Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2026 - ENGL 211 D100

The Place of the Past (3)

From Homer to Hell

Class Number: 2663

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 7, 2026: Wed, Fri, 9:30–10:20 a.m.
    Burnaby

  • Instructor:

    JD Fleming
    jfleming@sfu.ca
    1 778 782-4713
    Office: AQ 6149
    Office Hours: TBA

  • Prerequisites:

    12 units or one 100-division English course.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Examines literature and language within specific social, cultural, geographical, and textual environments to explore the mutually informing relationship between history and text. May be further organized by historical period, genre, or critical approach. This course may be repeated for credit if a different topic is taught. Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:


FROM HOMER TO HELL
The Western tradition, as it used to be called, had two main sources: The classical, and the Biblical. In this course, we will get a grounding in both. What do these texts, these stories, have to do with us today? Anything? Nothing? That will be our question.

Readings:
Homer, The Iliad.
Ovid, Metamorphoses.
Dante, Inferno.
Old Testament, selections, including Genesis, Exodus, 1 Samuel.
New Testament, selections, including the Gospels of Matthew and John.

Grading

  • Mid-term (in class) 25%
  • Tutorial presentation 15%
  • Term paper (~ 2000 words) 30%
  • Final exam (2 hrs) 30%

NOTES:

  • Our selections from the Old and New Testaments we will find online.
  • The Iliad, the Metamorphoses, and the Inferno we will read in specific editions/translations (see below). 
  • Other editions and/or translations of these texts will not be acceptable or usable! For they will constitute, in effect, entirely different readings.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Homer, The Iliad, translated by Emily Wilson. Norton.
ISBN: 9781324076148

Ovid, Metamorphoses, translated by Charles Martin. Norton.
ISBN: 9780393326420

Dante, Inferno, translated by Allen Mandelbaum. Bantam.
ISBN: 9780553213393

Selections from the King James Bible: Online.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Everything, really, but let's just start with our course texts.

Department Undergraduate Notes:

IMPORTANT NOTE Re 300 and 400 level courses: 75% of spaces in 300 level English courses, and 100% of spaces in 400 level English courses, are reserved for declared English Major, Minor, Extended Minor, Joint Major, and Honours students only, until open enrollment begins.

For all On-Campus Courses, please note the following:
- To receive credit for the course, students must complete all requirements.
- Tutorials/Seminars WILL be held the first week of classes.
- When choosing your schedule, remember to check "Show lab/tutorial sections" to see all Lecture/Seminar/Tutorial times required.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


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.