The Ancient Greek World and its Legacy
Leader
Mrs Howe
Cohort
Max 12 Students
Timing
Michaelmas Term - Thursday 6-7pm
Course Overview
What is the essence of ancient Greece and why does it matter?
This course explores many aspects of the ancient Greek world, from art and architecture to literature and philosophy, and in particular why it is still relevant to us today. Since the classical world is the foundation of Western culture and thought, this course will be valuable for anyone considering degrees in humanities, law, social sciences and more.
Key Benefits
- Develop analytical thinking
- Explore new aspects of ancient civilisation across a range of disciplines
- Explore what the ancient world can teach us about our world.
Course Structure
- Week 1 w/c 31st August College carnival
- Week 2 w/c 7th September Taster session
- Week 3 w/c 14th September Story-telling
- Week 4 w/c 21th September Heroism & epic
- Week 5 w/c 28th September Sculpture and the body
- Week 6 w/c 5th October Politics & the Parthenon
- Week 7 w/c 12th October The tragic hero
- HALF TERM
- Week 8 w/c 2nd November Aristophanic comedy
- Week 9 w/c 9th November Presocratics
- Week 10 w/c 16th November Plato
- Week 11 w/c 23rd November Guided independent research
- Week 12 w/c 30th November Final Presentations
- Week 13 w/c 7th December
Indicative Session Outline
Seminar 1: Greek story-telling The myth of Troy - its archaeology and reception. Sources: the Sack of Troy by the Kleophrades Painter; Euripides Women of Troy; the legacy of Troy from Schliemann to Brad Pitt.
Seminar 2: Homer and heroism Achilles Iliad 1 & 24; Ceasefire by Michael Longley; modern ‘heroes’.
Seminar 3: Sculpture and the body. How the Greeks portrayed the hero in visual form. Focus on Discobolos, Doryphoros; representation of the female form? Focus on the Aphrodite of Knidos, Venus de Milo, Aphrodite Kallipygos. Botticelli’s Birth of Venus.
Seminar 4: Politics and the Parthenon How democracy developed in the 5th Century BC; what the Parthenon & its sculptures can tell us about Greek thought. Elgin Marbles. Pericles’ funeral oration; Parthenon sculptures.
Seminar 5: The tragic hero focus on Oedipus. Aristotle’s Poetics. Shakespearian tragic heroes.
Seminar 6: Aristophanic Comedy Focus on Wasps – law/democracy; Lysistrata - women/ Frogs – tragedy; South Park – modern day satire.
Seminar 7: Philosophy immersion #1 Presocratics: focus on Heraclitus; Parmenides; Zeno; fragments
Seminar 8: Philosophy immersion #2 Plato’s Theory of Forms in the Republic and Phaedo; Christian tradition.
Independent research (guided session) Choose a topic or theme to prepare for presentation
Final presentations