Christoph Greger

Humanities 41A
Fall 2019

Schedule for Unit 5:

Early Christianity and
the Beginnings of Medieval Culture
(Some dates and assignments subject to change – with plenty of notice, of course)

Wed 11/27: Review and Quiz on Unit 4, Hebrews and Romans.

Fri 11/29: Thanksgiving Holiday – No class!

Mon 12/2: Early Christianity.

Primary Text: Selections from the New Testament (Unit 5, handout #1). Due today –
Read & Respond Assignment #5.1: How does Jesus’s advice offered up in “The
Sermon on the Mount” differ from the 10 commandments of the Hebrew tradition and the
Old testament? In other words, what’s “new” about the new testament?

Wed 12/4: Early Christianity & the Transformation of Rome.

Culture and Values: Second half of chapter 6, “The Rise of Biblical Tradition” (starting
with the section entitled “The Beginnings of Christianity”)

Fri 12/6: Early Middle Ages.

Primary Text: Read selections from Beowulf (Unit 5 handout #2). Due today – Read &
Respond Assignment #5.2: Beowulf is most likely an ancient, pre-Christian poem, but
it’s written down by a Christian Monk, much later. What aspects of the selection seem
Christian to you, and which seem Pagan? Also, how does Beowulf the hero compare to
other heroes we’ve encountered this semester?

Mon 12/9: Medieval Culture: The Romanesque and Gothic Styles.

Culture and Values: Read chapter 10, “The High Middle Ages.”

Wed 12/11: Medieval Culture: Chaucer.

Primary Text: Selections from Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Canterbury tales” (Unit #5, handout
#3). Due today – Read & Respond Assignment #5.3: What grabs your attention about
the various characters Chaucer described? Which one do you find interesting, and why?
Which ones does Chaucer like, and which ones is he critical of?

Final Exam: Final Exam, Hum 41A: Friday, 12/20, 10:30-12:30. Final paper Due!