.).
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Evidence of creative or innovative thinking.
Every student’s final grade will be earned via the following:
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Exams 30 % (each exam=15%)
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Analysis Papers 20 %
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Class Participation 20 %
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Other Writing Assignments 30 %
