Course Catalogue

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This course provides the opportunity to study a number of comedies by Aristophanes and Menander in the original language, with close attention to formal, literary, dramaturgical and historical issues.

This is a PG (T) course, taught over one semester. Teaching will be by weekly seminar if enrolment is five or more, or by weekly supervision and guided reading if enrolment is fewer than five

Available to students who have Greek to Honours level or equivalent, or at the discretion of the MLitt (T) convener

Greek Comedy JXSS

One 3000 word coursework essay (50%) and one 1.5 hour Examination (50%)

This course will provide the opportunity to
* study a selection of Greek Comedy from synchronic and diachronic perspectives
* appreciate ancient humour within its social and historical context
* relate ancient komoidia to modern categories of humour
* examine the generic development of comedy
* enhance knowledge of Greek language, vocabulary, and poetic style
* interpret Greek comedy in its social and historical context

By the end of the course you should be able to:
* translate fluently and accurately from the prescribed texts into clear and appropriate English
* identify the formal and stylistic characteristics of Greek Comedy
* identify the metrical properties of Greek Comedy and assess its significance
* relate the texts to their social, political and cultural context
* compare the different species of Greek Comedy ("Old" and "New")
* recognise the principal theories of comedy, ancient and modern
* develop your own arguments about the nature of the comic
* use and critique comparative strategies in approaching ancient humour
* demonstrate such essay skills as the department has stipulated in the Classics Handbook

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