Andrew O. Fort RELIGION 30773 Office Hours

TBH 214 ENGLISH 30773 M-F 11-12

257-6448 India: Texts and Traditions or by appt.

a.fort@tcu.edu Fall 2008 personal.tcu.edu/afort

In this course, we shall look at selected texts in translation which reveal the religious and literary imagination of the Indian people, and illustrate a variety of themes and issues in Indian civilization. We shall focus on Hindu texts, particularly versions and interpretations of the two best-known Indian epics, the Mah¡bh¡rata and the R¡m¡ya∆a. We shall also consider the religious background for the epics, examine plays and poetics in the classical Sanskrit tradition, and read some modern Hindu thinkers. You will be introduced to some concepts and ways of understanding from both literary theory and religious studies. Our study will illumine continuity and change in the Hindu tradition, and Indian culture more generally, from the ancient and classical to the modern periods. By introducing another worldview in some depth, this course offers the opportunity for us to reflect on our own. This course will increase your ability to read critically, think analytically, and write effectively through the description, analysis and evaluation of an array of ideas, themes and issues in Indian civilization.

You are expected to attend all classes (come on time, but come even if late), and to read (and think about) the assignments before class. If you miss four or more classes, your grade can be lowered automatically unless you have a legitimate and documented excuse. Bring the relevant books to class; we will go over the readings. During the semester, each student will at some point be responsible for bringing thoughts and questions on the day's class reading. Be ready to listen, think, question, and speak. All topics are open, but civil and respectful discourse is required.

There will be a mid-term exam (25%), two short (c. 4 page) papers (each 20%), and a longer (7-8 page) final course review and reflection due during exam period (30%). Each of these should demonstrate your knowledge of the material, and will also provide an opportunity to share more personal responses. Unless you contact me beforehand, late papers or exam absence will be permitted only for officially excused absences. You are also required to make a weekly entry into a computer journal on eCollege; it is mandatory but ungraded. The journal, attendance and class participation are worth 5% of your grade.

If you have a problem affecting your course participation, or must miss class, let me know. Also, if you have a disability which may affect your class performance, please inform me during the first week of class. For information about attendance, disabilities and/or academic misconduct, refer to the appropriate sections under www.studentaffairs.tcu.edu.

Finally, feel free to see me after class or during office hours.

RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS

Campus Life (257-7926, Sadler Hall 101); TCU Library (257-7117); Center for Academic Services (257-7486, Sadler Hall 11); Writing Center (257-7221, Rickel Bldg. 244); Student Development Services (257-7855); Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (257-7830).

Required books, available in the bookstore, include:

Mahabharata. William Buck, trans. London: Penguin (Meridian), 1973.

The Bhagavad Gita. Barbara Stoler Miller, trans. N. Y.: Columbia University

Press, 1986.

Ramayana. R. K. Narayan, trans. London: Penguin, 1977.

Many Ramayanas. Paula Richman, ed. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press, 1991.

The Recognition of Sakuntala by Kalidasa. W. J. Johnson, trans. New York; Oxford University Press, 2001.

Other texts, available from FrogPrints, will include selections from The Literatures of India. E. Dimock et al. (Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 1978) and The Hindu Tradition, Ainslee Embree, ed. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1972), the Amar Chitra Katha comic book version of Bhagavad Gita, "Ramayan: The Video" by Phil Lutgendorf in The Drama Review 34: 2 (summer, 1990), Poems from the Sanskrit. John Brough, trans. (London: Penguin, 1968), and selections from An Autobiography, or The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mohandas Gandhi. We will also view some videos, including Peter Brook's film version of the Mahabharata. We will need to schedule a two hour viewing the evening of September 23th and/or 24th.

COURSE SCHEDULE

INTRODUCING RELIGION AND LITERATURE IN INDIAN CIVILIZATION

Aug. 26 Introduction to course

Review of Indian literary history

Aug. 28 Background of Indian civilization

Video: Legacy Dimock: 1-29, 34-46

Sept. 2 “Hinduism” and Vedic literature

Embree: 9-27

Sept. 4 Hinduism: Vedanta, karma and rebirth Embree: 48-65

Sept. 9 Var∆¡≈rama-dharma (caste and lifestage) Embree: 74-93

Sept. 11 The Hindu epics slides of gods

Dimock: 47-59, 62-80 Buck: xiii-xx

THE MAHÅBHÅRATA AS EPIC ADVENTURE

Sept. 16 Mah¡bh¡rata

Buck: 3-5, 12-61

Sept. 18 Mah¡bh¡rata Brook video in class

Buck: 62-87, 102-7, 112-42

PAPER DUE: Respond to the "otherness" of the Indian worldview. What has been particularly striking, positive or negative? What has it taught you

about your culture and yourself?

Sept. 23 Mah¡bh¡rata Brook video

Buck: 143-53, 157-98

Sept. 25 Mah¡bh¡rata Brook video Buck: 201-22, 227-44

RELIGION IN THE MAHÅBHÅRATA

Sept. 30 Bhagavad G•t¡ Miller: 5-13, 21-55, 63-75, 83-87

Oct. 2 Bhagavad G•t¡, Pur¡∆as and p¶j¡

Miller: 97-109 and comic book version

Oct. 7 EXAMINATION

FALL BREAK (reading R¡m¡ya∆a recommended)

THE RÅMÅYAÔA AS EPIC AND RELIGIOUS NARRATIVE

Oct. 14 R¡m¡ya∆a Narayan to p. 95 (Sita abducted)

Oct. 16 R¡m¡ya∆a Narayan, 97-171

Oct. 21 R¡m¡ya∆a discussion (bring idea and question)

Oct. 23 Many R¡m¡ya∆as Richman: 3-49

Oct. 28 " " Richman: 67-88, 114-36

Oct. 30 " " Richman: 175-201, 217-25, 231, 235-51

Nov. 4 "Ramayan: The Video" Lutgendorf (all)

THE SANSKRIT DRAMA

Nov. 6 The Sanskrit Drama Dimock: 81-106, 128-36

PAPER DUE: Respond to the many manifestations of the R¡m¡ya∆a. What has been most striking to you? What did you like and dislike most? What was the hardest to understand?

Nov. 11 Shakuntala Johnson, ix-xxvii, 109-137, 3-31

Nov. 13 Shakuntala Johnson, 32-105

POETRY IN MEDIEVAL INDIA

Nov. 18 Sanskrit Poetry

Dimock: 115-28, 144-49, 152-56

Brough: 11-23, 30-49, (95-110 optional)

Nov. 20 Sanskrit Poetry, Bengali Vaisnavism

Dimock: 136-43, 149-52, 157-65

Brough: 53-94, 111-39

Nov. 25 film (Asian Art Tales) and discussion

THANKSGIVING BREAK

CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN MODERN INDIA

Dec. 2 Religion in Modern India

Embree: 273-88, 299-309, 313-22

Dec. 4 Gandhi's Autobiography

Gandhi: selections through p. 223

Dec. 9 Gandhi and concluding reflections

Gandhi: selections to end

FINAL PAPER DUE TUESDAY DECEMBER 16 at 3 pm

Review your notes, papers, and readings. What has been your most significant learning experience in the course? What have you learned about your own literature and religion by studying another culture's literature and religion? What has the Indian worldview taught you about your own?