Unit 2: World LiteratureSacred Texts and Epic Tales

c. 1400 B.C. – A.D. 500

Focus Questions

1

• Which religions began on the Indian subcontinent?

The classics of ancient Indian epic poetry were part of what religious tradition?

2

• In what ways is Hinduism a social system?

• What was a caste in traditional Hinduism?

• What were the functions of various castes in traditional Hinduism?

3

• List two or more achievements of Indian painters, sculptors, and architects.

• What role did Buddhist monks play in the creation of cave art?

4

• In what ways is the concept of memory important to the literature of India?

• What was the traditional way of studying a subject in ancient India?

• Why were the scholars of ancient India wary of written versions of texts?

Names and Terms to Names and Terms to KnowKnow

Indus ValleyIndus Valley

AryansAryans

DravidiansDravidians

HinduismHinduism

BuddhismBuddhism

JainismJainism

SanskritSanskrit

SikhSikh

Vocabulary

Rig Veda: Creation Hymn

• Immortality

• Distinguishing

• Stems

• Palpable

Mahabharata, Bhagavad-Gita, Ramayana

• Mitigated• Caricature• Scruples• Pervades

• Manifested• Dispel

• Invoked• Pristine

Panchantantra

• Obsequiously• Rank• Elixir

• Accrue• Tardily

• Reprobate• Extirpate• Skulks

Literary Terms

Wisdom Literature: types & examples

MYTHMYTH

An anonymous tale that explains the actions of

Gods or the causes of naturalphenomena

The Rig Veda pg 180 Mahabharata pg 192Ovid’s Metomorphoses

Pg 550

FABLEFABLE

Brief story that teachesA moral or practical

Lesson about life and usually features ANIMAL characters

Sa’di’s Gulistan pg 106

The PanchantantraPg 222

Jean de LaFontain’sFables

PARaBLEPARaBLE

Brief story that teachesA moral or practical

Lesson about life and usually features HUMAN characters

Jesus’ parables in theNew Testament

Zen ParablesPg 320

Proverb, Maxim, AphorismProverb, Maxim, Aphorism

A wise saying that offersPractical wisdom about life.

Such sayings are oftenIncluded in larger works.

African ProverbsPg 130

Sa’di’s Manners of KingsPg 106

Confusious AnalectsPg 268

Sacred Texts:Sacred Texts:Philosophical/spiritualPhilosophical/spiritual

Teaches moral conductOr explores questions

About the meaning of life.

Lao Tzu’s Tao Te ChingPg 266

The UpanishadsPg 188

The Rig VedaPg 180

Vedic HymnVedic Hymn

• A hymn is a poem or song of praise. Vedic Hymns emphasize the importance of gods and nature in Indian life and ponder timeless questions, such as the origin of the universe.

• Originally meant to be chanted.

• Passed down by word of mouth.

• Reflect a sense of awe toward nature.

Features of Wisdom Features of Wisdom LiteratureLiterature

Aphoristic StyleAphoristic Style

Aphorism: a brief, memorable, and often Aphorism: a brief, memorable, and often witty saying that expresses a truth about witty saying that expresses a truth about life – as in a proverb or the moral at the life – as in a proverb or the moral at the end of a fable.end of a fable.

Figurative Language and Figurative Language and SymbolismSymbolism

Language not meant to be understood Language not meant to be understood literally. It expresses an imaginative literally. It expresses an imaginative connection.connection.

Symbol: an object, a person, a thing, and Symbol: an object, a person, a thing, and animal, an image, that represents both animal, an image, that represents both itself and something larger in meaning – itself and something larger in meaning – usually an abstract idea.usually an abstract idea.

AllegoryAllegory

A literary work with two levels of meaning. A literary work with two levels of meaning. Every element has both a literal and a Every element has both a literal and a symbolic meaning, with specific characters symbolic meaning, with specific characters standing for abstract qualities. Fables and standing for abstract qualities. Fables and parables are considered types of allegory.parables are considered types of allegory.

Didactic in purposeDidactic in purpose

It is meant to teach a moral or ethical It is meant to teach a moral or ethical lesson about life. This lesson may be lesson about life. This lesson may be taught directly, as in a fable, or indirectly, taught directly, as in a fable, or indirectly, as in a parable, in which the moral is not as in a parable, in which the moral is not explicitly stated.explicitly stated.