This course introduces you to some of the important texts that have shaped the western intellectual heritage. Readings fall into three general groups: The Classical Heritage, The Biblical Tradition, and the Early Modern Inheritance. Running through the three sections is the common theme of the hero and society. We'll be discussing questions such as: What is a hero? How is the hero related to society? How do conceptions of heroism change over time? What can you learn about a society by studying its heroes? The readings will give you a chance to examine literary, philosophical, religious, and political conceptions of heroism. Look below for the syllabus and course requirements, paper assignments, links to online versions of class texts, links to other websites relevant to the course, and other pertinent stuff. The official course description (from the Honors Program booklet) is available here.