CLASS 2603

Initiation to Greek Culture

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2020-2021.

Intended especially for first-year students. Students must apply in writing to chair, Department of Classics, 120 Goldwin Smith Hall. In this course, we will read and discuss a wide range of Greek literary and philosophical works as well as some modern critical and philosophical writings. Knowledge of Greek is not necessary: all texts are in English translation. What is necessary is a willingness to participate in seminar meetings each week and supplementary workshops with specially invited guests.  Our focus throughout is on close analysis of the texts, and the attempts the Greeks made to grapple with the world around them through literature. The course inquires into the intellectual development of a culture infused with traditional, mythological accounts of the cosmos. It asks how poetic forms such as epic and tragedy engage with philosophical discourse while creating intense emotional effects on audiences both during antiquity and beyond.  By the end of this course, you will have read a wide selection of Classical Greek literature and be able to perform close readings and comparative analysis of text and culture.  You will also hone your discussion and presentation skills in the seminar format, above all engaging with your peers in joint intellectual inquiry.   

When Offered Fall.

Permission Note Enrollment limited to: freshmen.

Breadth Requirement (HB)
Distribution Category (LA-AS, ALC-AS, HST-AS)

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