Renaissance and Early Modern:
An Interdisciplinary Introduction
Humanities 512 A, B, C, D (Fall 2011)
Lectures: Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:10-12:30 in PCAC A218
Sections: alternate Thursdays 11:10-12:30 in various rooms
Sections:
All students must enroll in one of the four sections and attend its meetings.
Section 512A (Art History): Professor Hight. Meets in PCAC A218 and satisfies
General Education 6; Discovery: Fine and Performing Arts; Inquiry; WI.
Section 512B (Literature): Professor Murphy. Meets in the Multi-media classroom, Dimond Library, and satisfiesGen Ed 8; Discovery: World Culture; Inquiry; WI.
Section 512C (History): Professor Mellyn. Meets in the Board of Trustees Conference Room, T-Hall, and satisfies Gen Ed 4; Discovery: Historical Perspectives; Inquiry; WI.
Section 512D (Philosophy): Professor Armstrong. Meets in Pettee 109 and satisfies
Gen Ed 7; Discovery: Humanities; Inquiry; WI.
Books:
The following books are required and are available at the Durham Book Exchange:
Erasmus and Luther, Discourse on Free Will. Continuum, 2005. 9780826477941
Johnson, Geraldine A. Renaissance Art: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, 2005).
9780192803542
Marlowe, Christopher. Doctor Faustus (Signet Classic), ed. Sylvan Barnet. 2001. 9780451531612
Molière, The Misanthrope, trans. Richard Wilbur. Mariner Books, 1965. 9780156605175.
Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night (Bantam Classic), ed. David Bevington. 1988. 9780553213089
Grades:
Half the grade for this course will depend on the three tests (given in the lecture room) and half will depend on the work assigned in section (e.g., papers, quizzes, regular attendance, participation, etc.).
LECTURES—readings to be assigned in class.
Tues 30 Aug Introduction (Hight, Mellyn)
Thurs 1 Sept Dr. Faustus: (Re)Presentation, (Re)Cognition, and
(Re)Naissance(Murphy)
Tues 6 Sept Learning from the Ancients: Humanism and Education (Mellyn)
Thurs 8 Sept Section Meeting
Tues 13 Sept What's in a Name? Scholasticism, Neoplatonism, and the
Measurers of All Things (Armstrong)
Thurs 15 Sept Florence and Early Renaissance Art (Hight)
Tues 20 Sept Renaissance Art in Rome (Hight)
Thurs 22 Sept Section Meeting
Tues 27 Sept Test #1
Thurs 29 Sept Twelfth Night or What You Will (Murphy)
Tues 4 Oct Twelfth Night or What You Will (Murphy)
Thurs 6 Oct A Brief History of the Christian Church: renovatio and reformatio (Mellyn)
Tues 11 Oct No Class (UNH follows a Monday schedule)
Thurs 13 Oct Section Meeting
Tues 18 Oct Reformation and Refutation: Erasmus & Luther on Free Will (Armstrong)
Thurs 20 Oct Northern Renaissance Art (Hight)
Tues 25 OctThe Sonnet: Form and Function (Murphy)
Thurs 27 Oct Section Meeting
Tues 1 Nov Test #2
Thurs 3 Nov Europe's Great Epidemics: From Plague to Pox (Mellyn)
Tues 8 Nov Revolution in the Heavens: Copernicus to Galileo (Mellyn)
Thurs 10 Nov Rethinking Progress:Frances Bacon (Armstrong)
Tues 15 Nov Everything Old is New Again:Rene Descartes (Armstrong)
Thurs 17 Nov Section Meeting
Tues 22 Nov Justifying the Ways of God: John Milton in Hell(Murphy)
Thurs 24 Nov No Class (Thanksgiving)
Tues 29 Nov Dutch Art in the Golden Age (Hight)
Thurs 1 DecSection Meeting
Tues 6 Dec The Misanthrope: What's Wrong with Me? (Murphy)
Thurs 8 DecAll's Well That Ends Well.
Thurs 15 DecTest # 3, 10:30-12:30 in PCAC 218 (regular classroom)
Academic Honesty:
All students should be sure they understand the University Academic Honesty policy, described on pp. 21-23 of Student Rights, Rules, and Responsibilities ( A new UNH website will explain more:
Disability Services for Students: If you are a student with a disability who requires special accommodations in this course, please contact Disability Services in the Memorial Union Building, Room 118 (862-2607; Students who are registered with Disability Services should bring their accommodation letters to your section leader as early as possible in the semester.
Blackboard: The main lecture course and the sections are all on Blackboard. Check them regularly for updates on lectures and assignments.
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