28951 - History of Performing Arts in the Ancient World (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

Upon a successful completion of this course students will know the Greek and Roman theatre as a whole (places of performance, festivals and dramatic competitions, poets and preserved works; directors, chorus, players; relationship with public and institutions; the different dramatic genres and their history) and will develop a critical attitude towards the main issues concerning the Greek and Roman theatre. Furthermore, they are expected to know the examined pieces thoroughly.

Course contents

1.The main themes related to the study of ancient theatre will be examined in an overarching perspective, focusing on the premises, conditions, and modalities of dramatic performances in the ancient world, with particular attention to Attic tragedy and comedy. A selection of passages from the major plays of the Greco-Roman theatrical tradition will be read in translation.

2. Through the original reading of Aristophanes’ Clouds, general issues related to the comic genre will be explored. Starting with the character of Socrates—an intellectual figure embodying the main cultural trends fashionable in 5th-century Athens, from sophistry to Ionic natural philosophy—a reflection will be developed on the comic representation of intellectuals in archaic Greek comedy. Other original texts provided during lessons will also be considered.

Readings/Bibliography

1) For attending students, the class notes and all the documents online (texts, slides, etc.) are the basis for the final exam.

Required readings:

2) A. Pickard-Cambridge, Le feste drammatiche di Atene, trad. it., Firenze, La Nuova Italia, 1996, pp. 79-244 e 361-382; or 5 of the scientific papers at your disposal at "Virtuale.unibo.it" (at the end of the course).

3) M. Di Marco (a c. di), Storia del teatro greco, Roma, Carocci, 2020, che basta da solo e copre entrambi gli ambiti; del volume si prepareranno le seguenti sezioni: pp. 27-227, pp. 243-318.

Or alternatively two books (one for tragedy and the other for comedy) among the following:

For Tragedy: G. Ieranò, La tragedia greca: origini, storia, rinascite, Roma, Salerno, 2010, oppure A. Rodighiero, La tragedia greca, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013, oppure M. Di Marco, La tragedia greca. Forma, gioco scenico, tecniche drammatiche, Roma, Carocci 2009 (seconda edizione). For Comedy: B. Zimmermann, La commedia greca: dalle origini all'età ellenistica, ed. it. a c. di Sotera Fornaro, Roma, Carocci, 2016, oppure G. Mastromarco, P. Totaro, B. Zimmermann (a c. di), La commedia attica antica: forme e contenuti, Lecce, Pensa, 2017.

4) O. Imperio, La figura dell’intellettuale nella commedia greca, in A. M. Belardinelli, O. Imperio, G. Mastromarco, M. Pellegrino, P. Totaro, Tessere. Frammenti della commedia greca: studi e commenti, Bari, Adriatica, 1998, pp. 43-130; and one of the following scientific papers: A. Capra, Da Dioniso a Socrate. Intervisualità del divino fra teatro e dialogo, «Engramma», 150, 2017, pubblicato on line http://www.engramma.it/eOS/index.php?id_articolo=3233 ; M.M. Sassi, Indagine su Socrate. Persona, filosofo, cittadino, Torino, Einaudi, 2015, pp. 3-51; P. Zanker, The Mask of Socrates. The Image of the Intellectual in Antiquity, trad. it. La maschera di Socrate. L'immagine dell'intellettuale nell'arte antica, Torino, Einaudi, 1997, pp. 3-48; G. Giannantoni, Che cosa ha veramente detto Socrate. Nuova edizione a cura di E. Spinelli, F. Verde 2022, pp. 213-288.

5) Aristophanes, Clouds: full reading in the original. Suggested italian editions: Aristofane, Le Nuvole, a cura di G. Guidorizzi, introduzione e traduzione di D. Del Corno, Roma-Milano, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla Mondadori, 1996; Aristofane, Le Nuvole, introduzione, traduzione e note di Grilli A., BUR, Milano 2005; Aristofane, Le Nuvole, a cura di Fabio Turato, Marsilio, Venezia 1995 e ristampe.

Further bibliographic information (for optional in-depth studies) will be provided in class.

For non-attending students:

- A. Pickard-Cambridge, Le feste drammatiche di Atene, trad. it., Firenze, La Nuova Italia, 1996.

- M. Di Marco (a c. di), Storia del teatro greco, Roma, Carocci, 2020, che basta da solo e copre entrambi gli ambiti; del volume si prepareranno le seguenti sezioni: pp. 27-227, pp. 243-318.

- Aristophanes’ Clouds, texts, introduction and notes edited by F. Turato, Marsilio, Venezia 1995 e ristampe.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Teaching methods

Lectures in class; seminars and discussion of the texts analysed in class.

Assessment methods

The oral examination will be an interview in which the teacher, through a series of questions, will test the theoretical knowledge as explained during the lectures. Students will be also required to read, translate and comment a passage from Aristophanes, Clouds. The evaluation ranges from 18 to 30 cum laude depending on how sure, well-founded, precise, and rigorous the answers of the candidate will be.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

PC, projector, slides.

Office hours

See the website of Margherita Erbì