Unit information: Greek Language Level C2 in 2013/14

Unit name	Greek Language Level C2
Unit code	CLAS22406
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Michelakis
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	CLAS22316 or equivalent
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Classics & Ancient History
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

The origins of modern dramatic and literary criticism have often been traced back to Aristophanes, Plato and Aristotle. Their writings on theatre and literature are concerned not only with the ways in which specific texts can/should be read but also with larger issues about the nature and function of representation. Aristophanes' contest of Aeschylus and Euripides in the Frogs, Plato's distrust of theatre and poetry in the Republic, and Aristotle's defence of tragedy and epic poetry in the Poetics provide concepts and lines of argument which have been central to debates about drama and more generally literature and art for generations of critics from the Renaissance onwards. The themes addressed will include the role of genre, parody, representation and responsibility, and the controversies around concepts such as mimesis and katharsis.

Aims:

Upon conclusion of this unit students will have developed knowledge of the issues raised in relation to the texts studied and their interpretation. They will have developed an appreciation of the literary style of the texts studied and improved their fluency in reading and translating of Greek.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit students should have:

• developed their skills in reading, translating and interpreting a Greek text;

• become familiar with current debates about the texts studied, and their historical and cultural significance;

• developed and refined their skills in constructing coherent and relevant critical arguments, in relation to the understanding and appreciation of the texts studied;

• developed and enhanced their skills in oral and written communication by contributing to discussion in seminars, presenting short papers, and producing an essay and various written examinations.

Teaching Information

3 x 1 hour seminars.

Assessment Information

1 essay of 2,500 words and 1 examination of one and a half hours, consisting of a passage of 10-12 lines for unseen translation (30% of exam mark) with passage summary, a passage of 10-12 lines for prepared text translation (30% of exam mark), and a passage of 20 lines with specific questions for comment (40% of exam mark). No choice of questions will be offered and no reference texts or dictionaries will be allowed in this exam.

Reading and References

To be read in Greek (1500 lines in total):

Aristophanes: Frogs 830-1523. Recommended edition: K. Dover, Aristophanes’ Frogs, Oxford 1993

Plato: Republic 386a1-392a2, 598d7-602b11, 605c6-608b10. Recommended edition: P. Murray, Plato on Poetry, Cambridge 1996

Aristotle: Poetics 1447a8-18 (Introduction) and 1449a9-1454b18 (=chs 4-15) Recommended edition: D. W. Lucas, Aristotle: Poetics, Oxford 1968