75957 - Greek and Roman Theatre

Learning outcomes

The course will teach the main features of classical literary civilisation. The student will learn the main features of classical literary civilisation, will be able to read in translation and to contextualise the main ancient literary works, esp. theatrical plays, and will hold the critical tools to interpret the literary, visual and performative European culture, as well as its reception.

Course contents

The course focuses on the main classical dramatic genres, tragedy and comedy, as well as on their persistence in modern and contemporary culture. No prerequisite knowledges (not even of classical languages and literature) are required to access the course

After a general introduction to Greek and Latin drama (origins, functions, production, performance, themes), the course will read and analyse selected plays (tragedies and comedies), especially Aeschylus’ Seven against Thebes, Euripides’ Phoenician Women, and Aristophanes’ Frogs.

The course will deal with (minor adjustments as required might occur):

a) General Part

1. The origins of Greek theatre; the dramatic festivals at Athens
2. The main developments of the Greek drama
3. Greek comedy from Aristophanes to Menande
4. Introduction to Latin theatre
5. The palliata from Plautus to Terentius
6. Seneca’s philosophical dramas

b) Monographical section

 Reading of Sophokles, Oedipus Coloneus and Euripides, Herakles.

Readings/Bibliography

1) Greek and Latin theatre: the student must study both: G. Mastromarco - P. Totaro, Storia del teatro greco, Milano: Mondadori Education, 2008 e G. Chiarini - F. Mosetti Casaretto, Introduzione al teatro latino, Milano: Mondadori Università, 2004. It is highly recommended to read at least one between G. Ieranò, La tragedia greca: origini, storia, rinascite, Roma, Salerno, 2010 and A. Rodighiero, La tragedia greca, Bologna; Il Mulino, 2013.

2) For the classical texts it is required to read in full the tragedies selected: Sofocle, Edipo a Colono, a cura di G. Avezzù e G. Guidorizzi, trad. di G. Cerri, Milano: Mondadori (Fondazione Lorenzo Valla), 2008 e di Euripide, Eracle, a cura di M.S. Mirto, Milano: Bur, 1997.

Additional translations might be agreed with the lecturer. Further classical dramas and modern or contemporary re-writings will be available from the course website.

3) For the plays discussed during the lectures it is required to read at least one critical essay among a list (one for each play):

A critical bibliography (and how to retrieve it through the University library services) will be suggested through dedicated classes and/or ad personam tutorials during office hours.

4) For the reception and persistence of classical drama it is required to study one between: G. Guastella (a cura di), Le rinascite della tragedia. Origini classiche e tradizioni europee, Roma: Carocci, 2006 e B. van Zyl Smith (ed.), A Handbook to the Reception of Greek Drama, Chichester: John Wiley, 2016 (solo i saggi compresi nelle parti III e IV del volume, (pp. 131-506).

Teaching methods

Class lectures. In addition to the critical discussion of the course themes and the reading of literary works, the course will feature screening of modern theatre plays and movies of ancient drama, as well as a series of conferences held by researchers from other universities.

Assessment methods

Oral examination of the base and critical knowledge of the course topics, related to Greek and Latin dramatic civilisation and its reception in contemporary culture. The examination will focus on:

(a) base knowledge of themes, genres, authors and performance of classical dramatic literature;

(b) knowledge of the plays discussed during the lectures, as well as of the relevant critical skills;

(c) critical skill and discussion of the selected essays.

In the first part of the examination, the student will be allowed the choice of a specific topic of classical dramatic culture from which to begin (the origins of Greek or Latin theatre, production and performance, evolution of a specific genre, etc.).

In the second part, the student will be allowed to choose one of the three plays, present it and discuss its critical features (also on the basis of the selected essays), focusing on its relations with the other two plays according to the thematic perspective of the course (‘war and peace’).

The third and last part focus on a brief discussion on the reception and persistence of classical drama in the Renaissance or in 20th-century theatre.

Marking will be based on the following criteria:

• Fail: insufficient knowledge in all 3 sections.
• Pass: adequate knowledge in at least 2 out of 3 sections (mark between 18/30 and 23/30).
• Merit: adequate knowledge in all 3 sections (mark between 24/30 and 27/30).
• Distinction: excellent knowledge in all 3 sections, and evidence of remarkable skills in the critical evaluation of the course contents (mark between 28/30 and 30/30).

Teaching tools

The course will be supported by a educational traver to Siracusa in May, to attend the classical theater performances organized by the INDA

Office hours

See the website of Alessandro Iannucci