'Great books' requirement would enrich 'U' experience

Zachary M. Raimi Smoke & Mirrors

The thought of what America would be like
If the Classics had a wide circulation
Troubles my sleep

- Ezra Pound, "Cantico Del Sole"

Thousands of students will graduate from colleges across America next month. Sadly, many of these soon to-be-graduates have never read Homer's "Odyssey" or Virgil's "Aeneid." Unlike Ezra Pound, I'm not troubled by Americans reading the classics - I'm troubled that they don't.

As my time at the University draws to a close, I have come to the conclusion that this school needs a classics requirement. Each first-year student should be required to take a Great Books-type course that teaches the classics of world literature. Currently, the University is churning out large portions of students with no foundation in such works and, as a result, they have less-developed intellects. This proposal is not elitist; instead, it is the result of my beneficial experiences with such works and my deep sense of sadness that I have not had to read more.

It is hard to define exactly what are "great books," and implementing such a requirement would undoubtedly spur debate among academics and students. Generally, the classics are works of tremendous political, historical and literary significance and influence. They have transcended the cultures and time periods from which they were created to speak to a universal audience about universal themes and values. Examples include: Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey," writings by Plato and Aristotle, Dante's "The Divine Comedy," Shakespeare and John Milton's "Paradise Lost."

I am not sure how a requirement would work; I'll leave that to the administrators. Instead, I wish to explain why such a requirement would be beneficial to all students.

Many students, administrators and faculty members object to stringent requirements. These people argue that they limit personal choice and make graduating in four years difficult. Moreover, many argue that required courses enroll less motivated students, which harms the learning process. All of this may be true. If the University were to adopt this requirement, it would have to use quality instructors and not make graduation more difficult. While the objections are valid, the benefits of such a requirement would far outweigh any inconveniences.

There are three compelling reasons to have such a requirement. First, the classics are the foundation for all of world literature and much of history. A background in the classics would allow students to deepen their understanding of the literature that has developed since. For example, a student's understanding of Milton is enhanced if he or she has read Homer. And knowing Dante makes Pound's and T.S. Eliot's poetry more accessible and meaningful. The classics, then, open worlds of understanding to cultural and literary references; without such a background, the path to knowledge is forever dim.

A second reason for the requirement is that the classics include themes that dominate our popular literature and culture today, and reading these works would deepen our perspective. For example, in "The Iliad," themes include sibling rivalry, infidelity, jealousy, the struggle for honor and the effects of war. And "The Divine Comedy" explores the varying degrees of sin and the complexity surrounding morality.

By reading the original stories that dealt with these themes, students can view the world in more complex terms. Also, they can develop strategies and insights for dealing with complex moral and philosophical problems that plague them. And in a larger sense, students can gain a better understanding of human nature.

Third, the classics would benefit students in their studies. History and political science majors can learn about various time periods and the social and political factors that affected culture. For example, "The Divine Comedy" is, in part, a political critique of Italy in the Middle Ages and contains much historical information. Even science majors could benefit from this requirement; after all, the classics include discourses on astronomy, physics and biology. These discourses, which run through Aristotle, Herodutus, Dante and others, would help students chart the history of human scientific thought and get a better sense of how those in antiquity made assessments about the universe without the fancy technology that today's scientists use.

In the end, every student would benefit because their critical thinking and analytical skills would improve. And that's a good thing.

- Zack Raimi can be reached over e-mail at rmz@umich.edu.

04-10-97