J. Deppman (Comparative Literature)
4 HU, WRi, 4 hours
Fall Semester FYSP 187-01 MW 8:30-9:45
If death is not upon us now (thinks Hamlet) then it will come later, and if not later, then now. The readiness is all, but what does it mean to be ready? Is there an ars moriendi, an art to dying well? Can our understanding of death change the way we choose to live? To answer these questions we will begin by considering ideas and expressions of death from a variety of perspectives, arts, and historical periods. Works of fiction, poetry, philosophy, music, and visual art will provide models for comparative inquiries into the valuing of lives and deaths: why are some considered noble, beautiful, purposeful, or meaningful, while others are shameful, ugly, purposeless, or senseless? We will also test and extend our classroom perspectives by engaging with community partners in Oberlin. As we talk with others, we will rethink our own lives and deaths.