HOLY CROSS OF DAVAO COLLEGE

Sta. Ana Avenue, Davao City

SYLLABUS
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Course No.: English 14

Credit : 3 units
Course Title: Afro-Asian Literature
Pre-requisites : Eng 1, Eng 2
Course Description:
This course allows students to explore literary selections from AfroAsian countries. Focus is given on representative literatures of Egypt,
Israel, Arabia, Iran, China, Japan and India. Literary selections from
Indonesia, Thailand and Burma are also included to provide a literary
background for Southeast Asia.
Course Objectives: At the end the course, the students can:
A. Cognitive (Knowledge) :
1. Trace the literary history of countries in Africa and Asia.
2. Describe selected African and Asian writers.
3. Explain the elements of particular literary forms.
4. Describe the culture of selected groups of Africans and Asians
based on their literature.
5. Present significant human experiences that the selections present .
6. Relate the above human experiences with their own or heard
experiences.
B. Affective (Attitude) :
1. Show appreciation of the writings of great Africans and Asians.
2. Demonstrate the values learned from literary selections in their
everyday life.
C. Psychomotor (Skills):
1. Read clearly selected prose and poetry.
2. Write summary, reaction paper, and paraphrase of required literary
selections.
Course Outline
Contents

A. AFRICA the Dark Continent

1. Introduction
a. People
b. Languages
c. Religion
d. Education
2. African Literature.
a. Characteristics/ qualities of African Literature
3. English and African writers and their works.
4. African Poetry

No. of Hours
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a. Africa
b. African Prose
c. The Hands of the Black
d. African Plea
Egypt The Gift of the Nile
1. Introduction
a. People
b. Government
a. Language
b. Religion
c. Education
2. The Literature of Egypt
a. Historical Background
b. Types of Egyptian Literature
c. Book of the Dead
d. Selection
d.1 The Two Brothers
d.2 Tale of Sinuhe
Israel Jewish Republic of Asia
1. Introduction to Jewish Literature
a. Characteristics/Qualities of Jewish
2. Literature.
a. Classification of Old Testament and the New Testament Books
3. Selections
a. The Story of Ruth
b. The Birth of Jesus
c. The Prodigal Son
d. Samson and Delilah
e. David and Goliath
f. The Story of Judith
g. The Exodus from Egypt
ARABIACradle of Islam
1. Introduction to Arabian Literature.
a. Characteristics/ Qualities of Arabian Literature
b. Literary History
2. Umayad History
3. Abbasid Empire
4. Modern Period
a. The Koran- The Sacred Book of Islam
b. The Arabian Nights/A thousand and One Nights
5. Ali Baba
6. Alladin
7. Sinbad the Sailor
IRAN Homeland of the Aryans
1. Introduction to Aryan Literature
2. Sufism
3. Zoraster/ Zoroastrianism
4. Abdul Kasim Mansur/Fridausi

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The Poetry of Iran

Zoroaster (from the Zendavesta)
Sadi (from the Bulistan)
Omar Khayyam ( from the Rubaiyat)
My Father (Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi)

i. THE LITERATURE OF ISLAND AND MAINLAND SOUTHEAST ASIA

1. Introduction
2. Indonesia
3. Characteristics/ Qualities of Indonesian Literature
4. Development of Indonesian Literature
5. Indonesian Prose and Poetry
6. Suggested poems from Indonesia
7. Boat Song (Sjair Perahu)
8. Guno and Koyo (Harold Courlander)
9. Thailand
10. Characteristics/ Qualities of Thai
11. Development of Thai Literature
12. The Prose and Poetry
13. Thai Drama
14. Burma (Myanmar)
15. Characteristics/ Qualities of Burmese Literature
16. Development of Burmese Literature
17. Burmese Prose and Poetry
18. On the Three Evils U Nu (Prime Minister of Burma)
j. CHINA Red Dragon of the East
1. Historical Background
a. Ancient Chinese
2. Poetry
a. Tang Poetry
3. Confucian as
4. Literary Influence
a. Confucian Odes
b. Analects of Confucius
c. Chinese Proverbs
5. Chinese Classics
6. Chinese Poetry
7. Chinese Drama
8. Grandma Takes Charge (Lau Shau)
k. INDIA-The Land of Prayer
1. Historical Background
2. General View of Hindu Literature
3. Hindu Poetry
4. The Epics
5. Indian Drama
a. The Ramayana
b. The Mahabharata

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6. The Greatest Epic of India

7. The Longest Epic found in the world
8. The Story of the Saint
9. The Nose Jewel
l. JAPAN-Land of the Rising Sun
1. General View of Japanese Literature
2. Japanese Poetry
3. Japanese Drama
4. Suggested Poetry
a. Of Promise Kept
VIII.

References
A. Books
Ref.1. Reyes, D. (2011) . World literature: Literary gems of the east and west.
Manila: Rex Book Store.
Ref.2. Nem Singh, R. (2010). Gems in the world literature.Pasig City.:Anvil
Publishing.
Ref.3. Sialongo, E. (2007). . Literatures of the world. Manila:Rex Book Store.
Ref.4. Sebastian, E. & (. and Cayao, E. (2006). Readings in world literature.
Quezon City.
Ref.5. Duka, C. (2005). The literature of Asia and Africa. Manila,: Rex Book
Store.
Ref.6. Duka,C.(2001) . The literature of Asia and Africa. (1st ed.) Manila,
Philippines: Rex Book Store.
Ref.7. Torres, M . & Montalban, D. (1999) English for Secondary Schools.
Quezon City : FNB.
Ref.8. Serrano, J.. & Lapid,M. (1998) . English communication arts and skills
through Asian and African Literature. ( 4th ed.) .
Quezon City, Philippines: Publishing House.
Ref.9. Gochberg, D. et al. (1997) World literature and thought. (Vol. 1 The
Ancient Worlds). Fort Worth,Texas: Harcourt and Brace College
publisher.
Ref.10. Bilgera, M.. et.al (1996). Afro-Asian Voices. Manila: Rex Book Store.
Ref.11. Ribo, L. M. et.al (1991) Asia Insights. Metro Manila: Vibal Publishing
House.
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B. Web Resources
Ref. 12. The analects of Confucius. Retrieved on March 5, 2014 from
http://confucius-1.com/analects/index.html
Ref. 13. Britanica Academic Edition. Arabic literature . Retrieved on October 23,
2013 from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/31722/Arabicliterature
Ref. 14. Ramayana.
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Religions/texts/Ramaya.html
Ref. 15. Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Retrieved on March 5, 2014
fromhttp://www.omarkhayyamrubaiyat.com/