North Carolina State University • Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Advanced Hindi-Urdu II
Readings in Literature – Poetry
FLN 302    Spring 2006

(3 credit hours)

 

Instructor: Prof. Afroz Taj

 

Office Hours:  Friday 3:00 - 5:00 PM, or by prior appointment

Office:  1911 Building, Room 138                 Office Telephone: 515-9302

Email: taj@unity.ncsu.edu                            Website: http://sasw.chass.ncsu.edu/fl/faculty/taj/hindi

 

Meeting Times and Places:

 

Meeting Time: Tuesday 6:00 – 8:45 PM

Meeting Place: Harrelson 342

 

Course Description and Objectives: Advanced Hindi-Urdu II: Readings in Literature continues the third year of training in spoken and written Hindi-Urdu with special emphasis on the discussion of a variety of poetic masterpieces and their relationship to historical contexts, music, dance, film, and major South Asian religious traditions (Hindu, Muslim and Sikh).  We will cover a wide range of Hindi-Urdu poetry from the medieval Sufi and Bhakti poets to 20th Century works by Iqbal, Faiz and Parveen Shakir, and discuss how historical and social themes inspire and inform South Asian literature.

At each meeting we will discuss the assigned reading selection, covering vocabulary and grammar topics as they arise. Readings are provided on the course website in both the Hindi (Devanagari) and Urdu (Nastaliq) scripts; you are not required to know both scripts. Readings are assigned in advance and you are expected to come to class prepared for discussion.  Readings are supplemented by guest speakers, films, and documentaries on relevant topics. In-class discussion will be conducted entirely in Hindi-Urdu.

The primary objectives of this course are: to develop mature oral competency in idiomatic spoken Hindi-Urdu, and to acquire sufficient oral and written proficiency to express relatively sophisticated ideas and concepts in a culturally and linguistically authentic manner.

Prerequisites: Advanced Hindi-Urdu I (FLN 301) or equivalent proficiency in Hindi or Urdu, with instructor’s permission.

 

Course Materials:

1. Course Readings (on-line): http://sasw.chass.ncsu.edu/fl/faculty/taj/hindi/302read.htm
Note: there is no textbook or course-pack for this course; all course materials are on-line. You are expected to print out and read the assigned texts in advance and bring the printout with you to class on the relevant day, as given in the schedule below.

2. Audio/Video Course Materials, including selected Hindi-Urdu films and documentaries, will be assigned for listening and viewing in the Language Lab or D.H. Hill Library Media Center.

3. Library Collections: The D.H. Hill Library has an extensive collection of Hindi and Urdu poetry including the authors we cover in this class.  You are required to use the library collections for researching and writing your essays and exam papers.

4. Extracurricular Programs: For a deeper understanding of Hindi-Urdu literature, students are strongly encouraged to attend the many public programs related to Hindi-Urdu literature in the Triangle area, including: concerts of South Asian music, Urdu Majlis (literary society) monthly meetings, and Hindi Vikas Mandal events. Making a presentation at such events may be counted for course credit; see the instructor for more information.  You are also encouraged to listen to the Geet Bazaar Radio Program (every Sunday morning from 10:00 to 12:00 noon on WKNC 88.1 FM), and to attend the South Asian Film Festival (alternate Thursday nights throughout the semester), etc.

GER Requirement and Objectives:  
This course counts toward the NC State GER Humanities-Literature Requirement: (http://www.ncsu.edu/provost/academic_programs/ger/hss/ahsscrs.htm).  See the instructor if you have any questions.  The General Education Requirement Objectives for this course are:

  1. Students will acquire an understanding of the cultural traditions of South Asia through the interpretation and analysis of works of Hindi-Urdu poetry.
  2. Students will learn how to interpret poetic literature in order to create knowledge about the human experience in South Asia.
  3. Students will develop the skills required to make scholarly arguments about literature using reasons and evidence derived from literary interpretation.

 

Important Policies:  

1. Expectations: A foreign language class is as rigorous as any other class at NCSU.  You are expected to review your essays as corrected by the instructor and learn from your mistakes.  Your grade depends solely on what you learn from the course, not on whatever prior knowledge or exposure you may have to Hindi or Urdu.  Do not expect to earn an "A" without investing the same amount of effort you would invest in any other class at NCSU.

2. Attendance: Regular attendance is obligatory. Students arriving more than 15 minutes late for the class will be considered absent for that day.  Five points will be deducted from your final grade for each unexcused absence and you will lose 10 points toward your class participation total. More than five unexcused absences during the semester will result in an “F” grade for the course. See the NC State attendance regulation for the definitions of excused and unexcused absences.  If you miss class, even with an excused absence, you are responsible for making up the missed work and keeping up with the schedule of assignments.  Contact  a classmate or the instructor to find out what you missed.

3. Academic Integrity: Every student is expected to abide strictly by the NCSU Code of Student Conduct, including the use of the Honor Pledge on all assignments, quizzes and exams.  Students must not give or receive aid on any quiz, essay or exam paper, even if it is "take-home" or “on-line,” unless specifically told otherwise by the instructor.

4. Plagiarism: You are required to consult additional sources, including books, journals, and Internet websites, for your exam papers, and you must cite each source according to standard academic practice.  If you fail to cite a source from which you have borrowed ideas or text, you may be guilty of a violation of the NC State honor code. Definitions of plagiarism and academic dishonesty are found at http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/ncsulegal.  If you have questions, ask the Instructor.

5. Incompletes: As per university policy, a grade of "Incomplete" can only be given when a) the student has been attending class and turning in all work on time throughout the semester and b) the student submits a valid, written excuse for not being able to complete the final course requirements at the end of the semester. 

6. Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities.  In order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with Disability Services for Students at 1900 Student Health Center, 515-7653.  For more information on NC State’s policy on working with students with disabilities, please see the Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Regulation.

Course Requirements:

Class Participation: You are expected to come to class prepared, having read the assignment in advance, and you will be expected to express in Hindi or Urdu your opinions, feelings, and ideas.  If you contribute actively to the class each week, you may earn up to 10 class participation points per session.

Quiz: There will be 10 quizzes to test your knowledge of selected Hindi-Urdu words, phrases, or concepts taken from the previous week’s readings. Each quiz is worth 10 points.  Missed quizzes must be made up within one week. 

Essays: There will be a total of six essays (2-3 pages) in Hindi-Urdu based on the readings and topics discussed in class.  To ensure proper credit, you MUST write the essay number on each homework paper. Each essay is worth 25 points. For each essay based on a work of poetry, you should interpret the poem in your own words, and then comment on the poet’s style, technique, themes, philosophy, historical significance, etc.  You may also compare the poet to other poets you have read in the class or elsewhere.  You are encouraged to read additional works by the assigned poet to gain a broader perspective.  Essays turned in late will not receive full credit: absolutely no essays may be turned in after the last day of class. If approved by the instructor in advance, an academic presentation in class or in a Hindi or Urdu literary society meeting may count as an essay.  Contact the instructor for more information.

Field Trip:  On Sunday, February 26, we will conduct the “Religions of India Field Trip.”  We will visit the Sikh Gurudwara, the Hindu Temple, and the Islamic Center.  Participation in the Field Trip is worth 25 points; you must attend all three segments of the trip to earn credit.  If you have a conflict attending this trip on this date, speak to the instructor about a make-up activity.  Students must provide their own transportation for this activity but carpooling will be facilitated. The Field Trip will last from 12:00 noon until approximately 5:30 PM. 

Exams: There will be two exams in the form of a Midterm Exam Paper and a Final Exam Paper.  Both of these will be take-home.  In the exam papers, you will be graded on spelling and grammatical accuracy as well as content (originality of ideas, logic of argument, depth of research).  Each paper should include a bibliography listing the additional sources used in writing the exam papers, including library books, internet sites, films, and music recordings.

The Midterm Exam Paper (5 pages), worth 100 points, is due on Tuesday, March 14.
Assignment: Discuss the relationship between the South Asian religions (Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism) and the Hindi-Urdu literary tradition.  How did poets express various aspects of mysticism through their work (give examples)?  What do the three traditions have in common? How were these common themes expressed in literature?

The Final Exam Paper (8 pages), worth 200 points, is due on Friday, May 5.
Assignment: Read at least five poems by one Hindi or Urdu poet of your choice (the poet you choose does not have to be one of the poets discussed in class).  Analyze and interpret each poem in your own words, then address the following questions:  What are the characteristics of the poet’s style?  What are the themes most typical of the poet’s work?  How did the poet’s historical and cultural environment shape his/her works?  What was this poet’s impact on the Hindi-Urdu literary tradition?     

 

Grading System:

Class Participation

14 x 10 points

140

20%

Quizzes

10 x 10 points

100

14%

Essays

6 x 25 points

150

21%

Field Trip

25 points

25

3%

Midterm Paper

100 points

100

14%

Final Paper

200 points

200

28%

Grand Total

 

715

100%

Semester grades will be awarded according to the percentage you earn out of the total possible points as given in the table below. 

 

The following grading scale will be used. Fractional percentages will be rounded up, for example 84.3% would be counted as 85% = B+.

100%

99% - 95%

94% - 90%

89% - 85%

84% - 80%

79% - 75%

74% - 70%

A+

A

A-

B+

B

B-

C+

Semester Schedule:

NOTE: Reading Assignments, Essays, Quizzes, and the Midterm Exam are due on the days given in the schedule below, whether or not the instructor has announced them in class.  You are expected to look at this schedule before coming to class each week and be prepared for the scheduled activities.

 

 

 

Topic: 

Quiz

Essay assigned

January

10

Introduction 

 

 

 

17

Introduction to Hindi-Urdu poetry: ghazal, nazm, dohe. 

 

 

 

24

Parveen Shakir 

 

1 (due Tuesday 1/31)

 

31

Mirabai and her Bhajans 

Quiz 1
(Parveen Shakir)

2 (due Tuesday 2/7)

February

7

Hinduism 

Quiz 2
(Mirabai)

 

 

14

Islam

Quiz 3
(Hinduism)

 

 

21

Sikhism

Quiz 4
(Islam)

Midterm Exam Paper
(due Tuesday March 14) 

 

28

Local Poet

Quiz 5
(Sikhism)

 

March

7

Spring Break

 

 

 

14

Faiz Ahmed Faiz 

 

3 (due Tuesday 3/21)

 

21

Aparna Sen (film-maker) and her work 

Quiz 6
(Faiz)

4 (due Tuesday 3/28)

 

28

Kathak Dance and Classical Music 

Quiz 7
(Aparna Sen)

 

April

4

Kabir and his Dohe 

Quiz 8
(Dance-Music)

5 (due Tuesday 4/11)

 

11

Allama Iqbal 

Quiz 9
(Kabir)

6 (due Tuesday 4/18)

 

18

Mirza Ghalib  

Quiz 10
(Iqbal)

 

 

25

Mirza Ghalib

 

 

May

5

 

 

Final Exam Paper
(due Friday May 5)