10th Grade Literature

Unit 1: Study of Virtue in The Ancient Greek Culture

Specific Topics

The Trojan War and The Story of Achilles
The Emergence of The Age of Reason with The Tale of Odysseus
The Shift from Tyranny to Democracy with The Story of Antigone
The Ever-Changing Role of the Gods in The Ancient Greek Civilization and Humankind’s Relationship with the Deities
Experience The Oral Tradition of the ancient world with “The Story of The Golden Apple”

Essential Questions

How does Aristotle present the blueprint for all literature in the Western World?
What is The Story of The Golden Apple? What does it have to do with “The Iliad”?
What is Achilles’ dilemma as he comes to understand his role in the Trojan War?
How and why does the story of “The Odyssey” present a different idea of Virtue than “The Iliad”?

Student Understandings

how Aristotle maintained order in the civilization through theater
the relationship between mortals and immortals in time of Achilles
how and why this relationship changes with story of Odysseus
the role of women in society and the striking political shift with the continuation of the Oedipal tale in “Antigone”

Readings & Materials

Specific Topics

Corruption and excessive lifestyle of the Roman Empire during the reign of Nero
The Old Testament and the introduction of a monotheistic Divine Being
Creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and Moses
The Gospel of Matthew to compare and contrast the Divine Being of the Old Testament with that of the New Testament

Essential Questions

What was the “vicious cycle” in which the Romans were living as the empire was spiraling into self-destruction?
What steps were taken in the Bible to allow for a smooth transition from Poly to Mono Theism?
Where are there striking differences between the God of the Old and New Testaments?
How and why does Christianity arise as a reaction to the lifestyle of the Romans?

Student Understandings

Students will understand the emergence of Christianity as a challenge of Roman corruption with Judaism as the inspiration.

Readings & Materials

Specific Topics

Emerging role and influence of women in society
Tension between Faith and Science
The Abuse of Power in both religious and secular realms
The influence of The Church in affairs of state
Commentary regarding the challenges emerging against the corruption in the Catholic Church.

Essential Questions

What does Nicholas represent in contrast to The Carpenter?
What does the ending of The Miller’s Tale tell us about the social and cultural transitions of Europe?
What social commentary is Chaucer making about age, sex, class & wealth in The Wife of Bath’s Tale?
What are we to learn about academia and faith through the adventures of Doctor Faustus?
Why is King Henry the Fifth considered one of Shakespeare’s masterpieces?
Why is Henry to be admired? What are his favorable characteristics? How and why is The Dauphin considered Henry’s foil?
What role does the Catholic Church play in the war against France as waged by King Henry that culminates with The Battle at Agincourt?
What is resolved as a result of this conflict?

Student Understandings

the rationale for establishing a balance between faith and secular knowledge.
why the victory of the English against the French is credited to the “Grace of God,” rather than the advent of the longbow.

Readings & Materials

“The Miller’s Tale” from “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer
“The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus” By Christopher Marlowe
“King Henry The Fifth” by William Shakespeare
Excerpts from “Paradise Lost” by John Milton

Specific Topics

Cautionary tale of what happens when the scientific revolution is taken too far.
The “God Complex” of Faustus taken a step further with Victor Frankenstein.
The Romanticism of Rousseau seen in Shelley as well as the poets of the era.
Mindset of the Romantics attempting to warn regarding the Industrial Revolution
Mindset of the Victorians looking at the benefits as well as the detriments of the Urban locale.
Class relations studied in depth.

Essential Questions

How has the Industrial Revolution affected our relationship with the natural world?
How is our perception of God changed?
How has the Scientific Revolution changed our pursuit of the possible?
How does the literature of the time reflect the thinking of philosophers?
What social role and responsibility is (or should be) taken on by the bourgeois class?
How is the Proletariat treated by other classes?

Student Understandings

the conflict of “innocence versus experience,” and what both mindsets have to offer human beings.
why certain spiritual issues ought not be controlled by humankind.
the impracticality of “moving backwards” in reaction to the Industrial Revolution.
the tension established between the classes within the urban location.
the capacity of the society at large to be either beautifully benevolent or hideously cruel to a member based solely on appearance.
the class system of post-revolutionary France as a case study of what was going on in Europe during the 1800s.
the connection between the Art Pieces of the era as representative of the literary characters.

Readings & Materials