The will of the gods: video interview with Gregory Nagy
Post by Kate N.
Students of any age, eager to learn, have often looked back on the Greek classics to aid them in their study. The Iliad and The Odyssey are some of the premiere examples of classic literature that have offered students and scholars philosophical thoughts and intellectual debates for thousands of year.
While the plot of the Iliad centers around the Trojan War, The Odyssey operates somewhat like a sequel, following the Greek hero Odysseus as he travels home after defeating the city of Troy. The original oral traditions and history of both epic poems continue to be deliberated by scholars enthralled by the exciting narratives. With thousands of years between present day and their “original publication,” there is still much to discover about the classic hero and the ancient Greek civilization.
Gregory Nagy, Harvard Extension School professor of Concepts of the Hero in Classical Greek Civilization, has been an avid reader of Homer for years and tries to read his work at least once a day. Nagy sat down with Jenny Attiyeh, of ThoughtCast, to talk about the classics and Homer, and how these beloved epic poems give students a better understanding of humanism.
While Nagy says that the will of Zeus is the plot of The Iliad, the book has certainly been discussed and contested since its origin. What are your favorite classics? Do you think you can better understand the modern world through the classics?
Commemorating 9/11 through literature and journalism
Post by Kate N.
Every day this week I’ve gotten on the train and been surrounded by newspaper and magazine headlines about the 9/11 anniversary. I’ll peer over my neighbor’s shoulder, much to their chagrin, looking at what the articles inside have to offer about this approaching date.
Most articles talk about the politics of the attacks and the current status of homeland security. I was curious about how 9/11 has shaped other arenas, such as literature and journalism.
Sarah Braunstein, award-winning author and instructor of Introduction to Fiction Writing, says that looking at big events in small specifics often helps understand them.
“I … believe it’s the duty of the fiction writer to shine hard light on the ugliest, murkiest, most unsettling aspects of human existence. Fiction writers deal in specifics: moments, images, individual lives. Any statement we make about a whole, about political or cultural or world historical events, comes from looking at parts. If we say something about the ‘big,’ it’s only by looking very closely at the little.”
I also asked Braunstein what responsibility fiction writers have to document 9/11 and how 9/11 will continue to shape fiction.
“The work of the writer is to square the breadth of history with the breath of an individual human life. I suspect that the future literature about September 11 will focus on individual lives, will investigate the relationship between ‘big’ and ‘little’ forces, and will continue a long and rich literary tradition of exploring the experience of trauma on consciousness,” Braunstein said.
Given the expansive news coverage of September 11, I’ve been reflecting on how crucial journalism has been in shaping our views of 9/11.
I spoke with John Lenger, instructor of Basic Journalism, about how he changed his approach to teaching journalism after 9/11.
“My approach changed dramatically after September 11 from teaching journalism that could help students get internships at community newspapers to more of a media literacy perspective. There was so much fear after the terrorist attacks, and such distrust of our social institutions, that it seemed to me that the only remedy was to give students the analytical tools they needed to rip open the packaging and check the contents for themselves,” Lenger said.
I also asked Lenger how he felt our American lives were affected overall by the events of September 11 and how we receive news today.
“First, that day marked the real beginning of the always-connected, always-on way of life. Secondly, once we decided that we could never again turn off our phones, computers, or TVs because we might miss something important, we began to realize that there is always a catastrophe or crisis, always human suffering somewhere in the world. Third, as people we have become sympathetic to that suffering in a way we weren’t before, largely because it walks right into our living rooms. And fourth, young people especially are eager to do something about suffering and strife, to put their brains and backs to work in blighted neighborhoods or disaster sites or war zones around the world,” Lenger said.
I have struggled with the best way to commemorate 9/11 this weekend, and for every person the date holds a different personal meaning. This weekend I hope you find your own way of remembering those we lost, and can find some peace in your commemoration.
10 courses to consider for the fall semester
Registration for fall courses at Harvard Extension School is now open! Here are 10 courses to whet your appetite. Use our course search to find more.
1. Microbes, Man, and the Global Environment
We have a complicated relationship with microbes. One day the viral types are creating a public-health threat, the next day hydrocarbon-digesting ones are eating up the Gulf oil spill. Study these complex microorganisms with a Harvard Medical School lecturer. Read about Microbes, Man, and the Global Environment.
2. Understanding and Developing Multimedia
Where would we be today without YouTube? Video and other multimedia have enriched the web. Learn to produce your own multimedia in this computer science course, offered online and on campus. See Understanding and Developing Multimedia.
3. Literature and Sexuality
From D.H. Lawrence to Nabokov to the Marquis de Sade, sexuality in literature has been a salient ingredient for modern subjectivity. In this online class, explore the intertwining histories of literature and sexuality. See more about Literature and Sexuality.
4. Environmental Science
Delve into the science of air pollutants in this class with three professors from the Harvard School of Public Health. See Environmental Science.
5. Russian Politics in Transition
This online course, taught by the Morris and Anna Feldberg Professor of Government and Russian Studies, explores the many hurdles on Russia’s long road to full democracy. See Russian Politics in Transition.
6. History of American International Relations
How has America’s role in international relations changed since Thomas Jefferson first served as a liaison to France for our fledgling country? History of American International Relations surveys the history American international relations. The course can be taken online.
7. The Darwinian Revolution
Featuring recordings of a Harvard College course taught by Janet Browne, Aramont Professor of the History of Science and Harvard College professor, this online class explores why evolutionary theory is so controversial in the public sphere and looks to the history of cultural changes in the West for answers. See The Darwinian Revolution.
8. Censorship of Obscene, Blasphemous, Incendiary Materials: Legal, Ethical, and Policy Issues
Explore the complex legal and social minefields of censorship through famous cases involving religious, sexual, and politically volatile materials. See Censorship of Obscene, Blasphemous, Incendiary Materials: Legal, Ethical, and Policy Issues.
9. Strategic Management
Successful managers approach all aspects of their work from a strategic perspective, with their eye on the big picture. Explore these key concepts and gain practical techniques in this course. See Strategic Management.
10. Understanding Islam and Contemporary Muslim Societies
This survey of Islam explores the Muslim tradition and how it has shaped political, social, and cultural life in Muslim countries. Understanding Islam and Contemporary Muslim Societies can be taken online.
Registration continues through August 28. And classes start the week of August 29.
The Spark — Official blog of the Harvard Extension School in Cambridge, Massachusetts 