Introduction to the Course, Cosmopolitanism, & Epic Poetry
1. Reading:
Martha Nussbaum, "Kant and Stoic Cosmopolitanism" (Canvas)
"Circling the Mediterranean: Europe and the Islamic World"; B: pgs. 3-17 Beowulf; B: pgs. 107-82
2. Lecture:
Lesson 1: Introduction to the Course, Cosmopolitanism, & Epic Poetry
3. Discussion Board:
Please answer one of the following questions, and remember to respond to a classmate for full credit:
1. Conduct a close reading of the passage at the top of pg. 112 (Lines 2262-69). This translation is meant to better preserve the sound of the original poem. What stands out to you about the sound of the language in this translation?
2. In what ways does the text blur the line between human and nonhuman? How is Beowulf similar to the monsters that he battles?