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Department of Philosophy   Northern Illinois University

Course Offerings: Spring 2008

PHILOSOPHY 364: PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS IN LITERATURE

TUESDAY, THURSDAY
SECTION 1, 3:30 - 4:45 P.M.

PROFESSOR MICHAEL GELVEN

REQUIRED TEXTS
Auden, W.H. Selected Poems
Gelven, Why Me?
Heidegger, "On Guilt" from Being and Time
Heidegger, Poetry, Language, Thought
Milton, Paradise Lost
Plato, The Symposium
Shakespeare, King Lear
Shakespeare, The Sonnets

COURSE CONTENT
This course is divided into four major topics: love, tragedy (fate), Guilt, and Truth. Each topic will be considered from both a literary and a philosophical text, in the following pairing: Part One: Love
Plato's Symposium and Shakespeare's Sonnets (selected)
Part Two: Guilt
Gelven's Why Me? and Shakespeare's King Lear
Part Three: Fate
Heidegger’s Chapter “Guilt” from Being and Time and Milton's Paradise Lost
Part Four: Truth
Heidegger’s “Origin of the Artwork” and Auden's Selected Poems

COURSE FORMAT
At the end of each section there will be either an assigned paper or an exam, take-home or in-class. Participation in the class discussions is required. Academic civility is required. Office hours are from 2:00 to 3:15 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and by appointment. Office: Zulauf 901, Telephone 753-6409