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Transcript
A Survey of Western
Civilization


Why should Chinese students of English
bother about Western civilization?
What do you think are the basic elements
in Western Civilization?
An introduction to Western Civilization

1. Requirements to the course

2. Learning methods

3. Relevant theories


4. The main contents in a chronological
order
5. Reference books
Teaching/learning methods

1. Presentation

2. Drama play

3. Movie watching
Relevant theories
1. Definition of civilization
2. The relationship between culture and
civilization
3. The significance to learn Western
civilization


The word civilization comes from Latin
civis, meaning a citizen or resident of city.
“An advanced state of human society, in
which a high level of culture, science, and
government has been reached.”—
Webster’s Universal College Dictionary
Civilization versus Culture



The term civilization is similar to and often
interchangeable with culture, but the former
refers mostly to cultures that have complex
and advanced economic, governmental, and
social systems.
Culture is any way of life, be it simple or
complex, advanced or not advanced.
Western civilization—European civilization
The main contents
1. Greek culture
 2. Roman culture
 3. Greek and Roman Mythology
 4. Christianity and Bible
 5. The Middle Ages
 6. Renaissance and Reformation
 7. The Age of Enlightenment
 8. Romanticism, Realism and Modernism

References

[美] Robert E. Lerner, et, Western Civilizations, 11th edition, Volume I,
W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. , NEW YORK, 1984;

[美] Robert E. Lerner, et, Western Civilizations, 11th edition, Vol. II,
W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. , NEW YORK, 1984;

[美] Dennis Sherman, World Civilizations, 4th edition, 中国人民大学
出版社,北京,2007年7月;

[美] William H. McNeill, A World History, 4th edition, 北京大学出版
社,2008年9月;

[英] Duncan Sidwell, A Survey of European Culture, 外研社,2008
年6月;

[英] Duncan Sidwell, A Survey of European Culture, 外研社,2008
年6月;
Greece:
the origin of western
civilization
Warm-ups

When we mention the Greek culture, what
will jump to your mind immediately?

Watch part of the opening ceremony of
Athens Olympic Games and try to find the
elements of Greek civilization.
Greek Culture
History
 Social and political structure
 Poetry
 Philosophy
 Architecture
 Sculpture
 Impact

1.The Historical Context
1200 B.C. a war of Troy
 5th century B.C.
Greek culture reached a high point of
development—successful repulse of
Persian's invasion.
 In the second half of the 4th century B.C.
all Greece was brought under the rule of
Alexander, king of Macedom. Greek culture
was spread wherever they went.
 In 146 B.C. the Romans conquered Greece.

Trojan War
Two sides: The Greek allies and the Troy
 Cause of the war: Helen?
 Main characters in the war
 Influence of the war

Who caused the war?
 Thetis’
wedding
 Eris—goddess
 The
of discord
apple of discord
 Paris
to decide
 Revenge
of Athena
 Abduction
of Helen
Thetis’ wedding
Trojan War
Two sides: The Greek allies and the Troy
 Cause of the war: Helen?
 Main characters in the war
 Influence of the war

Greece: Menelaus

King of Sparta, Helen’s husband
Greece: Agamemnon


The king of Mycenae,
brother of Menelaus, and
leader of the Greeks in the
Trojan War.
He killed his daughter as a
sacrifice to sea god and
later was killed by his wife.
Greece: Achilles
The greatest hero in
the war of Troy.
He killed Hector,
brother of Paris, and
later was killed by
Paris.
Achilles’ heel

dipping
into the
river
Styx
Greece: Odysseus

He advised to
build a Trojan
Horse and
caused the
destruction
of Troy.
Penelope’s Web
Sailing home
from Troy
Troy: Priam

King of Troy;

Father of Paris and
Hector;

The last king of
Troy and was killed
in the Trojan War.
Troy: Hector


Prince of Troy and
the greatest hero in
Troy.
He was the biggest
rival of Achilles and
was killed by
Achilles.
Troy: Paris



Prince of Troy
He abducted
Helen.
He killed Achilles.
Aeneas
Think about it:

Was this the face that
launched a thousand
ships, and burnt the
topless towers of
Ilium?—Christopher
Marlowe


Is woman the real reason for raging a
war? Don’t you think it is unfair that
historians always attribute the fall of
kingdoms to Helen?
Can you list other similar women figures in
China’s history?
1.The Historical Context
1200 B.C. a war of Troy
 5th century B.C.
Greek culture reached a high point of
development—successful repulse of
Persian's invasion.
 In the second half of the 4th century B.C.
all Greece was brought under the rule of
Alexander, king of Macedom. Greek culture
was spread wherever they went.
 In 146 B.C. the Romans conquered Greece.

Greek and Persian War






City-states of Greece—more than 200 poleis
King Darius of Persia
In 499 B.C. some poleis rebelled from the
Persians.
With the help of Athens and the Greek allies,
the Persians were defeated and drove out of the
Asia Minor.
After the war, Athens emerged as the most
dominant political and economical force in the
Greek world.
Conflicts between Athens and Sparta
Rise of Macedon



Philip II took advantage of the political
disorder in Greece and brought all Greece
under his control.
Philip II was murdered by one of his
officer, also his lover, Pausanias.
Wife of Philip II—Olympias, promised
Pausanias high glory and rewards if he
killed Philip II.
Alexander the Great
Son of Zeus. His idol—Achilles
 He was greatly influenced by his mother.
 He was tutored by Aristotle.
 Taming of a horse
 He gained the throne when he was 20.
 In 334 B.C., he and his troops marched
into Asia and launched a war against
Persia.
 Result: Drove the king out of Asia Minor
and Egypt. Darius III was murdered.

Greek Culture

History

Social and political structure

Poetry

Philosophy

Architecture

Sculpture

Impact
2. Social and Political Structure
Politics
Athens was a democracy.
Democracy means “exercise of power by
the whole people.”
 Economy—slave labor
 Sports
Greeks loved sports.
Mount Olympus ---- Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games revived in
1896.

3. Poetry--Homer

Greek poet

blind bard

He probably lived
around 750 B.C. or 850
B.C.

Two epics:

Iliad

Odyssey
4. Philosophy and Science
Love of
wisdom
 Socrates
 Plato
 Aristotle
What made the
universe?
Socrates



(470-399 B.C.)
Dialogue & The Apologies of
Socrates—recorded by Plato
Greek philosopher who initiated
a question-and-answer method
of teaching as a means of
achieving self-knowledge.
Socrates was tried for
corrupting the minds of
Athenian youth and subsequently
put to death in 399 B.C.
The Apologies of Socrates

Let us reflect and we shall see that there is
great reason to hope that death is a good; for
one of two things--either death is a state of
nothingness and utter unconsciousness, or, as
men say, there is a change and migration of the
soul from this world to another. Now if you
suppose that there is no consciousness, but a
sleep like the sleep of him who is undisturbed
even by dreams, death will be an unspeakable
gain…



…to die is a gain; for eternity is then only a
single night. But if death is the journey to
another place, and there, as men say, all the
dead abide, what good, my friends and judges ,
can be greater than this?
…I am not angry with my condemners, or with
my accusers; they have done me no harm,
although they did not mean to do me any good;
and for this I may gently blame them.
The hour of departure has arrived, and we go
our ways - I to die, and you to live. Which is
better only God knows.

Know yourself.

Life is compared to a voyage.

One should eat to live, not live to eat.

All I know is that I know nothing.

All things in their being are good for
something.

Education is the kindling of a flame, not
the filling of a vessel.
Socrates VS Confucius
Plato
A follower of Socrates.
 Plato founded his own school, the
Academy.
 The Republic(理想国)—the lengthy
dialogue, dealing with questions including
the nature of justice, ethics and politics.
 Physical world—not reliable
 Ideal world—higher world
 Idealist

The Republic

How to live a good life;

What is justice?

Inquiry of morality

What's the point of being good?" when
the wicked are apparently so much
happier and more successful.
Aristotle
Plato is dear to me, but dearer still is truth.
Plato &
Aristotle
5. Architecture






1) Doric style
masculine
sturdy (strong and
firm)
powerful,
severe looking,
showing a good sense
of proportions and
numbers.
Parthenon
temple
2) the Ionic Style
 feminine style
 graceful
 elegant

3) Corinthian Style: Ornamental luxury
6. Sculpture
(1). Discus Thrower

(2). Venus de Milo
Impact

(1). Supreme Achievement

(2). Lasting effect

恩格斯(Engels)把希腊人称作“天才的小民
族”;

英国诗人雪莱(Shelley)认同自己和所有英国人
“都是希腊人”;

黑格尔(Hegel)也曾经说过:“一提到希腊这个
名字,在有教养的欧洲人心中,尤其在我们德
国人心中,自然会引起一种家园之感。”


There is nowhere but Greece.
Captive Greece took her rude conqueror
(Rome) captive.