ANCIENT 385 : Classical Tragedy

Arts

2024 Semester Two (1245) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Tragedy as a concept, a means of interpreting events, and a literary genre, is central to the ancient Greeks' way of constructing their world. Through a close reading of a selection of ancient dramas, this course will explore the nature and interpretation of tragedy with particular reference to Aristotle's Poetics.

Course Overview

This course introduces students to the two worlds of Ancient Greek Tragedy: the world in which they were writtena and performe, and the internal world of the ancient dramas themselves. Tragedy as a concept provides us with a singular means of glimpsing how the Greeks understood the world in which they lived: social and political concepts of justice and injustice, cultural norms of virtue and vice, gender roles and expectations, the relationship of humankind with the divine, and the consequences of our actions in time and space. We will consider the world in which Greek tragedy was written and performed in all of its diversity, and the narrative world within these tragic texts with an eye to how we can use them to reconstruct this ancient worldview of the Greeks. 
In the process we will apply modern analytical and critical approaches to tragedy like semiotics, narratology, historicism, pscyhoanalytic criticism, gender theory, and postcolonial approaches to the texts, and contemporary approaches to reconstructing how they were performed. We will also examine the afterlife of these texts as they have been performed and re-interpreted in various contexts and media into the 21st century. 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 15 points at Stage II in Classical Studies, Ancient History, or Classical Studies and Ancient History, or 30 points at Stage II in Greek, Latin or Drama Restriction: ANCIENT 285, CLASSICS 285, 385

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Develop an understanding of the genre of Greek tragedy and its basic tenets (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 5)
  2. Understand and critically evaluate the relationship of Classical Tragedy with its contemporary social and cultural context (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 5)
  3. Actively engage and participate in a learning community and its discussions of this material (Capability 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8)
  4. Research, analyse and communicate how Classical Tragedy has been interpreted and re-interpreted in different social and cultural contexts over time, and the ethics of this process (Capability 1, 2, 4 and 8)
  5. Critically discuss different scholarly and analytical approaches to Greek Tragedy and the world in which it was performed (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 6)
  6. Further develop an ability to use both primary and secondary sources to interpret texts, and to evaluate the arguments of others in a professional and critical manner (Capability 1, 2, 7 and 8)
  7. Create, refine and communicate your own understanding of how we can approach Classical Tragedy in the 21st century, and the means by which to do so (Capability 1, 2 and 8)
  8. Build on and further develop an ability to express yourself clearly and compellinly in writing and in oral discussions through individual and group work (Capability 1, 6, 7 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Reflective Review 20% Individual Coursework
Coursework 40% Individual Coursework
Coursework 40% Individual Coursework

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 6 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 2 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation per week.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at all scheduled activities including 
Lectures will be available as recordings for review and individual study. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

All resources will be provided via Talis and Canvas

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

This is the time the paper has been taught in seven years, but feedback from the SSC on other similar papers has been considered in the development of this course. 

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 31/10/2023 08:14 p.m.