Unit 2: World Literature Sacred 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 Know

Indus Valley

Aryans

Dravidians

Hinduism

Buddhism

Jainism

Sanskrit

Sikh

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

Wisdom Literature: types & examples Literary Terms Wisdom Literature: types & examples

MYTH

FABLE

PARaBLE

Proverb, Maxim, Aphorism

Sacred Texts: Philosophical/spiritual

Vedic 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 Literature

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

Figurative Language and Symbolism Language not meant to be understood literally. It expresses an imaginative connection. Symbol: an object, a person, a thing, and animal, an image, that represents both itself and something larger in meaning – usually an abstract idea.

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

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