Course Syllabus
Introductory Remarks
Lecture 1 Authorship and Style in the Torah
Lecture 2 Cain and Abel in Story, Theology and Literary History
Lecture 3 Icons and Iconoclasm: From Moses to Milton
Lecture 4 The Story of King David, or the Varieties of Love
Lecture 5 The Song of Solomon: The Poetry of Sacred and Profane Love
Lecture 6 Psalms: The Poetry of Praise and Supplication
Lecture 7 Proverbs: The Way to Wisdom
Lecture 8 The Book of Job: The Problem of Evil and the Aesthetics of the Sublime
Lecture 9 Ecclesiastes and the Questioning of Wisdom
Lecture 10 Isaiah and Prophecy
Lecture 11 Typology: The Life of Christ as Fulfillment of the Old Testament
Lecture 12 Parables: The Form of Jesus' Teaching
Lecture 13 Paul: The Letter and the Spirit of the Law
Lecture 14 The Book of Revelation and the Symmetry of the Christian Bible
Glossary
Israel: Historical Chronology
Book of Isaiah, Introduction and Outline
Translations of the Bible
Map—Ancient Near East and Eastern Mediterranean
Suggested Course Materials
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The Bible is renowned as a rich source of myth
and parable, prose and poetry. Indeed, much
of Western Literature owes an enormous debt to
the unique and widely varied writings in this
important religious text.
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Course Overview
The goal of this audio course is to provide listeners with a literary and historical overview of the Bible, from its opening in Genesis to its ending in the Book of Revelation, and also with a sense of some of the ways in which the Bible has influenced the literary traditions of the West. We’ll be exploring key scenes, stories, forms, and books of the Bible through the methods of literary and cultural analysis. We’ll be asking questions such as: what, in literary terms, might a Biblical story mean? How does its form and style contribute to its meaning? How has the story been read by other readers, from influential theologians of the past (such as St. Augustine and John Calvin) to literary critics of our own day? Finally, in what ways has the story had an impact on the literature, as well as the larger cultural life, of Europe and America? We pay particular attention to the ways in which the Bible has influenced the canon of English and American literature, including Shakespeare, Charlotte Brontë, and Robert Frost.
- Most of us have studied the Bible in one form or another as a child. But did you know that the Bible has served as the inspiration for many writers over the centuries—from Emily Brontë to Oscar Wilde?
- Professor Potkay begins deep in the heart of the Torah (Old Testament) with the story of Cain and Abel, showing us how it inspired a variety of writers, including John Milton and Lord Byron.
- From the romantic, seductive style of the Song of Solomon to the wisdom of Ecclesiastes, you’ll recognize the human emotions and ambitions that are echoed by writers like James Joyce and John Donne.
- With his love and passion for literature, Professor Potkay will lead you on a remarkable and exciting journey through the pages of the best-selling book in the history of the world.
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 Bible and the Roots of Western Literature (Booklet)Bible and the Roots of Western Literature (Booklet)
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Professors
Professor Adam Potkay
(College of William and Mary)
Adam Potkay is Professor of English at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he has taught since 1990. He has also been a visiting professor at Columbia University and at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He holds degrees from Cornell University (B.A., 1982), The Johns...
Professor Monica Brzezinski Potkay
(College of William and Mary)
Monica Brzezinski Potkay is Associate Professor of English at William and Mary, where she has taught since 1989. She earned her B.A. and M.A. degrees from Loyola University of Chicago (1979 and 1982) and her doctorate from the University of Virginia (1989). She specializes in medieval literature and...
 - Course password Required.
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Course Forum
Course Final Exam
Literature
