Core Classes at Dartmouth

By Arthur J. Monaco | Wednesday, May 22, 1996

Editor's Note: This course guide is not intended to be a comprehensive list of the good courses at Dartmouth. It is not even intended to be a guide to all of the good classes in the humanities. Instead, it attempts to provide a listing of classes for students who wish to have a strong base in the Western tradition.

All of these courses — running the gamut of art, history, literature, and philosophy — require no prerequisite. Each of these can be taken at any time — separate from any other course — and by anyone.

Art History 1: Introduction to the History of Art I
Art History 2: Introduction to the History of Art II

Together these courses survey the entire history of art, from early times until the present including architecture, sculpture, the graphic arts, and painting. The two courses can be taken separately, or as a sequence. Art History 1 concentrates on the period before 1500 A.D., while Art History 2 focuses after 1500.

English 16: The King James Version of the Bible, I
English 17: The King James Version of the Bible, II

A complete survey of the most influential translation of the Bible. The first course studies the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament. The second focuses on the Christian New Testament.

English 20: Chaucer I

An introduction to Chaucer, this concentrates on ten of the Canterbury Tales, and studies Chaucer as a social critic and literary artist.

English 24: Shakespeare I

The greatest playwright in history, Shakespeare's work strongly influences writers today. This class studies ten of his plays, spanning comedies, tragedies, histories, and romances. Be sure to take the class when it is taught by Professor Saccio, rather than Boose.

English 28: Milton

This study of the greatest English epic poet surveys 'almost all of Milton's poetry and... important selections from his prose.' Unfortunately, it is taught by Thomas Luxon. Luxon allows his political leanings to get in the way of his scholarship all too often, but the subject matter makes the course indispensable.

Government 6: Political Ideas

An introduction to political philosophy, this course surveys the great political thinkers. Beginning with Plato, the course spans the millennia through modern times. Locke, Mill, Rousseau, Marx, and Burke are among the authors discussed.

Greek and Roman Studies 1: The Heroic Vision: Epics of Greece & Rome

A survey of some of the 'best known and most influential works to survive from the ancient world.' Students study Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Virgil's Aeneid, and Ovid's Metamorphoses, as well as Lucan's Pharsalia.

Greek and Roman Studies 2: The Tragedy and Comedy of Greece & Rome

Similar to GRS 1, this course focuses instead on drama. Students read dramatists such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Plautus, Terence, and Seneca.

Greek and Roman Studies 3: History, Politics, and the Good Life in the Classical World

Rounding out the classical education, readings in this course are drawn from the historians of Greece and Rome. The course examines what it means to be a historian in a classical context. Authors surveyed include Herodotus, Thucydides, Livy, Plutarch, and Ceasar.

History 1: The United States, 1763-1877
History 2: The United States since 1877

These courses provide a foundation of knowledge about the birth and growth of our country. Kenneth Shewmaker is an excellent professor for History 1.

Although Annelise Orleck is militant in her politics, she usually keeps them out of the classroom when teaching History 2.

History 3: The History of Europe in Medieval and Early Modern Times
History 4: The History of Europe since 1715

Similar to History 1 and 2, these courses focus instead on Europe. This is an important field of study to those concerned with America's European heritage, as well as for those who wish to understand the role Europe has played in the shaping of American history.

Humanities 1&2: The Classical Tradition

This pair of courses provides a brief overview of Western literature. It is the only such course at Dartmouth. Unfortunately, only those freshman exempted from English 5 can take advantage of this opportunity. Texts include Virgil's Aeneid, Milton's Paradise Lost, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Cervantes' Don Quixote, and Toni Morrison's Beloved.

Italian in Translation 33: Dante

The giant of poetry. Since most of us cannot read The Divine Comedy in its original Italian, this course in translation is a must for anyone who wishes to be educated in the Western tradition.

Music 6: History of Western Art Music

'An introduction to Western art music.' This course emphasizes music of the past 300 years, in an examination of selected masterworks. 'No previous knowledge of music is assumed.'

Philosophy 2: Introduction to Philosophical Classics

This course is an absolute must for the understanding of the origin of Western Civilization. The syllabus boasts such luminaries as Plato, Descartes, Hume and Nietzsche. Despite the strong subject matter, Professor Sally Sedgwick's grading has been described as arbitrary.

Religion 65: Theology of Augustine
Religion 66: Theology of Aquinas

These two thinkers are the most prominent Christian theologians. Knowledge of their teachings is necessary for an understanding of our Judeo-Christian based society. Additionally, Professor Stinson is one of the finest Dartmouth has to offer.

Core Classes at Dartmouth

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