Introduction to Greek Literature
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course is foundational and mandatory for the BA 'Ancient Civilizations for the Contemporary World' and belongs to the literary-linguistic area. It aims to offer a good knowledge of ancient Greek literature and civilization within the framework of ancient Mediterranean cultures. Greek civilization, moreover, spread well beyond antiquity, thus affecting the contemporary world in multiple ways. The course also aims to improve the students' knowledge of the Greek language, with a focus on specific words and notions that help understand Greek civilization and its contemporary legacy.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: basic tools for the literary analysis of texts (technical terms, methods, digital tools); knowledge of key themes, periods or genres of Greek literature; knowledge of key terms in Greek (brief texts to be read in the original along with English translations and commentaries).
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: an ability to read and analyze ancient Greek texts and place them within their historical context by using an appropriate critical terminology; ab ability to collect, select, understand, and use modern scholarship.
Expressing critical opinions: ab ability to address texts and themes objectively, with a historically informed approach and an awareness of their multifaceted reception in the contemporary world
Communication skills: clear exposition (oral and written)
Learning skills: reading, understanding and interpreting Greek texts with the aid of English translations and with an eye to interdisciplinary comparisons; an ability to independently develop and integrate relevant pieces of knowledge and skills.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: an ability to read and analyze ancient Greek texts and place them within their historical context by using an appropriate critical terminology; ab ability to collect, select, understand, and use modern scholarship.
Expressing critical opinions: ab ability to address texts and themes objectively, with a historically informed approach and an awareness of their multifaceted reception in the contemporary world
Communication skills: clear exposition (oral and written)
Learning skills: reading, understanding and interpreting Greek texts with the aid of English translations and with an eye to interdisciplinary comparisons; an ability to independently develop and integrate relevant pieces of knowledge and skills.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Literature and the Greek Way of Life: Theatre and Symposium
The course will explore two quintessentially Greek phenomena, both connected with the Dionysus, the god of wine (symposium) and theatre. Both were crucially connected with real life and poetry and provide a vantage point to introduce core notions of Greekness along with their literary instantiations.
Module A. The Greek Symposium: Lyric Poetry and Philosophical dialogue
Module B. Comedy and Tragedy, Laughter and Sorrow.
The course will explore two quintessentially Greek phenomena, both connected with the Dionysus, the god of wine (symposium) and theatre. Both were crucially connected with real life and poetry and provide a vantage point to introduce core notions of Greekness along with their literary instantiations.
Module A. The Greek Symposium: Lyric Poetry and Philosophical dialogue
Module B. Comedy and Tragedy, Laughter and Sorrow.
Prerequisites for admission
Students with no previous knowledge of Greek are strongly encouraged to attend the relevant training offered by Venice University (details to be found on the website in due course): cf. "Preparatory aspects of the curriculum" for the first year: https://www.unimi.it/it/corsi/laurea-triennale/ancient-civilizations-contemporary-world. The workshop will provide a comprehensive introduction to the phonetics, morphology, syntax and basic vocabulary of Classical Greek. It will focus on the following thematic areas: (1) Writing and pronouncing Greek; (2) Noun, pronoun and adjective morphology; (3) Verb morphology (present, aorist and future systems); (3) Elementary syntax (case usage and prepositions; participle usages; conjunctions and relative clauses); (4) Vocabulary (word derivation and formation; adverb formation). Alternatively, students who don't attend the workshop must have or acquire a basic knowledge of the Greek language as outlined above. Reference texts include D. J. Mastronarde, Introduction to Attic Greek, 2nd ed., Berkeley: University of California Press, 2013 (this will be used in the workshop) and E. Dickey, 'An Introduction to the Composition and Analysis of Greek Prose', Cambridge 2016 (students should prepare pp. 1-72).
Teaching methods
Lectures and seminars
Teaching Resources
All materials will be uploaded on the didactic platform.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Students will sit a written exam (pass18/30): 1. basic knowledge of Greek; 2. Modules A and B of the course. Students who have success attended the language training (see above) will only sit part 2.
Incoming Erasmus students are kindly requested to contact the lecturer. Students with disabilities should contact the lecturer to discuss alternative examination methods.
Incoming Erasmus students are kindly requested to contact the lecturer. Students with disabilities should contact the lecturer to discuss alternative examination methods.
L-FIL-LET/02 - GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Capra Andrea
Professor(s)
Reception:
By appointment
"Sezione di Filologia Classica", 7 Via Festa del Perdono