WORLD-LITERATURE-E-BOOK-Reviewer.pdf

OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY WORLD LITERATURE  WORLD LITERATURE World Literature Page 2 The chapter focuses on Literary Standards Literary Genre Literary Approaches & Criticisms. The students will learn the different technique in analyzing...

OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY WORLD LITERATURE  WORLD LITERATURE World Literature Page 2 The chapter focuses on Literary Standards Literary Genre Literary Approaches & Criticisms. The students will learn the different technique in analyzing and criticizing literary pieces of both prose and poetry using the different literary lenses. LESSON OUTCOMES: At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to: 1. Appreciate the importance of literature to the society. 2. Distinguish the different literary genres 3. Apply various Literary Approaches and Criticism to analyze literary text. 4. Develop their ability to read and react to literature to an emotional, spiritual and intellectual level. LESSON 1: Introduction to Literature Literature comes from the Latin word “LITERA” which literally means an acquaintance, with letters, the root definition of literature. It is a body of literary productions, either oral, written or visual, containing imaginative language that realistically portrays thoughts, emotions, and experiences of the human conditions. Literature appeals to man’s higher nature and its needs – emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and creative. Like all other forms of art, literature entertains and gives pleasure; it fires the imagination and arouses noble emotions and it enriches man by enabling him to reflect on life and by filling him with new ideas. DIVISION OF LITERATURE All literature falls under two main divisions: Prose Poetry Form Written in paragraph form Written in stanza or verse form World Literature Page 3  Language Expressed in ordinary Language Expressed in metrical rhythmical and figurative language Appeal To the intellect To the emotion Aim To convince, inform, instruct, Stir the imagination and set an ideal imitate and reflect of how life should be. However it is classified differently according to its usage. Some classifications include: Structure Form Genre Fiction – is a literary work of Prose – is a literary work that Fiction – is a narrative in prose imaginative narration, either is spoken or written within that shows an imaginative oral or written. the common flow of language recreation and reconstruction in sentences or paragraph. of life and presents human life. Non- fiction – is a literary Poetry – is a literary work Poetry – is patterned form of work of “real life” narration expressed in verse, measure verbal or written expression of or exposition based on and rhythm, sound and ideas and concentrated history and facts. imaginative language. imaginative, and rhythmical terms that contain the elements of sense sound and structure. Essay – is a prose composition in moderate length that presents a tentative exploration or evaluation of a subject and explain viewpoint that can be said on a particular subject or topic. Drama – is a composition in prose form that presents story told entirely in dialogue and action and written with an intention of its eventual performance before an audience. World Literature Page 4 KINDS OF PROSE Prose Drama- meant to be acted on stage Essay – it is expository in nature, the author shares some of his thoughts, feelings experiences or observations on aspects of life that have interested in him. Prose Fiction- something invented or imagined or feigned to be true. a. novel – a long fictitious narrative with a complicated plot. b. short story- a fictitious narrative compressed into one unit of time, place and action Biography – a story of a certain person’s life written by another who knows him (the former) well Autobiography – a written account of man’s life written by himself. Letter – a written message which displays aspects of an author’s psychological make-up not immediately apparent in his more public writings. It is a prose form which by the force of its style and the importance of its statement becomes an object of interest or observations. Diary – a daily written record or account on the writer’s own experience. Journal- a magazine or periodical especially of a serious or learned nature. Other prose forms: Historical form Scientific Prose Satirical prose Current publications Literary criticism Book Review Philosophy Travel Parody Anecdote Character Sketch Parable Pamphlet Eulogy World Literature Page 5 Speech – the general word for a discourse delivered to an audience whether prepared or impromptu. Address Oration Sermon Lecture Talk Kinds of Poetry Lyric poem is a comparatively short, non-narrative poem in which a single speaker presents a state of mind or an emotional state. Elegy is a formal lament for the death of a particular person (for example Tennyson’s In Memoriam A.H.H.). Ode is a long lyric poem with a serious subject written in an elevated style. Famous examples are Wordsworth’s Hymn to Duty or Keats’ Ode to a Grecian Urn. Sonnet was originally a love poem which dealt with the lover’s sufferings and hopes. Sub-categories of narrative poetry: Epics usually operate on a large scale, both in length and topic, such as the founding of a nation (Virgil’s Aeneid) or the beginning of world history (Milton's Paradise Lost), they tend to use an elevated style of language and supernatural beings take part in the action. A ballad is a song, originally transmitted orally, which tells a story. It is an important form of folk poetry which was adapted for literary uses from the sixteenth century onwards. The ballad stanza is usually a four- line stanza, alternating tetrameter and trimeter. Elements of Fiction 1. Characters- are the representation of a human being; persons involved in a conflict. ❖ Fictional characters are classified into: 1. Protagonist – the principal character in the story. He usually an admirable character with whom we usually sympathize or identify. 2. Antihero – an inept or otherwise ridiculous character 3. Antagonist – the villain or a character in conflict with the hero and is usually less admirable than the hero; he creates the conflict. World Literature Page 6  4. Fringe- one who is destroyed by his inner conflict. 5. Typical or minor characters ❖ Ways on how characters are portrayed : 1. Dynamic or round character – a fully developed character that recognizes changes with or adjust to the circumstances. He carries with him the reality of human growth and decline. ❖ the protagonists and antagonists are individuals who express a range of emotion and change throughout the narrative, usually toward greater maturity 2. Flat character – a character who does not grow and remains the same or a stereo type character of conventional traits. Because he exhibits only one side or aspect of him, he has no depth and no changes. ❖ Most supporting characters are portrayed in this way: a strict teacher, a helpful policeman. And an evil step mother. 3. Foil character – a character who points the qualities or characteristics of another character. ❖ For example, a foolish character sets a wise character’s wisdom in a stronger light. 2. Setting - The locale (place) or period (time) in which the action of a short story, play, novel or the motion picture takes place (also known as the background of the story. 3. Conflict - The struggle or complication involving the characters, the opposition of persons or forces upon which the action depends in drama or fiction. Types of Conflict Internal Conflict Interpersonal Conflict External Conflict -occurs when the protagonist -pits the protagonist against - happens when the struggles within himself someone else protagonist is in the battle of an uncontrolled situation, conflict with the values of his or her society and conflict with natural calamities. MAN VS. HIMSELF MAN VS.MAN MAN VS.FATE MAN VS.SOCIETY MAN VS. NATURE World Literature Page 7 4. Plot - a casually related sequence of events which involves the character in conflict. (Beginning, Middle, Ending) ❖ the sequence of events is called narrative order - chronological order the most common type of narrative order - flashback occurs when the author narrates an even that took place before the current time of the story - time lapse occurs when the story skips a period of time that seems unusual compared to the rest of the plot. Parts of the Plot ❖ Exposition (beginning) introduces the time, place, setting and the main characters ❖ Complication (rising action) unfolds the problems and struggles that would be encountered by the main characters leading to the crisis. ❖ Climax (result of the crisis) part where the problem or the conflict is the highest peak of interest and greatest emotion. ❖ Denouement is the untying of knots or the part that shows a conflict or a problem is solved. ❖ Resolution (end) contains the last statement of the story World Literature Page 8  Plot Devices ❖ Flashback – something out of the chronological order: to reveal information to understand character’s nature. ❖ Foreshadowing – a device to give a sign of something to come its purpose is to create suspense, to keep the readers guessing what will happen when. ❖ Suspense- this is the feeling of excitement or tension in the reader’s experiences as the action of the plot unfolds. ❖ Surprise Ending- this is an ending that catches the reader off guard with an unexpected events. ❖ In Medias Res – the technique of beginning a story in the middle of the action, with background information given later in flashbacks. 5. Point of view- the writer’s feeling and attitude toward his subject; determines who tells the story; it identifies the narrator of the story (the form of narration also affects the story itself.) Classification (POINT OF VIEW) ❖ First person is used when the main character is telling the story. This is the kind that uses the "I" narrator. As a reader, you can only experience the story through this person's eyes. So you won't know anything about the people or events that this character hasn't personally experienced. ❖ Second person point of view is generally only used in instructional writing. It is told from the perspective of "you". ❖ Third person POV is used when your narrator is not a character in the story. Third person uses the "he/she/it" narrator and it is the most commonly used POV in writing. There are 3 main types of Third Person POV: Third Person Limited: Limited means that the POV is limited to only one character. Which means that the narrator only knows what that character knows. With third person limited you can choose to view the action from right inside the character's head, or from further away, where the narrator has more access to information outside the protagonist's viewpoint. World Literature Page 9  Third Person Multiple: This type is still in the "he/she/it" category, but now the narrator can follow multiple characters in the story. The challenge is making sure that the reader knows when you are switching from one character to another. Make the switch obvious with chapter or section breaks. Third Person Omniscient: This point of view still uses the "he/she/it" narration but now the narrator knows EVERYTHING. The narrator isn't limited by what one character knows, sort of like the narrator is God. The narrator can know things that others don't, can make comments about what's happening, and can see inside the minds of other characters. 6. Mood - is the general feeling or atmosphere that a piece of writing creates within the reader. 7. Tone - in written composition, is an attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience. is generally conveyed through the choice of words, or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject. Every written piece comprises a central theme or subject matter. 8. Symbolism - can take many forms including: A figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another meaning other than its literal meaning the actions of a character, word, action, or event that have a deeper meaning in the context of the whole story. 9. Sensory Images (IMAGERY) is a strategy readers use to think more deeply about a text. It is when a reader combines their schema and the information in the text to create an image in their mind. This image can represent all of the five senses (visual, smell, taste, sound, touch or feeling). 10. Theme - is the central topic a text treats. It can be divided into two categories: a work's thematic concept is what readers "think the work is about" and its thematic statement being "what the work says about the subject". Elements of Poetry 1. Sense is revealed through the meaning of words, images and symbols. a. diction- denotative and connotative meanings/symbols. b. images and sense impression – sight, sound smell, taste, touch, motion, and emotion. World Literature Page 10  c. figures of speech- simile, metaphor, personification, apostrophe, metonymy, synecdoche, hyperbole irony etc. 2. Sound- is the result of a combination of elements. a. tone color- alliteration, assonance, consonance, rhyme, repetition anaphora b. rhythm – orders recurrent alteration of strong and weak elements in the flow of the sound and silence: duple, triple, running or common rhyme. c. meter- stress, duration, or number of syllables per line, fixed metrical pattern, or a verse form: quantitative, syllabic accentual and accentual syllabic. d. rhyme scheme – formal arrangement of rhymes in stanza or the whole poem. 3. Structure – refers to arrangement of words and lines to fit together and organization of the parts of the whole. a. word order – natural and unnatural arrangement of words b. ellipsis – omitting some words for economy and effect c. punctuation –abundance or lack of punctuation marks. d. shape – contextual and visual designs, jumps, omission of spaces, capitalization, lower case. Poetry Devices Figures of Speech a. Simile – consists of comparing two things using the words like or as. e.g. “The very mystery of him excited her curiosity like a door that had neither lock nor key.” — Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell b. Metaphor – uses direct comparison of two unlike things and ideas. e. g. Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. —“The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost c. Personification – gives human traits to inanimate objects or ideas. e.g. “When well-appareled April on the heel Of limping winter treads.” —“Romeo and Juliet,” W. Shakespeare World Literature Page 11  d. Metonymy – substitutes a word that closely relates to a person or a thing. e.g. “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.” —“Julius Caesar,” W. Shakespeare e. Synecdoche – uses a part to represent a whole. e.g “O no! It is an ever-fixed mark. That looks on tempests and is never shaken.” —“Sonnet 116,” W. Shakespeare f. Hyperbole – makes use of exaggeration. e.g “ I had to wait in the station in ten days – an eternity —“The Heart of Darkness”, Joseph Conrad g. Irony – says the opposite of what is meant. e.g “Go ask his name: if he be married. My grave is like to be my wedding bed.” —“Romeo and Juliet,” W. Shakespeare h. Allusion – refers to any literary, biblical, historical, mythological, scientific event, character or place e.g “The two knitting women increase his anxiety by gazing at him and all the other sailors with knowing unconcern. Their eerie looks suggest that they know what will happen (the men dying), yet don’t care” —Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” i. Antithesis – involves contrast of words or ideas e.g “Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heav’n.” — “Paradise Lost ” John Milton World Literature Page 12  j. Paradox – uses a phrase or statement that on surface seems contradictor but makes some kind of emotional sense. e.g CECILY: To be natural is such a very difficult pose to keep up. — “The Importance of Being Earnest” Oscar Wilde k. Litotes – makes a deliberate understatement used to affirm by negating its opposite. e.g I lived at West Egg, the — well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them. —The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald l. Oxymoron – puts together in one statement two contradictory terms e.g I find no peace, and all my war is done I fear and hope, I burn and freeze like ice, I flee above the wind, yet can I not arise; — Petrarch’s 134th sonnet (By Sir Thomas Wyatt) m. Onomatopoeia – the formation or use of words which imitate sounds, but the term is generally expanded to refer to any word whose sound is suggestive of its meaning whether by imitation or through cultural inference. e.g I heard a Fly buzz – when I died – The Stillness in the Room – “I heard a Fly buzz – when I died –” by Emily Dickinson n. Alliteration - is the repetition of initial identical consonant sounds or any vowel sounds in successive or closely associated syllables especially stressed syllables. e.g They click upon themselves As the breeze rises, and turn many-colored As the stir cracks and crazes their enamel. – “Birches” by Robert Frost World Literature Page 13 LESSON 2: Literary Approaches Lenses used to analyze Literary Pieces Literary Criticism – a systematic study and evaluation of literary works. Biographical Criticism – begins with simple but central insight that Literature is written by actual people and that understanding an author’s life can help readers more thoroughly comprehend the work. Cultural Criticism- an approach to literature that focuses on the historical as well as social political and economic contexts of a work. Deconstructionism- critical dismantling of tradition and traditional modes of thought. Feminist Criticism- an approach to literature that that seeks to correct and supplement what may be regarded as a predominantly made dominated critical perspective with a feminist consciousness. Formalist Criticism- an approach to literature that focuses on the formal elements of a work such as its language, structure and tone. Gay and Lesbian- an approach to literature that focuses on how homosexuals are represented in literature. Gender Criticism- an approach to literature that explore how ideas about men and women- what is masculine and feminine- can be regarded as socially constructed by particular cultures. Historical Criticism – an approach to literature that uses history as means of understanding literary work more clearly. Marxist Criticism- an approach to literature that focuses on the ideological content of work of Karl Marx Mythological Criticism- an approach to literature that seeks to identify what in work creates deep universal response in readers, by paying close attention to the hopes, fears and expectations of the entire cultures. New Criticism- an approach to literature that focuses in explication- extremely close textual analysis. Psychological Criticism – an approach to literature that draws upon psychoanalytic theories. Sociological Criticism – an approach to literature that examines social groups, relationship and values as they are manifested in literature. Reader Response Criticism- an approach to literature that focuses on the reader rather than the work itself. Structuralism – an approach to literature that examines how literary texts arrive at their meanings rather than the meaning itself. World Literature Page 14  Queer Criticism – focused its inquiries into natural and unnatural behavior with respect to homosexual behavior, queer theory expands its focus to encompass any kind of sexual activity or identity that falls into normative and deviant categories. Moral- Philosophical Criticism – evaluates a work in terms of the ideas and values it contains – in relation to particular ethical, philosophical or religious system. THE THREE THEORIES USED IN DIGESTING LITERARY PIECES AUTHOR DEPENDENT THEORY Focuses on the perspective and the background of the author. TEXT DEPENDENT THEORY Focuses on the form, style and structure of the literary text itself. READER’S DEPENDENT THEORY Focuses on the perspective and own interpretation towards the literary text of the reader himself. World Literature Page 15  Introducti I The chapter focuses on Mesopotamian Literature. The students will familiarized themselves to Ancient Babylonian Culture and Theology and its connection and its significance to the modern world. LESSON OUTCOMES: At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to: 1. To differentiate Enumah Elish from Epic of Gilgamesh 2. Correlate the two Mesopotamian texts (Enumah Elish & Epic of Gilgamesh) to the Book of Genesis in the Bible. 3. Express opinions about the main literary characters of the texts (Enumah Elish & Epic of Gilgamesh) signifying to modern characters of the new literary texts. LESSON 1: Enumah Elish The Enuma Elish is the name given the collected myths passed down through the oral tradition that describe the creation myth of the ancient Babylonian civilization. The overriding intent of the Enuma Elish was to serve a similar purpose for Babylon within the context of the larger expanse of Mesopotamian religious beliefs. The Enuma Elish is essentially one of the earliest examples of political propaganda. The primary purpose of its writing was to exalt Marduk as not just a god, but the creation myth of the state of Babylon. Thus, Marduk becomes situated in a position of primacy over all other existing deities in the myths of other societies which comprised Mesopotamia in the second millennium BCE. World Literature Page 16 The Summary of Enumah Elish Enuma Elish begins with the universe unformed and containing only water. Only two beings exist in this unformed creation: Apsu, the fresh waters, and his wife, Tiamat, who is the salt water and the chaotic oceans. Tiamat is depicted as a monstrous dragon. From their union, silt forms, as it does when a freshwater river runs into the salty sea; from that, the gods arise, and the universe begins to take form. The gods begin to have children of their own, and soon there are many of them ruling the cosmos. This new order of things is too much for Apsu, who is bothered by the noise and commotion caused by the gods. He decides to destroy them, despite the fact that they are his progeny. Tiamat is horrified by her husband's plan to attack her children and opposes Apsu, but cannot defeat him. Apsu is eventually conquered by the god Ea, his own great-grandson, who uses a spell to subdue Apsu and keep him imprisoned in a deathlike state of sleep. All seems well, and Ea and his wife have a son, the god Marduk, who as a child is the favorite of the other gods. They give him the winds as a toy to play with, but the winds stir up trouble on the salty seas, enraging Tiamat. Tiamat, her new husband, the god Kingu, and a group of gods to which she has given birth swear revenge for this and for Ea's treatment of Apsu - although, breaks in the text leave her reasons for this change of allegiance somewhat vague. The gods are frightened at the prospect of facing this army, with Kingu at its head. They don't know how they could possibly defeat it. Marduk speaks up, offering to fight for the gods and defeat Tiamat and Kingu on one condition: that he be made absolute king of the gods, having even the power of life and death over his fellow divinities. The rest of the gods decide to test Marduk's power by setting up a new constellation in the heavens. They challenge Marduk first to destroy it, and then to restore it just as it was. Marduk passes the test, and the gods agree to his conditions. Marduk is armed with a mace, a bow and arrows, and a net, and sent off to do battle. Marduk faces the dragon Tiamat in single combat; he catches her in his net and dispatches her with an arrow. Marduk then cuts up Tiamat's body and uses it to construct the dome of the sky, as well as various natural phenomena. He buries her head under a mountain and pierces her eyes, which become the sources for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In this way, Marduk demonstrates his absolute mastery over the natural world. Marduk pardons the gods who fought with Tiamat (except for Kingu) but demands that as penance they construct for him a royal city, Babylon, and a temple in it from which to rule, Esagilla. Marduk also convenes a council of the gods, at which Kingu is tried and executed. In order to free the gods from any further toil or manual labor, Marduk commands that the gods use Kingu's corpse to construct the first humans, who are to serve the gods by keeping the land worked and by giving the gods appropriate worship and sacrifices. World Literature Page 17 Sources: https://study.com/academy/lesson/enuma-elish-summary-text-quiz.html https://www.gradesaver.com/the-enuma-elish/study-guide/summary LESSON 2: EPIC OF GILGAMESH “The Epic of Gilgamesh” is an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia and among the earliest known literary writings in the world. It originated as a series of Sumerian legends and poems in cuneiform script dating back to the early 3rd or late 2nd millennium BCE, which were later gathered into a longer Akkadian poem (the most complete version existing today, preserved on 12 clay tablets, dates from the 12th to 10th Century BCE). It follows the story of Gilgamesh, the mythological hero-king of Uruk, and his half-wild friend, Enkidu, as they undertake a series of dangerous quests and adventures, and then Gilgamesh’s search for the secret of immortality after the death of his friend. It also includes the story of a great flood very similar to the story of Noah in “The Bible” and elsewhere. “The Epic of Gilgamesh” was one of the most beloved stories of Mesopotamia. According to the tale, Gilgamesh is a handsome, athletic young king of Uruk city. His mother was the goddess Ninsun and his father the priest-king Lugalbanda, making Gilgamesh semi-divine. Gilgamesh is rambunctious and energetic, but also cruel and arrogant. He challenges all other young men to physical contests and combat. He also proclaims his right to have sexual intercourse with all new brides. Gilgamesh’s behavior upsets Uruk’s citizens and they cry out to the great god of heaven Anu for help with their young king. SUMMARY OF EPIC OF GILGAMESH Gilgamesh is the Priest-King of the city of Uruk. He is a tyrannical king who works his people to death and takes what he wants from them. He kills the young men at will and uses the women as he pleases. The people of Uruk cry out to the gods for help so that they can have peace. The gods hear them and instruct Anu, the goddess of creation, to make a twin for Gilgamesh, someone who is strong enough to stand up to him and who will ultimately save him. Anu makes Enkidu, a hairy wild man who lives in the wilderness with the animals. One day a trapper sees Enkidu by a water hole and is frightened. He tells his father of the wild man he saw. His father tells the trapper to go to see Gilgamesh. He tells his son to ask the king for a temple prostitute to bring back with him to seduce Enkidu. The trapper returns with Shamhat, a temple prostitute from the temple of Ishtar, the goddess of love and war. They wait for Enkidu to reappear by the watering hole. Enkidu returns and Shamhat reveals herself to him. They copulate for six days and seven nights. When Enkidu is satisfied, he finds that the animals no longer accept him. Shamhat tells him to come back with her to Uruk. Upon hearing of Gilgamesh, Enkidu decides he wishes to meet him. The two set out for Uruk, making a stop at a shepherd's camp. There Enkidu learns that World Literature Page 18 Gilgamesh will sleep with a newly married bride on her wedding night, before her husband sleeps with her. He is outraged and decides he must stop Gilgamesh. Meanwhile, Gilgamesh has several dreams foretelling the arrival of Enkidu. The two meet in the streets of Uruk and a great fight breaks out between them. Gilgamesh is triumphant but his encounter with Enkidu changes him. They become companions. Enkidu tells Gilgamesh of Humbaba, a terrible monster who guards the Cedar Forest. Gilgamesh decides the two of them should journey there and defeat the monster. They make preparations and head to the Cedar Forest. They encounter Humbaba and with the help of Shamash, the sun god, defeat him. They return to Uruk carrying his head. After a celebration, Gilgamesh bathes himself and catches the eye of Ishtar. She tells him to become her lover, promising great riches and rewards in return. Gilgamesh rejects Ishtar, telling her he is aware of her reputation as a scornful lover. Ishtar is outraged and convinces her father, Anu, to release the Bull of Heaven to punish Gilgamesh. The Bull of Heaven descends on Uruk, killing hundreds of men. Enkidu seizes the animal and Gilgamesh kills it with a sword. Ishtar appears and threatens the heroes. Enkidu tears off one of the Bull's haunches and throws it at Ishtar. Later that night, Enkidu has a dream that the gods are meeting in council. The dream proves true. The gods decide that one of the heroes must die for their behavior. They choose Enkidu. Enkidu falls ill and suffers for twelve days before finally dying. Gilgamesh is shattered. He mourns for days and tears his hair and clothes. He adorns filthy animal skins and journeys into the forest and mountains. He has witnessed death and is now terrified of his own mortality. He seeks to escape it. Gilgamesh decides to seek out Utnapishtim, the one being granted immortality by the gods. He travels to Mount Mashu, a twin-peaked mountain that marks an entrance to a world in which mortals cannot venture. He convinces the guards of the mountain, two Scorpion-man beings, to allow him to enter a long passage under the mountain. He endures this terrible darkness for a full day. When he emerges on the other side, he is in a wondrous paradise. He sees a tavern by the sea and approaches it, frightening its owner, Siduri, with his appearance. Siduri allows him to enter the tavern after he explains his story and his intention to find Utnapishtim. Siduri tells Gilgamesh of Urshanabi, the boatman, who can ferry Gilgamesh across the Waters of Death to where Utnapishtim resides. Gilgamesh finds Urshanabi and the two set out to find Utnapishtim. They reach a shore and Gilgamesh meets an old man. Gilgamesh explains that he wishes to attain immortality. The old man is Utnapishtim, who tells Gilgamesh that immortality is for the gods alone. Mortals must learn to accept death. He tells Gilgamesh the story of how he was granted immortality by the gods. He asks Gilgamesh what he has done to deserve this same gift. Gilgamesh finally leaves with Urshanabi to return to Uruk. Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh of a magical plant at the bottom of the sea that can restore one's youth. Gilgamesh descends into the waters and retrieves the plant. World Literature Page 19 On his way back to Uruk, Gilgamesh stops to bathe in a spring, leaving the plant by the water. A serpent appears and steals the plant, leaving Gilgamesh weeping by the water's edge. He returns to Uruk with Urshanabi. Upon seeing the great city, Gilgamesh understands that it is his legacy, and that if he rules well, it will be his greatest legacy. Gilgamesh comes to understand that the most important thing in life is to have lived and loved well. Sources: https://www.historyonthenet.com/the-epic-of-gilgamesh https://www.gradesaver.com/the-enuma-elish/study-guide/summary https://ancient-literature.com/other_gilgamesh.htm World Literature Page 20  This chapter focuses on the understanding of the messages of the Old Testament particularly the Book of Job, Genesis, and Psalms. The students will be exposed to Hebrew Culture and Theology and be able to exchange point of view regarding religious beliefs. LESSON OUTCOMES: At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to: 1. Value eternal, ethical and religious messages. 2. Bring the message of the Bible to life. 3. Involve good deal in exchanging point of view about faith. LESSON 1: The Book of Genesis THE SUMMARY OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS Gen1: God created the heavens, the earth and everything that lives. He made humankind in his image, and gave them charge over the earth. Gen2: God formed a man and gave him the garden in Eden, except the tree of good and evil. Adam was alone so God made a woman as his partner. Gen3: The serpent deceived the woman. She and Adam ate from the tree. The ground was cursed, and God sent Adam and Eve out of the garden. Gen4: Eve's sons made offerings to the LORD. Only Abel's was acceptable, so Cain killed him. Abel's blood cried out and God sent Cain away. Gen5: Adam's line was: Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah. Noah's sons were Shem, Ham and Japheth. World Literature Page 21 Gen6: Humankind corrupted the earth with evil. God decided to destroy them. He told Noah to build an ark to be saved from the flood. Gen7: Noah and his family went into the ark with two of each creature. It rained for forty days and forty nights and the earth was covered. Gen8: The flood abated. Noah sent out a raven and two doves. When the earth was dry God called them all out of the ark. Noah built an altar. Gen9: God blessed Noah and set the rainbow as a sign that he would never flood the earth again. Noah got drunk and cursed Ham's son Canaan. Gen10: Japheth's line lived in the coastlands; Ham's included Nimrod and the Canaanites; Shem's lived in the East. These formed the nations. Gen11: They began building a great tower for themselves, but the Lord confused their language. Shem's line included Abram who married Sarai. Gen12: God told Abram, "Go, I will make you a great nation. You will be a blessing." In Egypt Abram lied about Sarai and Pharaoh was cursed. Gen13: Abram journeyed with his nephew Lot. Their servants argued, so Lot went to Sodom, Abram to Canaan. The LORD promised Abram the land. Gen14: The kings went to war and took Lot captive. Abram rescued Lot. Melchizedek blessed Abram and Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Gen15: The Lord promised Abram an heir and many descendants. Abram believed. He was told that they would be enslaved but would then return. Gen16: Sarai told Abram to have children with Hagar. Hagar conceived, then ran away, but an angel sent her back. Hagar's son was Ishmael. Gen17: God made a covenant with Abram and renamed him Abraham. He renamed Sarai Sarah and promised them a son. The men were circumcised. World Literature Page 22 Gen18: Three visitors came and said that Sarah would have a son next year. Sodom was very evil; Abraham pleaded with the LORD for the city. Gen19: Angels took Lot out of Sodom. The city was destroyed by fire and Lot's wife was turned to salt. His daughters had children for him. Gen20: In Gerar Abraham said, "Sarah is my sister." King Abimelech took her but God warned him in a dream. He restored Sarah to Abraham. Gen21: As promised, Sarah had a son: Isaac. She had Hagar and Ishmael sent away but God preserved them. Abraham and Abimelech made a treaty. Gen22: God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. As Abraham obeyed, an angel stopped him. The LORD provided a ram instead and blessed Abraham. Gen23: Sarah died in Kiriath-arba. Abraham asked the Hittites for a burial site. He bought a cave from Ephron and buried Sarah there. Gen24: Abraham's servant went to Nahor to find a wife for Isaac. He met Rebekah by the well. She went back with him and married Isaac. Gen25: Abraham died and was buried with Sarah. Isaac and Rebekah had twins: Esau and Jacob. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a meal. Gen26: In Gerar Isaac lied about Rebekah. He grew so rich that Abimelech sent him away. He dug wells, and at Beersheba the LORD blessed him. Gen27: Rebekah and Jacob tricked Isaac into giving Jacob his blessing. Esau vowed revenge so Rebekah told Jacob to go to her brother Laban. Gen28: Isaac sent Jacob to marry one of Laban's daughters. On the way Jacob dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven and the LORD blessed him. Gen29: Jacob worked for Laban seven years to marry Rachel, but Laban gave him Leah and made him work seven more for Rachel. Leah had sons. Gen30: Rachel's maid had sons for Jacob, then Leah's maid, then Leah. Finally Rachel had a son. Laban allowed Jacob flocks as wages to stay. Gen31: The Lord told Jacob to return home. Jacob left in secret and Rachel took Laban's idols. Laban chased Jacob but they made a treaty. World Literature Page 23 Gen32: Jacob heard that Esau was coming to meet him. He was afraid and sent gifts. That night he wrestled with a man who renamed him Israel. Gen33: Esau and his men arrived. Jacob bowed down but Esau ran to embrace him. Jacob settled near Shechem and built an altar. Gen34: Shechem raped Jacob's daughter and asked to marry her. Jacob's sons told him to circumcise his men, then Simeon and Levi killed them. Gen35: Jacob went to Bethel and God renamed him Israel. They journeyed on. Rachel died having Israel's twelfth son. Isaac died in Hebron. Gen36: Esau's sons were Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam and Korah. Esau and his family moved away to Seir. They became the Edomites. Gen37: Joseph was Israel's favourite son. He had dreams and his brothers were jealous so they sold him. He was bought by Potiphar in Egypt. Gen38: Judah's sons Er and Onan died, leaving Tamar a widow. Judah sent her away but she put on a veil and he slept with her. She had twins. Gen39: Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his house. His wife tried to seduce Joseph, then lied about it, so Potiphar put Joseph in prison. Gen40: Pharaoh put his cupbearer and baker in prison. Joseph interpreted their dreams. The cupbearer was restored but the baker was hanged. Gen41: Pharaoh had a dream and called for Joseph to interpret it. The dream predicted a famine. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. Gen42: Joseph's brothers went to Egypt to buy grain but didn't recognize him. He kept Simeon in prison and sent the rest to fetch Benjamin. Gen43: When the grain ran out, Joseph's brothers went back to Egypt with Benjamin. Joseph invited them to his house and gave them a feast. World Literature Page 24 Gen44: Joseph hid his cup in Benjamin's sack, then sent a steward after his brothers. Judah offered himself as a slave instead of Benjamin. Gen45: Joseph told his brothers who he was. They were afraid, but he told them, "God sent me here." His brothers went to fetch their father. Gen46: So Israel set out with all his household. God told him not to be afraid. Israel and all his family came to Egypt and Joseph met him. Gen47: Pharaoh allowed Joseph's family to settle in Goshen. The famine continued and the Egyptians sold all they had to Pharaoh for food. Gen48: Jacob became ill, so Joseph took his sons to see him. Jacob blessed Joseph's sons as his own, putting Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. Gen49: Jacob gathered his sons and blessed each of them. He charged them to bury him with Abraham in the cave in Canaan, and then he died. Gen50: Pharaoh allowed Joseph to go and bury Jacob. Before Joseph died, he said that God would lead his people back to the Promised Land. Source: https://biblesummary.info/genesis LESSON 2: The Book of Psalms THE SUMMARY OF THE BOOK OF PSALMS The book of Psalms is the longest book in the Bible. The 119th Psalm is a longest chapter in the whole Bible. The 117th Psalm is the shortest chapter in the Bible and located in the middle. When the Old Testament is quoted in the New Testament by someone, over one third of all the quotes are from the Psalms. Psalms 1-41– Book 1) – – (Psalms 42-72 – Book 2) – – (Psalms 73-89 – Book 3) – – (Psalms 90- 106 – – Book 4) – – (Psalms 107-150 – – Book 5). The title of the Book of Psalms in the Hebrew is sepher tehillim, meaning "book of praises", and indeed it is a fitting title. Every chapter is devoted to praise and thanksgiving from the author to Yahweh. This book clearly provides hope and confidence in the Lord as the maker of all things, the ultimate ruler of everything including the universe. He sees everything, knows everything, he has no limits, his presence is everywhere even in darkness there is no hiding and he is to be praised. World Literature Page 25 The Psalms are full of religious poetry and this was not uncommon in the ancient Near Eastern nation and peoples, and it was not surprising for the Hebrews to have produced such a powerful work. David was the recognized writer of the Psalms and they are many times referred to as the Psalms of David, although some of the chapters are not attributed to him in the notes. The Psalms of David included Psalms 2-41 (except Psalms 33), Psalms 51-72, Psalms 108-110, and Psalms 138-145. David was no doubt a very skillful musician, the Bible mentions that he played the lyre for King Saul (1 Samuel 16:23), and the prophet Amos mentions that David invented instruments of music for worship of the Lord (Amos 6:5). There is also mention in the book of Samuel about David lamenting over Saul and Jonathan in a poetic fashion revealing his natural ability. David went to many experiences in his life that he wrote about, especially when he was hunted down by King Saul from place to place like a "Partridge" in the wilderness. David was a young shepherd, he knew what it was like to tend his flock and to guard them from predators, this gave him a beautiful imagery for the Lord the great Shepherd. David was also a musician, a man of war, a king, a father, a husband, a friend, and many more. He repented over his sin in Psalm 51, acknowledging himself to be a sinner before God and God alone. God called David "a man after my own heart" and these experiences allowed him to share with the reader, a man who knew the heart of God. David was a master at finding different ways to praise God in life experiences and the book of Psalms is a wonder book for those who want to know how to please God. He was filled with the Holy Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13). There is no doubt the David wrote most of the Psalms, and the ones that he did not write are in his style as well. Among the Psalms are two collections of Levitical Psalms, one is ascribed to the "sons of Korah" (Psalms 42-49), the other is ascribed to Asaph (Psalms 73-83 and Psalms 50). These exalt the tribes of Joseph. There are Psalms mentioning Moses, Haman, Ethan, and Solomon, some are anonymous (Psalm 33, 84-89). Some of the Psalms reveal a strong liturgical emphasis which might've been used in worship services, or on special days and do not mention the author (Psalms 91-100). It is impossible to determine exactly how the Psalms were compiled and collected, and dating them is also difficult for most of the Psalms. Some of the Psalms are commemorating victories, while others are historical, remembering the Lord and God's people in past events. Other Psalms are prophetic and look to the future and the coming of the Messiah, as well as the heavenly kingdom. There are Psalms of affliction, lamentation and remorse over sin, as well as songs of Thanksgiving and trusting the Lord. Some of the songs were chosen to be good for reciting on certain Jewish holy days, like the Sabbath, or Passover, the feast of Tabernacles, etc. There are titles on about 100 of the Psalms, the titles are so old that they cannot be understood even in the second century BC. Some of the World Literature Page 26 titles point to the source of the Psalm, while others point to a certain purpose, or a certain melody, or something related to music. Source: https://www.bible-history.com/old-testament/bookofpsalms.html LESSON 3: The Book of Job THE SUMMARY OF THE BOOK OF JOB The book of Job is Narrative History. Its author is unknown yet it is possible that Job himself wrote it. It is possible that Job is the oldest of any book of the Bible written approximately 2100-1800 B.C. Key personalities of this book include Job, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, Zophar the Naamathite, and Elihu the Buzite. In Job, we see a man who God allows to be directly attacked by Satan. He is an example of faithfulness as he loses everything important to him yet remains faithful to God. Its purpose is to illustrate God’s sovereignty and faithfulness during a time of great suffering. In chapters 1-3, God tests Job’s faithfulness through allowing Satan to attack him. God told Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him” (1:12). Through Job’s trials, all is lost including his health, his wife even tells him to curse God and commit suicide, but he remains strong and faithful, “Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.” (1:22). From chapters 4-37, Job’s friends give him plenty of bad advice, in rounds of discussion. They mistakenly blame his sufferings on his personal sins rather than God testing and growing Job. One of them was half-correct in that God wanted to humble him, but this was only a part of God’s test. In chapters 38-42, God speaks to Job and restores him. God knows that Job has received incorrect guidance from his friends, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” God fittingly declares that humans do not know everything. Then He humbles Job by asking a series of questions that could never be answered by anyone other than Almighty God; for example, “Have you understood the expanse of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this”. God then brings him to an understanding that believers don’t always know what God is doing in their lives. In the end, Job answers God by saying, “I have declared that which I did not understand”. God then blessed Job with twice as much as he had before his trials began. Sources: https://biblehub.com/summary/job/1.html World Literature Page 27