RENAISSANCE POETRY IN POLAND: FROM LATIN TO POLISH

Polish G6020, 3.0 pts., Spring 2003

Prof. David A. Goldfarb

Course time: Th 6:10-8:00 p.m., Milbank 227

23 Jan.—Introduction: The Renaissance in Poland

30 Jan.—Biernat z Lubliny (c. 1465-after 1529), from Zywot Ezopa Fryga, medrca obyczajnego, z przypowiesciami jego (The Life of Aesop the Phrygian, a Virtuous Sage, with his Proverbs, 1522)

6 Feb.—Jan z Wislicy (Ioannes Visliciensis), from Bellum Prutenum sive Belli Pruteni libelli tres per Ioannem Visliciensem editi (The Prussian War, 1516)

13 Feb.—Mikolaj Hussowczyk (Hussovianus), from “De statura, feritate ac venatione bisontis carmen” (“Poem on the Size, Strength, and Hunting of Bison,” 1523).

20 Feb.—Andrzej Krzycki (Cricius, 1482-1537)

27 Feb.—Ian Dantiscus (Dantyszek, 1485-1548)

6 Mar.—Klemens Janiciusz (Janicki, Ianicius, 1516-1543)

13 Mar.—Mikolaj Rej (1505-69)

15-23 Mar.—SPRING BREAK

27 Mar.—Jan Kochanowski (1530-84) (Latin poems)

3 Apr.—Kochanowski (Polish works)

10 Apr.—Kochanowski,(continued).

17 Apr.—Mikolaj Sep-Szarzynski (1550-81). PROPOSAL DUE.

24 Apr.—(continued).

1 May—Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski (Casimire Sarbevius, 1595-1640), from De Perfecta Poesi and selected odes.

9 May—FINAL PAPER DUE

Grades will be weighted as follows:

 Participation        15%
 Critical Translation 25%
 Proposal             10%
 Final Paper          50%
      

ASSIGNMENTS

READING—The readings above are listed as they will be discussed in class and should be read in advance of the day they we will cover them. The reading list may change during the semester to reflect the specific interests and linguistic abilities of the class.

CRITICAL TRANSLATION—Literary translation is perhaps the most intimate form of criticism. It is also an important responsibility for scholars working in less commonly studied languages like Latin and Polish. Each student in the course will take on one translation project of approximately 4-5 pages including an annotated edition of the original text, ideally related to the final paper topic, with the goal of producing a publishable work of literary and critical value. We will discuss the translations as works-in-progress in class on the day the author in question is discussed.

FINAL PAPER—-Students should write a term paper of about 15 pages on a topic to be determined individually, preferably related to the translation project, and should turn in a written proposal of 1-2 pages for the final paper including a working thesis, list of texts under consideration, and a sketch of the argument. The proposal is due 17 April 2003. The final paper and the final version of the translation project is due 9 May 2003.

PARTICIPATION—This portion of your grade includes productive oral participation in class, attendance, the extent to which your written assignments reflect that you are listening actively in class, and the improvement in your work over the course of the semester.

25 September 2005