GST 320C3 - Fall 1999

"Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,
But to be young was very heaven!"
            William Wordsworth, The Prelude

"Because man's secret is not his Oepidus complex or his inferiority complex,
it is the limit of his freedom, it is his power to resist torture and death."
            Jean-Paul Sartre, The Republic of Silence

These quotations serve as dissimilar bookends for the most cluttered, most expansive, most confusing time period, the modern age. This last course in the Civilization sequence begins with the French Revolution and the Romantics, and concludes with the as-yet-understood New World Order of the 1990s. It begins with the hope and excitement of the English poet William Wordsworth writing on the seminal revolution of the modern age, the French Revolution. It trails off in the cold comfort of the existentialist propositions of Jean-Paul Sartre, who has a much more pessimistic view of revolution, war, and the human spirit. This course examines the last two centuries from a historical point of view, with particular emphasis on the history of the humanities during this period.

There are several things required of every student. The first is adherence to the Roanoke College Code of Academic Integrity. The second is attendance. You will be allowed two absences; every additional absence will result in the loss of one point from your overall grade. You will be considered absent if you miss any portion of the class period. Of equal importance is preparation and intelligent participation. The goal of this course is to improve your ability to read, think, and write clearly and critically. These skills will be developed through class discussion, papers, and tests.

Two analytical papers are required. Each will be 4-5 pages long, typed and double-spaced. The first paper is due on October 14. The second paper is due on December 3. Topics will be discussed later. Penalties will be assessed for late papers.

There are two tests during the semester, and a final exam. Half of the final exam will be comprehensive.

There are two additional requirements of all Civilization courses. First, every student must attend one Civilization event outside of class. For example, many students attend performances by the Kandinsky Trio. Secondly, students will have informal writing assignments in class from time to time. These are ungraded writing assignments that seek to improve one's ability to write.

There are six grading components

1st Test	15%
2nd Test	15%
1st Paper	20%
2nd Paper	20%
Final Exam	20%
Class Participation	10%