Interpreting Ancient Literature
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| CLAR1015 | Classics and Archaeology | 1 | 20 | Full Year UK |
- Code
- CLAR1015
- School
- Classics and Archaeology
- Level
- 1
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Full Year UK
Summary
This module will introduce students to the interpretation of ancient literary texts (in translation) as sources for ancient culture, by focusing on a representative range of texts and themes. The module will address issues such as ancient performance-contexts and audiences, the workings of genres, analysis of rhetoric and literary style, representations of gender and sexuality, study of classical reception, and how to compare translations. The focus will be on Greek texts in autumn and Latin texts in Spring.
Target Students
Available to all Undergraduate level 1 students in the Department of Classics and Archaeology, including Liberal Arts, exchange and subsidiary students.
Classes
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 8 weeks
- One 1-hour lecture each week for 8 weeks
- One 2-hour lecture each week for 12 weeks
Assessment
- 30% Coursework 1: 1000-1200 word close reading
- 70% Exam 1 (24-hour): Take home exam
Assessed in both autumn & spring semest
Educational Aims
1. To introduce students to a wide range of literary texts, both Greek and Latin.2. To cover important texts not read at Classical Civilisation A level.3. To explore a theme, and reflect on its importance and usefulness for understanding ancient literary culture.4. To go into depth on a selection of these texts (topics/authors/case studies) related to this theme.5. To give students a deeper sense of the ways individual texts relate to their contexts, literary, historical and cultural.Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module students should be able to:
1. Show familiarity with a wide range of ancient texts, and the tools and approaches for reading and interpreting them.
2. Comment on a variety of different texts from different genres and periods.
3. Recognise the letters of the Greek alphabet, transcribe Greek words and understand the nature of an inflected language.
4. Demonstrate awareness of the problems of working with translations, by comparing translations of facing Greek and Latin texts.
5. Understand reasons for reading secondary literature and evaluate different literary critical approaches.
6. Show improved teamwork, time management, formatting and referencing skills.
7. Make an argument for a position with which they do not necessarily agree.
8. Understand the importance of planning and drafting, and develop their effectiveness in doing it.
9. Read a complete text in some depth, analyse and discuss it.