Ancient Drama @ BGSU


Last updated: October 29, 2023	Classics Program at BGSU Studies in Latin at BGSU Department of World Languages and Cultures Instagram: bgsu_languages Twitter: BGSU_Languages Facebook: BGSU Languages Bowling Green State University

UPDATE: Revised the schedule for Quiz 3, Project 3 etc. (10/29/23)

mosaic of
an ancient comedy-street scene
A street scene from an ancient comedy; mosaic in the Museo Nazionale, Naples.
Photo Copyright by JMP, 2006.

CLCV 3820: Ancient Drama
2:30-3:45 T/Th
Eppler South 307

Instructor:

James M. Pfundstein, Ph.D.
Shatzel 222
Office Hours: Tues. 12:30-1:20, and by appointment.
Office phone: 419-372-8278
e-mail: jmpfund@bgsu.edu
web-page: https://blogs.bgsu.edu/pfundblog/syllabi/
Facebook: james.enge
Bluesky: jamesenge

Texts:

NOTE: I realize these plays have been translated many times. But for this class, you need these particular translations, because we're going to be doing group readings and performances. Everyone needs to have the same script. (Most of the print texts have e-versions--e.g. Kindle or Google Play editions--if you prefer e-text.)

Theodoridis, G. (trans.) Aeschylus: Prometheus Bound (online; Creative Commons license)

Meineck & Woodruff (trans.) Sophocles: Four Tragedies (Hackett)

Grene, D. & Lattimore, R. (eds.) The Complete Greek Tragedies: Euripides II (Chicago)

Meineck, P. (trans.) Aristophanes 1: Clouds, Wasps, Birds (Hackett)

Berg & Parker (trans.) Plautus & Terence: Five Comedies (Hackett)

Watling (trans.) Seneca: Four Tragedies and Octavia (Penguin)

e-texts (as listed on the schedule) from Theodiridis' Bacchic Stage, Smith's Greek and Roman Antiquities, Didaskalia, and Parada's Greek Mythology Link

Most of the print texts have e-versions (e.g. Kindle versions), if you prefer e-text.

Online Resources:

The first stop for the study of ancient theater on the web is Didaskalia— Ancient Theatre Today: a rich resource for background material, information about ancient stagecraft, contemporary productions of ancient plays, and more.

http://www.didaskalia.net/

Smith's Classical Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography, Mythology and Geography (Anthon's revision) at Google Books.

Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (Anthon's revision) at Google Books

Tufts University’s Perseus Project: Texts, translations, images, secondary sources for the study of the ancient world (especially ancient Greece)

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/

Another great source for images (which can be searched by keyword) is VRoma:

http://www.vroma.org/images/image_search.html

The Theoi Project, a copiously illustrated and scholarly guide to Greek mythology.

http://www.theoi.com

Carlos Parada's Greek Mythology Link: images and summaries

http://www.maicar.com/GML/

Grading:

Quizzes (objective)	30%
Participation (attendance + preparation)	30%
Projects/Performance (details in class)	30%
Final (take-at-home)	10%

**THE FINE PRINT**:
No makeups given due to absence without prior arrangement with the instructor.
No one can pass the course without passing the final examination and turning in all the projects
Incompletes will only be issued for pressing reasons and by prior arrangement with the instructor.
"I used to be uncertain, but now I'm not so sure."--Boscoe Pertwee
The instructor reserves the right to recognize significant improvement (or decline) in student performance when awarding the final grade.
The maximum amount of extra credit which may count towards the final grade = 5% of the total course points.
The syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor; changes will be announced in class and posted on-line.

**SCHEDULE**
CLASS DATES	READING ASSIGNMENT boldface: primary texts (must read & bring to class) not-so-bold-faced: secondary texts (which cover issues also covered in lecture)	OTHER
Week 1 August 22, 24	Aeschylus: Prometheus Bound; Aristotle: Poetics (rtf document) Smith's Antiquities: Theatrum, Persona, Chorus, Cothurnus, Soccus, Dionysia, Tragoedia (Greek) Parada, Prometheus 1 Didaskalia: Theatre of Dionysus
Week 2 August 29, 31	Sophocles: Ajax Parada: Ajax 1	Thursday, August 31: Quiz 1 readings and lectures: weeks 1-2
Week 3 September 5, 7	Sophocles: Electra, Philoctetes Parada: Electra 2, Philoctetes;
Week 4 September 12, 14	Euripides: Heracles Apollodorus 2.7.5, 2.7.6, 2.7.7 (Hercules and Deianeira)
Week 5 September 19, 21	Euripides: Helen Parada: Helen	Tues. September 19: 1st Project (group performance with masks)
Week 6 September 26, 28	Euripides: Iphigenia in Tauris, Aristophanes: *Clouds* Parada: Iphigenia Smith's Antiquities: Comoedia (Greek) Smith's Bio & Myth: Aristophanes
Week 7 October 3, 5	Aristophanes: The Birds	Thurs. October 5: Quiz 2 readings and lectures: weeks 4-7
Week 8 ---, October 12	-------	October 9-10: Fall Break (no classes) Thurs. October 12: 2nd Project (group performance with masks)
Week 9 October 17, 19	Plautus: Major Blowhard (Miles Gloriosus); Double Bind (Menaechmi) Smith's Antiquities: Comoedia (Roman); Smith's Bio & Myth: Andronicus, Plautus
Week 10 October 24, 26	Terence: The Mother-in-Law (Hecyra); The Brothers (Adelphoe) Smith's Bio & Myth: Terentius Afer
Week 11 October 31, November 2	Seneca: Oedipus Smith's Antiquities: Tragoedia (Roman); Smith's Bio & Myth: Seneca	Tues. October 31: Quiz 3 (readings and lectures: weeks 8-10)
Week 12 November 7, 9	Seneca: Phaedra Parada: Oedipus; Histrio (Roman)	Tues. November 7: 3rd Project (group performance with masks)
Week 13 November 14, 16	Seneca: Thyestes Parada: Phaedra Smith's Bio & Myth: Atreus
November 21, ---	Seneca: *Trojan Women* Smith's Antiquities: Mimus
November 28, 30	--------------------	Tues. November 28: Quiz 4 (readings and lectures: weeks 10-13) Thurs. April 21: 4th Project (group performance with masks)
Finals Week December 4-8	--------------------	Final: Overview (take-at-home) due Thursday Dec. 7, 11:59 PM


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