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Euripides, Seneca, and Mythmaking (ANCW40001)
HonoursPoints: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)
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About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 - Dual-Delivery |
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Fees | Look up fees |
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: 31 January 2024
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: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
6 x 300-word 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: 31 January 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator James Chong-Gossard Mode of delivery Dual-Delivery (Parkville) Contact hours 24 hours - 1 x 2 hour seminar per week for 12 weeks Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 25 July 2022 to 23 October 2022 Last self-enrol date 5 August 2022 Census date 31 August 2022 Last date to withdraw without fail 23 September 2022 Assessment period ends 18 November 2022 Semester 2 contact information
Time commitment details
170 hours
Additional delivery details
Students enrolling in this subject 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: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
- Euripides: Medea and Other Plays, trans. James Morwood (Oxford World's Classics)
- Euripides: The Trojan Women and Other Plays, trans. James Morwood (Oxford World's Classics)
- Seneca: 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) Ancient World Studies Specialisation (formal) Classical Studies and Archaeology Specialisation (formal) Classical Studies and Archaeology Specialisation (formal) Classics Informal specialisation PD-ARTS Ancient World Studies Informal specialisation PD-ARTS Classics - 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: 31 January 2024