Greek Tragedy in Context: FL/EN 363

SYLLABUS, Spring 2000

3 credits, M, W 3:30-4:45 — Niccols 208

C. Luschnig (AD 310a) — luschnig@uidaho.edu

Lectures and discussions of selected Greek Tragedies and one comedy (or two): The purpose of this course is to reach an understanding of the richness of Greek tragedy, to look at the plays as individual works, and to see them in their contexts as part of a literary tradition and as comments on fifth century B.C. society.

Textbooks in order of use:

Useful Links:

Diotima: Women & Gender in the Ancient World

Didaskalia: Ancient Theater Today

 

Assignments, requirements, grading

Attendance: students enrolled in the class are expected to attend the lectures and discussions and to turn in written work on time. Make-ups will not be given for quizzes but the lowest quiz grade(s) will be dropped. Attendance means being prepared, coming on time and staying until the end of class. A recent study indicates that students who attend class do better. Go figure.

Reading:

Read all plays assigned. Usually two sessions will be spent on each play. For the first session read the play; briefly outline it [in one sentence or less jot down who is in each episode and what it is about; what is the general subject of each choral song and vaguely how it relates to the action].

Note: these outlines may seem jejune at first, but this is an efficient way of seeing how a play is put together and of appreciating the point of the choral songs. In addition to the outline write down one question that occurs to you as you are reading.

For the second session, read the questions in your study guides, REREAD the play, and answer one [or more] of the questions in detail. This is best done as we go along, not at the last minute before your journal (see below) is collected. Journals that are done at the last minute are not acceptable and will receive a grade no higher than C if complete. I will read the journals before spring break and use them to advise you about a paper topic.

Performance: Working in teams of three to five, we will perform scenes from the plays. More later. The first will be a scene from the Agamemnon.

Writing:

Journals: keep a journal of your outlines, answers to the questions in the study guides, questions, and observations. These journals will be collected before midterm and near the end of the term. They will give you an opportunity to experiment in your writing; the work does not have to be formal or polished. Always answer one or more of the questions in the study guides. You may also want to write down what strikes you as you are rereading the play. You will find that rereading is the real reading: the first time you are reading to see what happens; the second time you can see better what the playwright is getting at. If you feel unsure about your journal you may hand in your first entries at any time and I will tell you what is good and what could be improved.

Make a few of your entries somewhat more complete, polished, thoughtful than random notes. Try to include one entry on some of the following:   [These are suggestions for a good journal rather than an assignment.]

--the role of the chorus [in a particular play]

--the use of myth [either how other myths referred to relate to the drama in question, or how the myth has been reworked in the drama]

--the divine element / role of the gods [in a play or author]

--violence in word or action

--portrayal of time [kairos and chronos]

--Greek tragedy: another dimension [what difference it makes in your understanding to see a performance: for this you will have to see one of the video films of a Greek play that are available in the FL&L dept. "Screenings" will be arranged. Oedipus (two versions), Antigone, Oedipus at Colonus, Trojan Women (all in English), Iphigenia (in modern Greek with English subtitles), Medea (in classical Greek and in English) are available.

The journal will count 100 points. A complete journal will include 1. outlines of the plays; 2. answers to one or more questions about each play.

Term Paper: Greek Tragedy in Context. Outside reading is required [see bibliographies in study guides; if you need help, please ask: how else will I know?]. Choose one play or a group of plays and write a paper 7-10 pp. putting it/them in context [literary, social, political, historical, artistic, and/or dramaturgical]; see list of possible topics (100 points). Your journals will help you in choosing a topic.  Bibliographies.

Tests

Order of Readings, lectures, discussions

Jan. 10 Introduction: the Greek tragic theatre (stg. 1-8) Conventions, theatre, playwrights

Lecture on the Greek theatre

Jan. 12 Aeschylus, Persians (begin journal) (stg. 24-5) take-home quiz.  Read passage from Herodotus on Cleobis and Biton.  Text of the Persians:  www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=aesch.+pers.+1

Xerxes reviews his troops:  Herodotus 7.59-100 http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=hdt.+7.59

Optional -- Sack of Miletus Herodotus VI.19-21  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=hdt.+6.19

The Invasion of Attica and the Battle of Salamis  Herodotus VIII.50ff. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=hdt.+8.50

On the destruction of Athens, see Herodotus 9.13 and Thucydides 1.89.3.

On the oath taken by the Greeks not to rebuild the temples destroyed by the Persians but to leave them as a permanent monument see: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=diod.+11.29.1

Jan. 19-Feb 2 Aeschylus, Oresteia (stg. 50-53 and 62-4 2-3) outline quizzes http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=aesch.+ag.+1

 

Read Thucydides, Book I, Chapters 1-23 — early history (archaeology) http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=thuc.+1.1

Feb. 7, 9 Sophocles, Electra quiz   outline  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=soph.+el.+1

Read Plato, Protagoras 320c-324d

Feb. 14, 16 Euripides, Electra quiz   outline    http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=eur.+el.+1

Feb. 17 Eta Sigma Phi lecture: "Rome’s Women in Office" 5:00

Feb. 23 Sophocles, Philoktetes (stg. 58-9) quiz   http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=soph.+phil.+1

Feb. 28, March 1 Euripides, Iphigenia at Aulis 3, 5 May (stg. 60-1) quiz  outline   http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=eur.+ia+49

TBA video of Iphigenia at Aulis

March 6 midterm test: will include short answers, recognition of quotations, essays on general topics for comparisons.

March 8 Aristophanes, Frogs [no quiz; journal optional]   http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=aristoph.+frogs+1

Spring Break 13-17 March

March 20, 22 Euripides, Medea quiz  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=eur.+med.+1   Medea

Read Thucydides, Book II 34- 46 Funeral Oration of Pericles http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=thuc.+2.34

Read Thucydides, Book V.84-117 The Melian Dialogue V.85-117 http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=thuc.+5.84

Thursday, March 23 Eta Sigma Phi Lecture 5:00, "Stage Effects in the Theatre of Dionysus" by A.L.H. Robkin ADMIN 301

March 27, 29 Euripides, Alcestis   outline or Hippolytus    outline quiz

Alcestis: www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=eur.+alc.+1  

Hippolytus:  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=eur.+hipp.+1

Read Thucydides III.82  on The Revolution in Corcyra III.82           http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=thuc.+3.82

"Admetus the artist" [essay]

Luschnig's own on-line translation of Alcestis http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/alcestis.html

CHANGE IN SCHEDULE:

Wednesday 29 March-- Medea and Hippolytus

Monday 3 April -- Hippolytus -- group discussion/quiz

Wednesday 5 April -- Seven Against Thebes

April 3, 5 Aeschylus, Seven against Thebes (journal, quiz) (stg. 26-8)

Read Xenophon, Hellenika II.2.3: The defeat of the Athenians at Aigospotamoi in 405 http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=xen.+hell.+2.2.3

April 10, 12 Sophocles, Antigone (quiz) (stg. 29-34) http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=soph.+ant.+1   Antigone

Thursday 13 5:00 April Eta Sigma Phi Lecture "Classics in the Personal Library of Leonard and Virginia Woolf" by Trevor J. Bond, Special Collections Library at WSU, AD 301.

April 17, 19 Sophocles, Oedipus the King (quiz) (stg. 35-7, 71) http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=soph.+ot+1   Oedipus the King

April 24, 26 Euripides, Phoenissae (quiz) outline (stg. 38) "I saw that his face looked just like mine"  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=eur.+phoen.+1 Phoenician Women

PAPERS DUE 26 April [papers turned in by Thursday at 2:00 will not be considered late.]

May 1, 3 Euripides, Bacchae (stg. 39-40) "Cast your dancin’ spell my way, I promise to go under it."  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup=eur.+ba.+1

JOURNALS DUE May 3

Finals Week Tuesday 9 May 3:30-5:30: The class will meet for a final class session for the reading or summarizing of the papers.

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