Instructions
Read the assigned chapters of the Heike, then participate in our discussion of the text.
You have been randomly assigned to small discussion groups, and should plan on posting your initial response to our discussion outlined below by Tues before midnight. Plan to return to the discussion later and respond at least 2 more times to your peers at any point before midnight on Thursday of this week.
Discussion Guidelines
Please follow these guidelines when participating in the online discussions:
- Share your thoughts and experiences as your own. Try not to generalize or speak for others.
- Listen to the content of what others say. If you don’t understand someone’s view, ask them to explain, don’t judge.
- Disagreement shows the complexity of these issues and helps us learn. Feel free to disagree, but do so in a respectful manner. This is an open forum for all participants to brainstorm and explore new ideas.
- Keep personal information confidential (within this course).
Remember that it is easy to misinterpret written communication. Sometimes written comments may inadvertently seem impolite or could otherwise be taken the wrong way – strive to really explain yourself and avoid making assumptions about other people’s intentions.
See Course Syllabus for Online Discussion Rubric.
Discussion Focus:
- Consider the characterization of the warrior in The Tale of the Heike. What are the traits and values associated with the warrior? What is the warrior class ethic? How does this characterization interact with the opening lines of the work? Do you think there is a gap or disjuncture between the warrior ethos and the overarching theme of Heike, or not? What specific examples from Heike support your interpretation?
- What do you think the “affective and philosophical goals of the epic” might be, and how does Heike work to achieve those goals? Cite specific episodes and page numbers.
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