Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2025 - WL 103W D100

Early World Literatures (3)

Class Number: 6127

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Introduces ways of comparing early world literatures across time and space. May explore fundamental themes such as love, heroism, or the underworld. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:

Nourishing Words: Exploring the Role of Food in Ancient Literature

French anthropologist Lévi-Strauss posited that the act of preparing food functions as a language revealing the underlying structure of a society. And indeed food transcends merely fulfilling basic needs: it acts as a crucial form of expression. This course explores how culture is molded by culinary practices such as sacred foods, fasting, and communal eating, as depicted in pre-modern literature from diverse origins. We will analyze food-related topics including the culinary traditions of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica (the Popol Vuh), the fasting practiced by Early Christianity (St. Augustine’s “The Usefulness of Fasting”), the eating habits of first and second-century Romans (Galen’s On Food and Diet, and Petronius' "Dinner of Trimalchio"), and the social significance of communal dining in the ancient Greece (Homer’s The Odyssey). Through a global lens, the course will uncover the symbolic and practical roles of food in storytelling and society, offering a rich understanding of nourishment beyond mere sustenance.

Grading

  • Attendance and Participation 15%
  • Group Oral Report 15%
  • Midterm Essay (in-class 4-5 pages) 20%
  • Final Essay (in-class 4-5 pages, 20%) & re-write (8 pages, 30%) 50%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

The Popol Vuh, Translation and Commentary by Allen J. Christenson. Available on Canvas.

St. Augustine, “The Usefulness of Fasting.” Available online through the SFU library.

Homer, The Odyssey. Translation by Anthony Verity, Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0198736479

Galen, On Food and Diet. Available online through the SFU library.

Additional material will be provided by the instructor on our Canvas page

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.