Choose ONE question and to write an essay in response to it. I will grade your essay on how clearly and how thoroughly you explain and defend your position. You should have an introductory paragraph in which you state your thesis and say how you are going to defend it. Then you should write three or more paragraphs in which you explain and defend your thesis. You should anticipate objections to your view and have answers for them. It is often a good idea to use examples to make your meaning clear. Finally, you should have a concluding paragraph in which you re-state your main points and say how you have demonstrated your thesis. Spelling and grammar count! You should be sure to allow time to proofread your essay before turning it in.
Possible Final Exam Essay Questions
General Humanities: Personal
At the beginning of the semester, you were asked to provide a working definition of what the Humanities are. Now, at the end of the semester, has that definition changed? If so, how? What has changed from your initial understanding of the discipline? Be sure to cite and explain specific theories and ideas that have had this effect on your understanding of the Humanities.
General Humanities: Epics, Myths, & Logic
Consider the basic idea of the epic. The word epic is derived from the Greek word epikos, which means a word, song, or speech. In some sense, an epic is a well-defined story presented in verse dwelling upon an important theme. In comparison, how is the term myth which is derived from the term mythos meaning word, tale, or true narrative different? Similarly, how does the term logic, which is derived from the Greek word logos meaning word, discourse, or reason compare in relation to the two previous terms cited? Offer definitions of each demonstrating the differences of each.
Gilgamesh
Reading literature, and especially epic literature is like looking through a window at the culture from which it emerged. Based on your reading of “The Battle of Humbaba,” write an essay in which you discuss what The Epic of Gilgamesh reveals about the values – the moral ideas and standards of behavior – of ancient Babylonians. What ideas were important to the Babylonians? What did they expect of their rulers? What values did they want their heroes to embody? Use examples from the selection to support your argument.
Illiad
The vice of pride, or more to the point hubris, in The Iliad is a major focus of the epic. Indeed, what makes a tale engaging is not simply a character who is admirable and good, but one who is profoundly flawed. It is through such a flaw or an irremediable vice that the reader begins to understand the nature of the human condition. One of the character flaws that are prominent in The Iliad is the vice of overbearing pride—hubris. For example, Achilles suffers from a profound and persistent bout of hubris. He is so filled with pride that he makes decisions that are literally fatal for one of his dear friends. In your essay examine the problems of pride and the degree to which Achilles is able to overcome this vice. How does he fall victim to it?
Plato
According to Plato, who should rule society? Why? In the process of your answer, be sure to give a brief summary of the Allegory of the Cave to demonstrate Plato’s reasoning. Do you agree with Plato’s view? If so, why? If not, why not? How are these principles recognized in Greek culture and art?
Aristotle
Describe the idea of catharsis in Aristotle’s Poetics and how it functions within the literary modes of tragedy and comedy; that is, what is the difference between heroic action in tragedy and comedy that creates catharsis in the audience? Why do you think the ancient Greeks were interested in such dichotomies? How are such dichotomies depicted in their visual arts as well as their literary arts and philosophy? Explain.
Bhagavad Gita
The majority of what Gita talks about is adherence to duty. Once you have picked up a duty, never over-analyze and use analysis-paralysis as an excuse for running away from doing great things. For instance, you might like another person’s duty and dislike yours. But still, you should do your own duty, and not another’s, even if you can do another’s duty very well. Insistence on wanting what others have will result in you being caught up in the field of opposites. If that occurs, there will be no end to your suffering. Explain why these principles in the Gita are true and endemic of human values. What elements of Hindu culture depict these ideas?
Outlaws of the Marsh
One of the traditional critiques Outlaws of the Marsh (or suggestions offered by those who are knowledgeable of the epic) is that this is not a work that should be read by those who are young. Rather, it should only be read by those who are mature. Explain why this advice is offered for reading this epic. Is there a necessary maturity level for understanding it properly? What might such a maturity level say about the notion of natural hierarchies existing in human social structures? How are these structures demonstrated in Confucian Philosophy?
Dante’s Inferno
What does Virgil mean when he says that the fallen souls in hell have “lost the good of intellect” (Canto III)? How does that loss manifest itself in later cantos? This line, early in Canto III, reveals something about Dante’s perception of “intellect” that differs from the modern limitation of intellect to the world of mere thought or academic consideration. The idea seems to be that the fallen souls have “lost their minds”, so how does that show itself in the various circles of hell? That is, how does the loss of intellect correspond to a misunderstanding of the basic realities of the world? How is this notion depicted in the art of the period?
