Introduction
what is the tragic?
Themes: Greek tragedy within its own culture, and in subsequent Western culture.
Reading
Anton, P. (1995) The Greek World London: Routledge
Bauman, Z. (1999) Culture as Praxis London: Sage
Easterling, P. E. (1997) The Cambridge Companion to Greek Tragedy Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Jones, P. & Sidwell, K. (eds) (1997) World of Rome: introduction to Roman culture Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Silk, M. S. (1996) Tragedy and the Tragic: Greek theatre and beyond Oxford: Clarendon Press
Sommerstein, A. H. (2002) Greek Drama and Dramatists London: Routledge
Week 2
the Greek Theatre
Themes: early stage sets, presentations, and actors
Reading:-
Selections from Aeschylus – Seven against Thebes; Aristotle: Poetics
Additional reading:
Green, J. (1996) Theatre in Ancient Greek Society London: Routledge
Hall, E. (1989) Inventing the Barbarian: Greek self-definition through tragedy Oxford: Clarendon Press
McLeish, K. (2003) A Guide to Greek Theatre and Drama London: Methuen
Rush, R. (1992) Greek Tragic Theatre London: Routledge
Wiles, D. (2000) Greek Theatre Performance: an introduction Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Week 3
Aristotle – Student presentation: his account in the Poetics
Lecture: the analysis of tragedy
Themes: the history of poetry, and the basics of plot and narrative.
Reading:-
Selection from Eagleton’s Sweet Violence
Additional reading:
Walton, J. M. & McDonald, M. (2007) The Cambridge Companion to Greek and Roman Theatre Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Wiles, D. (1997) Tragedy in Athens: performance space and theatrical meaning Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Week 4
Lecture: Aristotle’s perfect illustration
Themes: on classifying the components of dramatic texts
Reading:-
Selections from Sophocles – Oedipus Rex
Additional reading:
Harris, W. V. (2001) Restraining Rage: the ideology of anger control in classical antiquity Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press
Hiltunen, A. (2000) Aristotle in Hollywood: the anatomy of successful storytelling Bristol: Intellect Books
Week 5
Aristotle – Student presentation: the cultural significance of the best kinds of plot.
Lecture: How tragedy works
Themes: psychological and cultural spaces
Reading:-
Selections from Aristotle’s Rhetoric and from Barthes, R. (1994) The Semiotic Challenge Berkeley: University of California Press
Additional reading:
Harris, W. V. (2001) Restraining Rage: the ideology of anger control in classical antiquity Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press
Stanford, W. B. (1983) Greek Tragedy and the Emotions: an introductory study London: Routledge & Kegan Page
Week 6
Lecture: women’s place – dying for the old world order
Themes: gendered histories, and histories of gender.
Reading:-
Selections from Sophocles – Antigone.
Additional reading:
Enterline, L. (2000) The Rhetoric of the Body from Ovid to Shakespeare Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Foley, H. P. (2001) Female Acts in Greek Tragedy Princeton, NJ,
Robert, W. (2010) Trials: of Antigone and Jesus New York: Fordham University Press
Rouse, W. H. D. ed. (1961) ‘Shakespeare’s Ovid’: being Arthur Golding’s translation of the Metamorphosis London: Centaur
Taylor, A. B. (2000) Shakespeare’s Ovid: the Metamorphosis in the plays and poems Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Week 7
Sophocles – Antigone – Student presentation: the gendered individual, Lecture: the private individual and the state.
Themes: Homeric nobility and Platonic worth
Readings:-
Selections from Homer’s Iliad and Plato’s Phaedo
Additional reading:
Bevir, M. (2010) The State as Cultural Practice Oxford: Oxford University Press
Segal, E. ed. (1983) Oxford Readings in Greek Tragedy Oxford: Oxford University Press
White, N. (2002) Individual and Conflict in Greek Ethics Oxford: Clarendon
Week 8
Lecture: Singing to the Gods
Themes: the changing nature of the chorus, and depicting the gods.
Reading:-
Selections from Euripedes – The Bachae
Additional reading:
Gaskell, I., Conway, D. & Kemel, S. (1998) Nietzsche, Philosophy and the Arts Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Ley, G. (2006) The Theatricality of Greek Tragedy: playing space and chorus Chicago: University of Chicago Press
Nietzsche, F. (1995) The Birth of Tragedy New York: Dover
Week 9
Euripedes – The Bachae- Student presentation:
Lecture: the Dionysian principle in culture.
Themes: cultural metaphor and figuration, cultural principles
Reading:-
Selections from Nietzsche, F. (1995) The Birth of Tragedy New York: Dover
Additional reading:
Hall, E. (2004) Dionysus Since 69: Greek tragedy at the dawn of the third millennium Oxford: Oxford University Press
Bowlby, R. (2009) Freudian Mythologies: Greek tragedy and modern identities Oxford: Oxford University Press
Week 10
Lecture: After the Greeks
Theme: Roman Entertainment
Reading:-
Selections from Seneca – Trojan Women and Eagleton’s Sweet Violence
Additional reading:
Hughes, T. (1969 Seneca’s Oedipus London: Faber & Faber
Seth, B. (2000) The Argument of the Action: essays on Greek poetry and philosophy Chicago: University of Chicago Press
Staley, G. A. (2009) Seneca and the Idea of Tragedy Oxford: Oxford University Press
Week 11
Seneca – Student presentation: the significance of representations of violence in culture.
Lecture: Other times, other places
Theme: selected contemporary versions of Greek tragedy, why and where?
Reading:-
Selections from Anouilh’s Antigone, Cocteau’s The Infernal Machine and Gide’s Oedipus
Additional reading:
Nuttall, A. D. (1996) Why Does Tragedy Give Pleasure? Oxford: Clarendon Press
McDonald, M. (2003) The Living Art of Greek Tragedy Bloomington: Indiana University Press
Oberhelm, S. & Pedrick, V. (2006) The Soul of Tragedy: essays on Athenian drama Chicago: University of Chicago Press
Week 12
Lecture: The Senecan heritage
Themes Elizabethan court and theatre (illustrations taken from Webster, Marlowe, and Shakespeare’s Macbeth)
Reading:-
Selections from Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Additional reading:
Helms, L. (1997) Seneca by Candlelight and Other Stories of Renaissance Drama Philadelphia: Pennsylvania University Press
McDonald, M. (2003) The Living Art of Greek Tragedy Bloomington: Indiana University Press
Miola, R. (1992) Shakespeare and Classical Tragedy: the influence of Seneca Oxford: Clarendon Press
Staley, G. (2009) Seneca and the Idea of Tragedy Oxford: Oxford University Press