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Euripides, Seneca, and Mythmaking (ANCW40001)
HonoursPoints: 12.5Not available in 2020
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
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Students will read, in English translation, selected plays by Euripides (the 5th century BCE Athenian playwright) and Seneca (the 1st century CE Roman writer and tutor of the Emperor Nero). The subject introduces students to methods of interpreting tragedy, in particular how Euripides and Seneca use Greek mythology to explore social issues relevant to their times. By invoking commonly known myths, reinterpreting them, and sometimes re-inventing them, the plays of Euripides and Seneca continue to resonate with modern audiences on issues of war and slavery, democracy and power, and especially ideologies of gender and the place of women in society. Students will be introduced to feminism, queer theory, structural linguistics, Jungian psychology, alterity, metatheatre, and theories of ancient drama in modern performance.
Intended learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this subject should:
- Be familiar with the corpus of Euripidean and Senecan drama in translation
- Appreciate the culture and social history of 5th century Athens and imperial Rome through the lens of theatre and its social commentary
- Be able to explain modern theoretical approaches to the study of ancient theatre, both as texts and in performance
- Be able to conduct independent research using catalogued sources and bibliographic indexes
- Have developed their skills in verbal communication and oral presentation
- Have developed their ability to think creatively and express their ideas clearly in written communication
Generic skills
Students who successfully complete this subject should:
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students should: be able to explain modern theoretical approaches to the study of ancient theatre, both as texts and in performance.
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develop their ability to think creatively and to express their ideas clearly in written form and orally.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Seven essays, on average one per week, beginning in week 3
| Throughout the teaching period | 35% |
A journal article analysis following an oral presentation
| During the teaching period | 25% |
A final essay
| During the examination period | 40% |
Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 75% of classes in order to pass this subject. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
Note: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 2% per day. After five working days late assessment will not be marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
Not available in 2020
Time commitment details
170 hours
Additional delivery details
Students enrolling in this subjects must be admitted to fourth-year Honours or Graduate Diploma (Advanced) in Ancient World Studies or Classics; or to Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, or Graduate Certificate (Advanced) in Classical Studies and Archaeology; or, have written permission from the subject coordinator.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
- Euripides: Medea and Other Plays, trans. Philip Vellacott (Penguin Classics)
- Sencea: Six Tragedies, trans. Emily Wilson (Oxford)
- Additional subject readings will be available online
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Specialisation (formal) Ancient World Studies Specialisation (formal) Classics Specialisation (formal) Ancient World Studies Informal specialisation PD-ARTS Classics Specialisation (formal) Classical Studies and Archaeology Specialisation (formal) Classical Studies and Archaeology Informal specialisation PD-ARTS Ancient World Studies - Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022