Honors 202 006:
Discovering Literature--The Appeal of Pastoral
Fall 2005
Tompkins
G123. M, W, 1:30-2:45
Section 006
Dr. Morillo
First Paper Assignment
Length: 5 pages, computer-printed, double-spaced type, standard margins
Due: at the start of class, Wednesday, Sept. 14.
Choose one of Virgil's Eclogues that you think is responding to one or more of Theocritus' Idylls,
and write an essay explaining how Virgil uses his knowledge of the
meanings of pastoral in Theocritus to write his own pastroral poetry.
Consider where Virgil looks most directly to be using Theorcritus as a
model and what he does to modify that model. Consider what aspects of
Theocritan pastoral are most significant in Virgil's work; how he draws
on Theocritus for ideas about pastoral while pushing pastoral in new
directions.
This is an assignment to measure your skill at close reading and
comparative analysis. You need only your eyes and brain and the Idylls and Eclogues
to do the assignment well. I would much rather know what you think of
the poems, and how you interpret them, than how you can paraphrase what
anyone else says about them. If you do wish to use what Gifford says
about either Virgil or Theocritus you certainly may, or if you wish to
use other information about authors and contexts from reputable
sources, you may, but it is not necessary. If you do use research
sources be sure to document your sources in Modern Language Association (MLA) style
This style of reference keys a parenthetical bit of shorthand about a
source, typically (Author page) to an alphabetical Works Cited page
placed at the end of the writer's text.