Related studies

This module for second and third-year students, taught through a mixture of lectures and seminars, provides an introduction to the only complete Roman tragedies to have survived. The Roman philosopher Seneca’s mythological dramas, such as Medea, Thyestes, Phaedra and Oedipus, as well as the pseudo-Senecan historical play, Octavia, have played an important part in the reception of ancient drama since the Renaissance. Themes covered include the relationship between Senecan and Greek tragedy, the question of performance of the tragedies, whether they were intended to be propaganda for Stoicism, as well as their reception in the Renaissance and modern world, especially by the Theatre of Cruelty.

If there is space, students from outside the department may take this module.

This module for second and third-year students, taught through a mixture of lectures and seminars, involves a detailed study of selected plays by Euripides in English translation; reference is also made to the other Greek tragedians in order to contextualise the work of Euripides in relation to the genre as a whole, and evaluate the extent to which he was an innovator. There is an emphasis on issues of performance, both ancient and modern. The prescription includes a substantial number of plays, including several that are less widely known, demonstrating the range of different approaches to tragedy taken by Euripides.

If there is space, students from outside the department may take this module.

This Special Subject module, for third-year students in the Department of Classics and Archaeology, is taught entirely through small group seminars with the emphasis on student participation. Students study (in translation) a selection of tragedies and comedies composed for the ancient Greek stage as well as a number of plays from later periods which have been influenced by the Greek dramas, acquiring good knowledge of the plays and considering different critical approaches to them. An example of such study could be Aeschylus’ Oresteia, the Agamemnon of Seneca, and the American trilogy of Eugene O’Neill, Mourning Becomes Electra; or Euripides’ Hippolytus, Seneca’s Phaedra, Racine’s Phèdre and Tony Harrison’ Phaedra Britannica. Each play is studied in its context and attention is paid to different factors influencing the new versions of the ancient drama.

This module for second- and third-year students, taught through a mixture of lectures and seminars, provides an introduction to and intensive study of the work of Plautus and Terence in translation. A number of the plays, such as Plautus’ The Braggart Soldier, The Pot of Gold, Amphitryon (the only comedy based on mythology), and Terence’s Brothers and Hecyra (The Mother-in-Law) are read. Attention is paid to their links with Greek comedy, their view of Roman society and their influence on later drama. The study may include adaptations such as the musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

If there is space, students from outside the department may take this module.

These modules, for students at any stage in their studies who have completed the modules Beginners Greek 1-2 (or equivalent elsewhere), provide students with their first opportunity to apply understanding of Greek grammar to actual ancient Greek text, one in prose and the other in verse. The verse text may be Sophocles’ Antigone.

These modules, for students who have completed an A-level in Greek or the modules Intermediate Greek 1-2 (or equivalent elsewhere), continue providing opportunities to read ancient Greek texts with increasing levels of sophistication. Verse texts taught include Euripides’ Cyclops.