
The Modern Scholar
Masterpieces of Medieval Literature
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Narrated by:
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Prof. Timothy Shutt
About this listen
Beyond that, the Middle Ages saw the composition of some of the greatest and most rewarding literary works ever written, the works of Chaucer and Dante no doubt preeminent among them, but by no means are they alone in their surpassing merits.
In this course, we will look at some of those other splendid works - Beowulf, the little-known, but utterly splendid Njal's Saga, and Sir Gawain the Green Knight among them.
Download the accompanying reference guide.©2005 Timothy Shutt (P)2005 Recorded BooksListeners also enjoyed...
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The Modern Scholar
- Monsters, Gods, and Heroes: Approaching the Epic in Literature
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy Shutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
From the time of Homer himself in about 750 BCE - the epic has been the most highly regarded of literary genres. It is rivaled only by tragedy, which arose a bit more than two centuries later, as the most respected, the most influential, and, from a slightly different vantage point, the most prestigious mode of addressing the human condition in literary terms. The major epics are the big boys, the works that, from the very outset, everyone had heard of and everyone knew, at least by reputation.
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Insightful even if you've read the books
- By amar on 06-15-12
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The Modern Scholar
- Literature of C. S. Lewis
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- Narrated by: Timothy Shutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Story
In this course, we will look at Lewis's life and examine the influences that would help to shape Lewis both as a man and as a writer. We will take an in-depth look at Lewis's science fiction trilogy, his Chronicles of Narnia, his apologetic and scholarly works, and his other writings. In doing so, we will come to understand the major thematic elements that mark Lewis's work.
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Worthwhile for anyone interested in Lewis
- By Steve and/or Jodene on 09-28-13
By: Timothy Shutt
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The Modern Scholar: Tolkien and the West
- Recovering the Lost Tradition of Europe
- By: Professor Michael Drout
- Narrated by: Michael Drout
- Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The works of J.R.R. Tolkien are quite possibly the most widely read pieces of literature written in the 20th century. But as Professor Michael Drout illuminates in this engaging course of lectures, Tolkien's writings are built upon a centuries-old literary tradition that developed in Europe and is quite uniquely Western in its outlook and style. Drout explores how that tradition still resonates with us to this day, even if many Modernist critics would argue otherwise. He begins the course with the allegory of a tower....
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Not Drout's or Modern Scholar's Best
- By Amy on 01-28-13
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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Terry Jones
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A collection of three medieval English poems, translated by Tolkien for the modern-day reader and containing romance, tragedy, love, sex and honour.
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An absolute delight!
- By Shannon Slee on 07-15-18
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Modern Scholar: Greek Drama: Tragedy and Comedy
- By: Peter Meineck
- Narrated by: Peter Meineck
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
This course will examine the social, historical, and political context of ancient Greek drama and equip listeners with a set of critical analytical tools for developing their own appreciation of this vitally important genre. The course will focus on the four extant playwrights, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, and examine each of their plays closely.
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Outstanding.
- By entropent on 03-03-09
By: Peter Meineck
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The Modern Scholar
- Rings, Swords, and Monsters: Exploring Fantasy Literature
- By: Professor Michael D.C. Drout
- Narrated by: Professor Michael D.C. Drout
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this course, the roots of fantasy and the works that have defined the genre are examined. Incisive analysis and a deft assessment of what makes these works so very special provides a deeper insight into beloved works and a better understanding of why fantasy is such a pervasive force in modern culture.
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An Informative, Stimulating, and Enjoyable Class
- By Jefferson on 09-27-11
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The Modern Scholar
- Monsters, Gods, and Heroes: Approaching the Epic in Literature
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy Shutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the time of Homer himself in about 750 BCE - the epic has been the most highly regarded of literary genres. It is rivaled only by tragedy, which arose a bit more than two centuries later, as the most respected, the most influential, and, from a slightly different vantage point, the most prestigious mode of addressing the human condition in literary terms. The major epics are the big boys, the works that, from the very outset, everyone had heard of and everyone knew, at least by reputation.
-
-
Insightful even if you've read the books
- By amar on 06-15-12
-
The Modern Scholar
- Literature of C. S. Lewis
- By: Timothy Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy Shutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this course, we will look at Lewis's life and examine the influences that would help to shape Lewis both as a man and as a writer. We will take an in-depth look at Lewis's science fiction trilogy, his Chronicles of Narnia, his apologetic and scholarly works, and his other writings. In doing so, we will come to understand the major thematic elements that mark Lewis's work.
-
-
Worthwhile for anyone interested in Lewis
- By Steve and/or Jodene on 09-28-13
By: Timothy Shutt
-
The Modern Scholar: Tolkien and the West
- Recovering the Lost Tradition of Europe
- By: Professor Michael Drout
- Narrated by: Michael Drout
- Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The works of J.R.R. Tolkien are quite possibly the most widely read pieces of literature written in the 20th century. But as Professor Michael Drout illuminates in this engaging course of lectures, Tolkien's writings are built upon a centuries-old literary tradition that developed in Europe and is quite uniquely Western in its outlook and style. Drout explores how that tradition still resonates with us to this day, even if many Modernist critics would argue otherwise. He begins the course with the allegory of a tower....
-
-
Not Drout's or Modern Scholar's Best
- By Amy on 01-28-13
-
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Terry Jones
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A collection of three medieval English poems, translated by Tolkien for the modern-day reader and containing romance, tragedy, love, sex and honour.
-
-
An absolute delight!
- By Shannon Slee on 07-15-18
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
-
The Modern Scholar: Greek Drama: Tragedy and Comedy
- By: Peter Meineck
- Narrated by: Peter Meineck
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This course will examine the social, historical, and political context of ancient Greek drama and equip listeners with a set of critical analytical tools for developing their own appreciation of this vitally important genre. The course will focus on the four extant playwrights, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, and examine each of their plays closely.
-
-
Outstanding.
- By entropent on 03-03-09
By: Peter Meineck
-
The Modern Scholar
- Rings, Swords, and Monsters: Exploring Fantasy Literature
- By: Professor Michael D.C. Drout
- Narrated by: Professor Michael D.C. Drout
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this course, the roots of fantasy and the works that have defined the genre are examined. Incisive analysis and a deft assessment of what makes these works so very special provides a deeper insight into beloved works and a better understanding of why fantasy is such a pervasive force in modern culture.
-
-
An Informative, Stimulating, and Enjoyable Class
- By Jefferson on 09-27-11
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Histories
- By: Herodotus
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 27 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this, the first prose history in European civilization, Herodotus describes the growth of the Persian Empire with force, authority, and style. Perhaps most famously, the book tells the heroic tale of the Greeks' resistance to the vast invading force assembled by Xerxes, king of Persia. Here are not only the great battles - Marathon, Thermopylae, and Salamis - but also penetrating human insight and a powerful sense of epic destiny at work.
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Best of Audible's "The Histories" by Herodotus
- By Emily on 07-19-16
By: Herodotus
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The Modern Scholar: The Iliad and The Odyssey of Homer
- By: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy B. Shutt
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
One of the Modern Scholar’s most popular professors, Timothy B. Shutt, brings his literary acumen and trademark enthusiasm to the study of the epic poems that sit at the very wellspring of Western culture. The earliest surviving works of Greek literature, Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey exert a continuing influence on modern culture, even today shaping people’s values and conduct. In the tales of Achilles and Hector, of Odysseus and Penelope, Homer explored the notion of arête, which translates as "excellence" or "virtue".
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wonderful introduction to fundamental texts
- By EmilyK on 05-05-24
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The Modern Scholar
- Dante and His Divine Comedy: The Modern Scholar
- By: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Narrated by: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Kenyon College professor Dr. Timothy B. Shutt examines Dante's greatest work, The Divine Comedy, both in terms of its autobiographical elements and its allegorical meaning for the human race.
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A Tour de Force on a Tour de Force
- By John on 05-19-14
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A Day's Read
- By: The Great Courses, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth, and others
- Narrated by: Arnold Weinstein, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Join three literary scholars and award-winning professors as they introduce you to dozens of short masterpieces that you can finish - and engage with - in a day or less. Perfect for people with busy lives who still want to discover-or rediscover-just how transformative an act of reading can be, these 36 lectures range from short stories of fewer than 10 pages to novellas and novels of around 200 pages. Despite their short length, these works are powerful examinations of the same subjects and themes that longer "great books" discuss.
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Stories not included, only discussed
- By Julie Newman on 01-15-16
By: The Great Courses, and others
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Children of Ash and Elm
- A History of the Vikings
- By: Neil Price
- Narrated by: Samuel Roukin
- Length: 17 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Viking Age - from 750 to 1050 saw an unprecedented expansion of the Scandinavian peoples into the wider world. As traders and raiders, explorers and colonists, they ranged from eastern North America to the Asian steppe. But for centuries, the Vikings have been seen through the eyes of others, distorted to suit the tastes of medieval clerics and Elizabethan playwrights, Victorian imperialists, Nazis, and more. None of these appropriations capture the real Vikings, or the richness and sophistication of their culture.
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Outstanding
- By Than on 10-06-20
By: Neil Price
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Beowulf
- By: Seamus Heaney
- Narrated by: Seamus Heaney
- Length: 2 hrs and 13 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
New York Times best seller and Whitebread Book of the Year, Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney's new translation of Beowulf comes to life in this gripping audio. Heaney's performance reminds us that Beowulf, written near the turn of another millennium, was intended to be heard not read.
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Why, oh, why is it abridged?
- By Tad Davis on 09-25-08
By: Seamus Heaney
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The Modern Scholar
- A History of the English Language
- By: Prof. Michael Drout
- Narrated by: Prof. Michael Drout
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Professor Drout addresses the foundation of language and its connection to specific portions of the brain. The components of language are explained in easy-to-understand terms and the progression of the language from Germanic to Old, Middle, and Modern English is fully illustrated - including such revolutionary language upheavals as those brought about by the Norman Conquest and the Great Vowel Shift.
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Hits all the right marks
- By Maria on 11-02-10
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The Divine Comedy
- By: Clive James - translator, Dante Alighieri
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 14 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Renowned poet and critic Clive James presents the crowning achievement of his career: a monumental translation into English verse of Dante’s The Divine Comedy. The Divine Comedy is the precursor of modern literature, and this translation - decades in the making - gives us the entire epic as a single, coherent and compulsively listenable lyric poem. Written in the early 14th century and completed in 1321, the year of Dante’s death, The Divine Comedy is perhaps the greatest work of epic poetry ever composed.
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Brilliant!
- By Tad Davis on 10-18-13
By: Clive James - translator, and others
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The Modern Scholar: Medieval Mysteries
- The History Behind the Myths of the Middle Ages
- By: Professor Thomas F. Madden
- Narrated by: Professor Thomas F. Madden
- Length: 4 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Middle Ages is not only a period of Romance, but of legends, tales, and mysteries. In this course, Professor Thomas F. Madden guides listeners through the most famous and enduring narratives of medieval Europe. Beginning with King Arthur, Professor Madden peels back layers of exaggeration and fiction to lay bare the historical basis for the mythical king.
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Entertaining And Enlightening
- By Hellocat on 06-03-14
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The Story of Philosophy
- The Lives and Opinions of the Greater Philosophers
- By: Will Durant
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 19 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Durant lucidly describes the philosophical systems of such world-famous “monarchs of the mind” as Plato, Aristotle, Francis Bacon, Spinoza, Kant, Voltaire, and Nietzsche. Along with their ideas, he offers their flesh-and-blood biographies, placing their thoughts within their own time and place and elucidating their influence on our modern intellectual heritage. This book is packed with wisdom and wit.
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Fantastic and insightful book
- By ESK on 01-25-13
By: Will Durant
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The Modern Scholar: The Anglo-Saxon World
- By: Prof. Michael D. C. Drout
- Narrated by: Michael D. C. Drout
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Had the Angles and Saxons not purposefully migrated to the isles of the Britons and brought with them their already-well-developed use of language, Angelina Jolie may never have appeared in the movie Beowulf. Professor Michael D.C. Drout is at his best when lecturing on the fascinating history, language, and societal adaptations of the Anglo-Saxons.
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Perfect Intro to the Anglo-Saxon Period
- By Julie on 01-01-10
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The Modern Scholar
- From Here to Infinity: An Exploration of Science Fiction Literature
- By: Professor Michael D. C. Drout
- Narrated by: Professor Michael D. C. Drout
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The best science fiction asks essential questions: What does it mean to be human? Are we alone in the universe, and what does it mean if we're not? Esteemed professor Michael D. C. Drout traces the history of science fiction in this series of stimulating lectures. From Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to today's cutting- edge authors, Drout offers a compelling analysis of the genre, including a look at the golden age of science fiction, New Wave writers, and contemporary trends in the field.
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Nerdy? Probably... Enjoyable? Yes
- By Timothy on 08-27-09
People who viewed this also viewed...
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The Modern Scholar
- Monsters, Gods, and Heroes: Approaching the Epic in Literature
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy Shutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the time of Homer himself in about 750 BCE - the epic has been the most highly regarded of literary genres. It is rivaled only by tragedy, which arose a bit more than two centuries later, as the most respected, the most influential, and, from a slightly different vantage point, the most prestigious mode of addressing the human condition in literary terms. The major epics are the big boys, the works that, from the very outset, everyone had heard of and everyone knew, at least by reputation.
-
-
Insightful even if you've read the books
- By amar on 06-15-12
-
The Modern Scholar: The Iliad and The Odyssey of Homer
- By: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy B. Shutt
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the Modern Scholar’s most popular professors, Timothy B. Shutt, brings his literary acumen and trademark enthusiasm to the study of the epic poems that sit at the very wellspring of Western culture. The earliest surviving works of Greek literature, Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey exert a continuing influence on modern culture, even today shaping people’s values and conduct. In the tales of Achilles and Hector, of Odysseus and Penelope, Homer explored the notion of arête, which translates as "excellence" or "virtue".
-
-
wonderful introduction to fundamental texts
- By EmilyK on 05-05-24
-
The Modern Scholar
- Dante and His Divine Comedy: The Modern Scholar
- By: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Narrated by: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kenyon College professor Dr. Timothy B. Shutt examines Dante's greatest work, The Divine Comedy, both in terms of its autobiographical elements and its allegorical meaning for the human race.
-
-
A Tour de Force on a Tour de Force
- By John on 05-19-14
-
The Modern Scholar: Odyssey of the West II: A Classic Education through the Great Books: From Athens to Rome and the Gospels
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, Prof. Kim J. Hartswick, Prof. Joel F. Richeimer, and others
- Narrated by: Professor Timothy B. Shutt, Professor Kim J. Hartswick, Professor Joel F. Richeimer, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The lectures address-in chronological sequence-a series of major works that have shaped the ongoing development of Western thought both in their own right and in cultural dialogue with other traditions. In the process, the course engages many of the most perennial and far-reaching questions that we face in our daily lives.
-
-
Not bad
- By Alberto Dominguez on 07-29-11
By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, and others
-
The Modern Scholar: Odyssey of the West I: A Classic Education through the Great Books: Hebrews and Greeks
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, Prof. Eric H. Cline, Prof. Kim J. Hartswick, and others
- Narrated by: Professor Timothy B. Shutt, Professor Eric H. Cline, Professor Kim J. Hartswick, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The lectures address-in chronological sequence-a series of major works that have shaped the ongoing development of Western thought both in their own right and in cultural dialogue with other traditions. In the process, the course engages many of the most perennial and far-reaching questions that we face in our daily lives.
-
-
Chapter Divisions ARE Present
- By Rand on 09-01-10
By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, and others
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The Modern Scholar: Odyssey of the West IV: A Classic Education through the Great Books: Towards Enlightenment
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, Prof. Fred E. Baumann, Prof. Thomas F. Madden
- Narrated by: Prof. Timothy Shutt, Prof. Fred E. Baumann, Prof. Thomas F. Madden
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Odyssey of the West series addresses in chronological sequence the works that have shaped the ongoing development of Western thought both in its own right and in cultural dialogue with other traditions. Part four provides a close look at the period from the Renaissance to the Scientific Revolution and into the early Enlightenment. These lectures take in the immense variety and singular achievements that have helped mold our present societies.
-
-
It's a clear review of European history,.
- By Tim Regan on 08-04-17
By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, and others
-
The Modern Scholar
- Monsters, Gods, and Heroes: Approaching the Epic in Literature
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy Shutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the time of Homer himself in about 750 BCE - the epic has been the most highly regarded of literary genres. It is rivaled only by tragedy, which arose a bit more than two centuries later, as the most respected, the most influential, and, from a slightly different vantage point, the most prestigious mode of addressing the human condition in literary terms. The major epics are the big boys, the works that, from the very outset, everyone had heard of and everyone knew, at least by reputation.
-
-
Insightful even if you've read the books
- By amar on 06-15-12
-
The Modern Scholar: The Iliad and The Odyssey of Homer
- By: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy B. Shutt
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the Modern Scholar’s most popular professors, Timothy B. Shutt, brings his literary acumen and trademark enthusiasm to the study of the epic poems that sit at the very wellspring of Western culture. The earliest surviving works of Greek literature, Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey exert a continuing influence on modern culture, even today shaping people’s values and conduct. In the tales of Achilles and Hector, of Odysseus and Penelope, Homer explored the notion of arête, which translates as "excellence" or "virtue".
-
-
wonderful introduction to fundamental texts
- By EmilyK on 05-05-24
-
The Modern Scholar
- Dante and His Divine Comedy: The Modern Scholar
- By: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Narrated by: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kenyon College professor Dr. Timothy B. Shutt examines Dante's greatest work, The Divine Comedy, both in terms of its autobiographical elements and its allegorical meaning for the human race.
-
-
A Tour de Force on a Tour de Force
- By John on 05-19-14
-
The Modern Scholar: Odyssey of the West II: A Classic Education through the Great Books: From Athens to Rome and the Gospels
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, Prof. Kim J. Hartswick, Prof. Joel F. Richeimer, and others
- Narrated by: Professor Timothy B. Shutt, Professor Kim J. Hartswick, Professor Joel F. Richeimer, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The lectures address-in chronological sequence-a series of major works that have shaped the ongoing development of Western thought both in their own right and in cultural dialogue with other traditions. In the process, the course engages many of the most perennial and far-reaching questions that we face in our daily lives.
-
-
Not bad
- By Alberto Dominguez on 07-29-11
By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, and others
-
The Modern Scholar: Odyssey of the West I: A Classic Education through the Great Books: Hebrews and Greeks
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, Prof. Eric H. Cline, Prof. Kim J. Hartswick, and others
- Narrated by: Professor Timothy B. Shutt, Professor Eric H. Cline, Professor Kim J. Hartswick, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The lectures address-in chronological sequence-a series of major works that have shaped the ongoing development of Western thought both in their own right and in cultural dialogue with other traditions. In the process, the course engages many of the most perennial and far-reaching questions that we face in our daily lives.
-
-
Chapter Divisions ARE Present
- By Rand on 09-01-10
By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, and others
-
The Modern Scholar: Odyssey of the West IV: A Classic Education through the Great Books: Towards Enlightenment
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, Prof. Fred E. Baumann, Prof. Thomas F. Madden
- Narrated by: Prof. Timothy Shutt, Prof. Fred E. Baumann, Prof. Thomas F. Madden
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Odyssey of the West series addresses in chronological sequence the works that have shaped the ongoing development of Western thought both in its own right and in cultural dialogue with other traditions. Part four provides a close look at the period from the Renaissance to the Scientific Revolution and into the early Enlightenment. These lectures take in the immense variety and singular achievements that have helped mold our present societies.
-
-
It's a clear review of European history,.
- By Tim Regan on 08-04-17
By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, and others
-
The Modern Scholar: Odyssey of the West III: A Classic Education through the Great Books: The Medieval World
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, Prof. Thomas F. Madden, Prof. Monica Brzezinski Potkay
- Narrated by: Prof. Timothy Shutt, Prof. Thomas F. Madden, Prof. Monica Brzezinski Potkay
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Odyssey of the West I and II explored timeless works from the ancient world that shaped, and continue to shape, the culture and philosophies of life today. Part three is a richly detailed look at St. Augustine, Beowulf, St. Thomas Aquinas, Authurian legends, Dante, Gothic art, and other highlights of the period. Through the course of these lectures, it becomes apparent that the "dark" ages were in fact a time of immense achievement, and a time that richly rewards those who study its art and philosophies.
By: Prof. Timothy Shutt, and others
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The Modern Scholar
- Walt Whitman and the Birth of Modern American Poetry
- By: Karen Karbiener
- Narrated by: Karen Karbiener
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this course we'll explore how Walt Whitman broke with the tyranny of European literary forms to establish a broad, new voice for American poetry. By throwing aside the stolid conventions and clichéd meters of old Europe, Walt Whitman produced a vital, compelling form of verse, one expressive of the nature of his new world and its undiscovered countries, both physical and spiritual, intimate and gloriously public.
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Ahead of His Time; And Maybe Even Ours
- By Carole T. on 09-25-12
By: Karen Karbiener
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The Modern Scholar
- Wars That Made the Western World: The Persian Wars, the Peloponnesian War
- By: Timothy Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy Shutt
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
This course addresses three wars fought in antiquity, each of which had - even 2,000 years and more later - a decisive effect in shaping our communal sense of who we are, not only in Europe, but throughout the European cultural diaspora, in the Americas, in Oceania, and to some degree, at least, in Asia and Africa as well - wherever, in short, Western values hold.
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Those Are Names to Remember...
- By John on 09-26-13
By: Timothy Shutt
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The Modern Scholar: Greek Legacy
- Understanding the Overwhelming Contributions of the Ancient Greeks
- By: Professor Timothy Shutt
- Narrated by: Professor Timothy Shutt
- Length: 4 hrs and 57 mins
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Named one of the Best 300 Professors by the Princeton Review, Timothy B. Shutt has been repeatedly honored for his exceptional skills as a lecturer. In Greek Legacy, Professor Shutt explores the qualities that set the ancient Greeks apart from other ancient civilizations. The Greeks, more than any other culture, contributed to the formation of our own cultural system. These lectures show how that society developed, what it consisted of, and how it continues to impact the modern world.
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Masterful overview of Greek contributions
- By EmilyK on 11-19-23
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A History of Ancient Sparta
- Valor, Virtue, and Devotion in the Greek Golden Age
- By: Prof. Timothy B. Shutt
- Narrated by: Prof. Timothy B. Shutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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A born teacher and lecturer, Professor Timothy B. Shutt examines the history and culture of ancient Sparta, a society renowned for military excellence and adherence to the values of courage, discipline, duty, and the overcoming of fear. Vastly outnumbered at the Battle of Thermopylae, the Spartan "300" held off an overwhelming Persian force before finally succumbing - but not without inflicting massive casualties and inspiring the rest of the Greeks with the notion that they could persevere.
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OK for a beginner
- By Dale on 11-11-10
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The Modern Scholar
- Hebrews, Greeks and Romans: Foundations of Western Civilization
- By: Timothy Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy Shutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Our purpose in this course will be to examine the foundations of Western civilization in antiquity. We will look at the culture of the ancient Hebrews, of the ancient Greeks, and of the Romans, and we will likewise look at how these cultures interacted with each other, sometimes happily, sometimes not. In the process, we will focus on how the questions they addressed and the answers they found live among us and continue to shape our lives to this very day.
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Great, Thought Provokong Lectures
- By Wolfpacker on 06-04-10
By: Timothy Shutt
What listeners say about The Modern Scholar
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- EmilyK
- 02-12-24
absolutely love this professor
I loved this set of lectures. Prof. Shutt always has such enthusiasm for his topic and this set is no exception. He has interesting insights on a wide range of literary pieces, some of which frankly I had never heard of and others which I had studied in school, and he inspired me to read them again. He also sets the works in an interesting and sympathetic historical context. Although I was familiar with the Norse sagas, I thought this was one of the most compelling discussions of them.
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- vidar lystad johansen
- 10-10-18
Enlightening
Well performed but dips a bit in audio at times. Otherwise very good and recomended for anyone
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1 person found this helpful
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- John
- 12-07-12
The Kind of Professor I Want My Kids to Have
First, there is Professor Shutt's infectious enthusiasm for the works he's discussing and even more for the insights that can be derived from those works. Then there's his openness to cultural concepts (Beowulf's heroic manliness, for example, or the piety of the Dream of the Rood) that aren't that popular in the academy these days. He never resorts to cheap shots at the faith or ideals of the Middle Ages, never lapses into that "chronological snobbery" (C. S. Lewis' term) that assumes everyone and everything that came before us is somehow inherently less worthwhile.
Instead, he takes you on an amazing journey through many of the high spots of Medieval Literature, one that will either send you back to reread Gawain and the Green Knight and the Lais of Marie de France or send you forward to finally read those Icelandic Sagas and Troubadour lyrics you somehow managed to dodge in your undergrad days. Unlike most of the lectures I've heard in my life, these bear re-listening. Shutt is that rare type of professor who isn't afraid to admire what others marginalize, nor is he embarrassed by the concept of "truth".
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16 people found this helpful
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- GOOD Jaime Lopez Ortega
- 04-30-17
a great listen
I loved listening to this professor. He is easy on the mind. Especially since he pronounces for us many of the difficult words of non english. so much I did not know came home to me..
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2 people found this helpful