Ancient literature, selected problems I: Poetry and society I: The Archaic Age 03-AP-PS-I

Course learning content:
- reading and interpreting Greek texts in translation,
- evaluating the difficulties in understanding,
- articulating own idead in an academic and professional way,
- establishing a clear notion of what defines a literary era,
- can we got a view of a society by analyzing the texts that were around?,
- do authors invent or do they represent?; do they describe or do they narrate?,
- why is ancient, archaic Greek poetry so close to us?; or is it not?.

Module learning aims

Course aims: To inform on the main literary texts that characterise the Greek Archaic Age; to inspire reflection on the relationship between mythology, history, and poetic innovation; to illustrate how literary genres develop; to assess critically the reception of some main works of Greek Archaic literature by modern authors; to read and to learn how to interpret Greek poetry.

Methods of teaching for learning outcomes achievement

Interactive lecture, problem – based lecture, discussions, text-based work, case study work, problem-based learning, creative methods, group work, close reading, using commentaries and making sense of textbooks.

Student workload (ECTS credits)

Module type

compulsory

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences

Basic understanding of technical terms of literary science. Elementary knowledge of European literary history.

Course coordinators

Gerson Schade

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course, a student will be able to:
- conceive and write an essay on a literary text,
- understand better the characteristics of Greek poetry,
- acknowledge the impact of Classics,
- critically evaluating various methodological perspectives applied to analyzing texts,
- getting extensive factual knowledge in the field covered.

Assessment criteria

Grade system:

very good (bdb; 5,0): very good familiarity with the problems and methodologies discussed in the lecture; very good understanding and ability to interpret the facts from a number of perspectives

good plus (+db; 4,5): as above, except for minor deficiencies and inaccuracies.

good (db; 4,0): good familiarity with the problems and methodologies discussed in the lecture; understanding and ability to interpret the facts from a number of perspectives.

satisfactory plus (+dst; 3,5): satisfactory familiarity with the problems and methodologies discussed in the lecture; average understanding and ability to interpret the facts from a number of perspectives.

satisfactory (dst; 3,0): basic familiarity with the problems and methodologies discussed in the lecture; shallow understanding and ability to interpret the facts from a number of perspectives.

unsatisfactory (ndst; 2,0): unsatisfactory familiarity with the problems and methodologies discussed in the lecture; no understanding or ability to interpret the facts from a number of perspectives.

Bibliography

Reading list:
Homer, Iliad, books 1, 9, 16, 18, 22: the story of Achilles; Odyssey, books 8-12: the story of Odysseus as told by himself.
Selected passages from the Greek lyric poets – from the the so-called monodists (Sappho and Alcaeus), and from the younger the choral poets (Pindar and Bacchylides).

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 03-AP-PS-I in USOSweb