Prof. Allen Romano, Department of Classics Email: [email protected] Office: 328 Dodd Hall Office hours: M 1:00-2:00, W 10:00-11:00, and by appointment Course website: campus.fsu.edu

Greek Tragedy

CLT4291 / 5295

MWF 11:15-12:05

PSY 326

Description This course surveys the oldest surviving dramatic literature in the western literary canon, the tragedies of ancient Athens. We will trace the development of the genre and study the important cultural, political, and religious role of tragedy in Athens. Readings include plays by all three of the great fifth- century playwrights: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. In addition, we will read selections from other ancient authors such as Aristophanes, Aristotle, and Plato and screen modern adaptations of ancient drama. Required Texts [All texts are available at the bookstore or online via Amazon.com and other retailers so that you may find the cheapest price. Most if not all of these titles are available used for a fraction of their new cost. See the list at http://www.amazon.com/Greek-Tragedy-CLT4291- 5295/lm/RSUFMJ2DE3I4H/ref=cm_rna_own_lm. I prefer that you use these translations; however, the Loeb versions are acceptable for relevant plays.]

Aeschylus Oresteia, trans. Peter Meineck, Hackett Publishing, 1998, ISBN 0872203905

Sophocles: The Theban Plays, trans. Peter Meineck, Hackett Publishing, 2003, ISBN: 0872205851

The Complete Greek Tragedy: Sophocles II (Ajax, Women of Trachis, Electra, Philoctetes), Lattimore and Grene, eds. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-30786-2

Euripides Four Plays: Medea, Hippolytus, Heracles, Bacchae, Stephen Esposito ed., Focus Publishing 2002, ISBN 158510048X Euripides: Heracles and Other Plays, trans. John Davie, Penguin Publishing, 2002. ISBN 9780140447255

Euripides: Electra and other Plays, trans. John Davie, Penguin Publishing, 1999. ISBN 9780140446685

Euripides Alcestis, trans. W. Arrowsmith, Oxford University Press 1990, ISBN 0195061667

Assignments Class Participation: Do the assigned reading, show up to class on time, and then participate fully in class activities.

Response Papers: Brief, concise essays; questions will be provided in relevant weeks; 2-pages, double- spaced, 12-point font, submitted via email. You are required to write 4 of these over the course of the semester. Each is due via email by 9:00 AM on Monday morning. Preferred formats are .txt, .doc, .docx, or .pdf. See separate handout and sample response papers for more details.

Final Exam: The final exam for the course will consist of a series of short essay questions, similar in form to the response papers. There is no midterm.

At 5000 level: Students taking the course at the 5000 level are required to do all of the above plus a graduate paper (12-15 pages, double-spaced). This paper should be a development of one of the response papers. Please talk to me for further details. I would strongly encourage you to submit at least one draft to me before week 12 so that I can give you comments upon which to base revisions. Grading 4000 level 5000 level Class Participation 30% 25% 4 response papers (2 pages each) 40% 25% Final Exam 30% 25% Graduate Paper (preferably based on one of the response papers) N/A 25% Note: Papers lose 2 points per day that they are late without a valid excuse. Schedule The following is presented as a guideline. Readings and assignments may be changed and adjusted as needed during the term. Secondary readings and all materials marked as “selections” will be available in .pdf form on the course website.

For Week 1 Monday 1/7 Introduction to Ancient Greece and Ancient Tragedy Wednesday An Exemplary Play 1/9 1. Read Hippolytus [Esposito]

2. Before class on Wednesday, email me the following information. Take no more than 10 minutes for this. 1. Who you are: year, major, a little about yourself; 2. Any previous work on Greek, Classics, or Ancient Civilizations (e.g. have you taken a myth class? Have you read any tragedy before?) 3. Why you are taking the course. (Note: It is perfectly fine to say that you are taking the course to fulfill degree requirements.) 4. Anything else you’d like me to know about you (e.g. favorite color, favorite Greek god, etc.) Friday 1/11 How to Read a Tragedy Review Hippolytus [Esposito]

Week 2 Aeschylus’ Oresteia M 1/14 Aeschylus Agamemnon [Meineck] W 1/16 Aeschylus Libation Bearers [Meineck] F 1/18 Wilson “Powers of horror and laughter: the great age of drama” p. 88-93; 102-109

Week 3 More Oresteia M 1/21 MLK Day -- NO CLASS W 1/23 Aeschylus Eumenides [Meineck] F 1/25 Goldhill p. 57-61;75-78 Response Paper 1 (due 1/28 before 9:00 AM via email)

Week 4 Electras M 1/28 Sophocles Electra [Lattimore/Grene] W 1/30 Euripides Electra [Davie] F 2/1 Loraux, N. ch. 3 from The Mourning Voice

Week 5 Oedipus M 2/4 Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus [Meineck] W 2/6 Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus [Meineck] F 2/8 Introduction, Meineck/Woodruff p. xxxv-lxxi

Week 6 More Oedipus M 2/11 Sophocles Antigone [Meineck] W 2/13 Screening: The Gospel at Colonus F 2/15 Foley, Public Lament Response Paper 2 (due 2/18 before 9:00 AM via email)

Week 7 Heracles M 2/18 Sophocles Trachiniae [Lattimore/Grene] W 2/20 Euripides Heracles [Esposito] F 2/22 Vernant “The Tragic Subject” p. 237-247

Week 8 Medea M 2/25 Euripides Medea [Esposito] W 2/27 Boedecker, “Becoming Medea” F 2/29 Rno, WAVE

Week 9 Homeric Heroes on the Tragic Stage M 3/3 Sophocles Ajax [Lattimore/Grene] W 3/5 Sophocles Philoctetes [Lattimore/Grene] F 3/7 Epic portrayals of Ajax and Philoctetes (selections) Week 10 SPRING BREAK M 3/10 -F NO CLASS 3/14

Week 11 Euripides Does Aeschylus M 3/17 Euripides Orestes [Davie] W 3/19 Euripides Iphigenia Among the Taurians [Davie] F 3/21 Zeitlin, “Redeeming Matricide” Response Paper 3 (due M 3/24)

Week 12 The Limits of the Tragic M 3/24 Euripides Helen [Davie] W 3/26 Euripides Ion [Davie] F 3/28 Fragmentary Euripides (selections)

Week 13 Ithyphallic Males Behaving Badly M 3/31 Euripides Cyclops [Davie] W 4/2 Euripides Alcestis [Arrowsmith] F 4/4 Sophocles Ichneutai (selection)

Week 14 Criticism of Tragedy M 4/7 Aristophanes Frogs W 4/9 Aristotle Poetics F 4/11 Artaud, “The Theater and the Plague” and “No more masterpieces” Response Paper 4 (due M 4/14)

Week 15 Dionysus M 4/14 Euripides Bacchae [Esposito] W 4/16 Selection from Segal, Dionysiac Poetics F 4/18 Michelini, “The Unclassical as Classical”

Final Exam: Monday April 21, 10:00 - 12:00 Class Policies: aka the fine print

Missed Classes You are permitted 4 unexcused absences. Upon the 5th unexcused absence, your total course average will be lowered by 2%. Your course grade will be lowered by an additional 2% for every absence thereafter. If you miss a class due to illness or other legitimate reasons, you should bring a written note excusing your absence. In the case of any potential missed class you should email me as far in advance as possible. Absences not related to documented illness, crisis, or university business are counted as excused or unexcused absences at my discretion.

FSU Honor Code Students are expected to uphold the Academic Honor Code published in the FSU Bulletin and the Student Handbook. The Academic Honor Code is based on the premise that each student has the responsibility to uphold and foster the highest standards of academic integrity in the student’s own work and in the university community. Students are responsible for reading the Academic Honor Policy and for living up to their pledge to “be honest and truthful and...[to] strive for personal and institutional integrity at Florida State University.” (Florida State University Academic Honor Policy, found at http://www.fsu.edu/~dof/honorpolicy.htm.)

University ADA Policy Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should (1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC), and (2) bring the letter provided by the SDRC, indicating the academic accommodations that are needed, during the first week of class. For more information about services available to FSU students with disabilities, contact:

Student Disability Resource Center 97 Woodward Avenue, South Florida State University Tallahassee, FL 32306-4167 (850) 644-9566 (voice) (850) 644-8504 (TDD) [email protected] http://www.fsu.edu/~staffair/dean/StudentDisability/

Multiple Submission No work completed in a previous or concurrent class may be submitted for credit in this class.

Collaboration You are encouraged to discuss the material of this class with each other outside of class. This includes holding group study and review sessions and, if you so choose, sharing resources such as notes. You are especially encouraged to read the plays together out loud. This is an especially useful mechanism for understanding each play. However, such study partnerships and study groups must be mutually beneficial to all the parties involved. All written work submitted for this class must be your own.

Syllabus Change Policy Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.