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CLU22345 Greek Drama

This module provides a consolidation of Classical Greek language skills (grammar, pragmatics, translation, philological and critical skills) and introduces you to the idiom and style of Athenian tragedy. You will study a play by Euripides or Sophocles in Greek and other plays and relevant texts in translation. Module topics include the divine, fate and responsibility; the origins of drama; Aristotle’s analysis of tragedy in the Poetics; performance aspects; drama’s religious and civic contexts; drama as source of historical and cultural information.
  • Module Organiser:
    • Dr Martine Cuypers
  • Duration:
    • Semester 1
  • Contact Hours:
    • 33 (three reading and language classes per week)
  • Weighting:
    • 10 ECTS
  • Assessment:
    • 50% coursework, 50% written examination
  • Course Open To:
    • Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology; TJH Greek; Columbia Dual Degree; Visiting

Learning Outcomes

Upon the successful completion of this module students should be able to:

  • Analyse the language and style of the tragedy studied in Greek
  • Translate and analyse the language of unseen Greek passages of similar difficulty as the tragedy studied in Greek
  • Critically discuss the content, structure and major themes of the plays studied in translation
  • Situate all studied plays in their historical and performance contexts and comment on the relevance of these contexts for their interpretation
  • Manage an extensive Greek vocabulary
  • Recognise and analyse complex grammatical and syntactical structures
  • Effectively use e-learning tools and electronic resources to support language study