Middlebury

CLAS 0152

Greek Tragedy

Greek Tragedy
A survey of selected tragedies by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, exploring the relation between tragedy and political freedom and empire in fifth century B.C. Athens. The course examines the tragic poets' use of traditional Greek myths to question not only the wisdom of contemporary Athenian imperialism but also traditional Greek views on relations between the sexes; between the family and the city; between man's presumed dignity and his belief in gods. Mythical and historical background is supplied through additional readings from Homer and Thucydides. The course asks how the tragedians managed to raise publicly, in the most solemn religious settings, the kind of questions for which Socrates was later put to death. The course culminates in a reading of Aristotle's Poetics. 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc.
Subject:
Classics
Department:
Classics
Division:
Humanities
Requirements Fulfilled:
EUR LIT PHL
Equivalent Courses:
FYSE 1552 *
LITS 0152

Sections in Spring 2009

Spring 2009

CLAS0152A-S09 Lecture (Witkin)
CLAS0152B-S09 Lecture (Witkin)
CLAS0152X-S09 Discussion (Witkin)
CLAS0152Y-S09 Discussion (Witkin)
CLAS0152Z-S09 Discussion (Witkin)