Essays (approximately 100 points each/2 total; approximately 30% of grade).

There are seven (7) essays. You will select one essay from “Part A” and one from “Part B.” It is your responsibility to keep track of the essays you have chosen and their appropriate due dates. The essays will be no shorter than THREE and no longer than FIVE double-spaced pages (standard 12 point font, 1 inch margins all around). You will not receive full credit for a short essay. Additional information concerning the essays is on my web site. Read this information first before writing your essays. Rewrites are allowed after consulting with the instructor. The student is responsible for keeping a copy (photocopy or disk) of their essay for reference in case the original should become lost. It is recommended that each student keep copies of all their written work for this course until they have received their final grade. I am happy to read a draft of your essay.

PART A: You will read one of the following three books. Select one question for your essay. For all of these questions, include specific citations to the book.

Homer, Iliad. [Due Date Oct. 29]

1. Write an essay discussing the concept of force in the Iliad. Do the warriors in the Iliad use force to achieve their objectives, or are they subject primarily to forces which they cannot control?
2. What does Homer's portrayal of the gods throughout the Iliad say about Greek society? Do humans in the Iliad ever surpass the gods in virtue? Give examples from the text to support of your answer. 
3. Why does Achilles remain to fight Hector when his mother (Thetis) has told him that he will die at Troy? Why does Achilles need to justify his existence by killing others? What does this say about the concept of the heroic individual in ancient Greek society? 
4. Why does Achilles call Lycaon, one of Priam's sons, "friend" before killing him? Is Achilles sincere when he uses the word "friend," or is he mocking the Trojans? What does Achilles' use of the word "friend" say about Homer's conceptions of heroism? Is Homer trying to portray the Trojan war as a "just war"? 

Augustine, Confessions. [Due Dec. 3]

1. Describe Augustine's spiritual journey and his introspective analysis of his religious and emotional experiences. What does Augustine want readers to learn from his life? 
2. Discuss the Manichean influences upon Augustine's life. Does Augustine use the Manichean period of his life as convenient excuse for his sins?
3. Augustine opens the Confessions with a passage from Psalm 145. Read this psalm and explain why you believe Augustine chose this passage as the first sentence of his book. Does Augustine use this biblical psalm as an outline for the Confessions?

Chaucer, Canterbury Tales [Prologue; Miller's Tale; Wife of Bath; Merchant's Tale].

[Due Dec. 10]

1. Write an essay on the concept of pilgrimage in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Discuss Chaucer's portrayal of human life as a pilgrimage. Why is the concept of pilgrimage so important to understanding the meaning of the Canterbury Tales? 
2. Write an essay on the Host. In what manner is the host like God? Although the Host quickly disappears from the story, how does he dominate the entire work?
3. Do you think that the group described in the "Prologue" would actually travel together? If yes, then what does this say about life in Chaucer's era? If no, then what is Chaucer's purpose in assembling this group together?
4. Write an essay on the theme of marriage in the Canterbury Tales. Is marriage a good or bad institution for men and women? Include examples from at least two of the tales.

PART B: You will read one of the following three books. Select one question for your essay. [All of these essays are due Nov. 19]

Julius Caesar, The Conquest of Gaul

1. Describe Caesar’s views of the Gauls and his conquests. Include specific examples from the book with appropriate page numbers.
2. Were the Gauls a threat to the security of the Roman Republic? Does Caesar make a legitimate case for war? Include specific examples from the book with appropriate page numbers.
3. Who was ultimately responsible for the Gallic War? What roles did Caesar and the Gauls play in bringing about this conflict? Include specific examples from the book with appropriate page numbers.
4. Evaluate Caesar as a military and political leader. How, in your opinion, did he convince his men to wage this war? Was Caesar an effective general? Include specific examples from the book with appropriate page numbers.

Einhard and Notker, Two Lives of Charlemagne

1. Contrast Einhard’s and Notker’s portrayals of Charlemagne. Which account in your opinion is the more historically reliable of the two? Include specific examples from the book with appropriate page numbers.
2. Describe Charlemagne’s relationship with the Church in both works. What is Einhard’s and Notker’s opinion of Charlemagne’s religious beliefs and practices? Include specific examples from the book with appropriate page numbers.
3. Describe the way in which Charlemagne is moving from a historical to a legendary figure in these two books? Which author best contributes to presenting Charlemagne as a heroic figure and legendary one? Include specific examples from the book with appropriate page numbers.

5. Describe the Christian church as portrayed in Einhard’s and Notker’s books. What is the relationship between the ruler and the Church? Include specific examples from the book with appropriate page numbers.

Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People

1. Describe the Christian Church as portrayed in Bede’s book. How does the Church of Bede’s day differ from our own? Include specific examples from the book with appropriate page numbers.
2. Discuss the importance of monasteries in Bede’s work and their influence upon the Christian Church. Include specific examples from the book with appropriate page numbers.
3. Discuss the role of saints and holy places in Bede’s work. Include specific examples from the book with appropriate page numbers.
4. What is the relationship between the Church and State in Bede’s work. What, if any, is the relationship between kings and popes? Include specific examples from the book with appropriate page numbers.