Reading and composition based on 10 classic works of Indian literature ranging from the ancient Sanskrit epics to modern novels by Indian and western authors. Weekly composition on texts and topics read and discussed in class. Satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement.

This R5A in South Asian Studies, titled Great Books in India, looks at one of India’s greatest thinkers, Rabindranath Tagore. We will be reading and seeing Tagore extensively in this course, but also thinking about his presence in the larger Indian cultural space. I teach this course not as a Tagore scholar but as a Tagore reader. This course will attempt to move away from his western imagery of a nature poet to view him as a stalwart in Indian culture. This course will feature several of his lesser-known poems, novellas, and newer translations of some of his more popular classics. Space and time will serve as essential components of understanding Tagorian aesthetics, and this course is divided into sections according to my understanding of space and time. The major attempt will be to not only take a (re)look at one of the stalwarts of World Literature but also situate him in his space and time

Requisites

• Satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing Requirement

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills