CLAS3701: Comedy & Tragedy, Laughter & Sorrow

• CLAS1601

• None

• CLAS2971 (Comedy & Tragedy, Laughter & Sorrow, L2 version)

• To study Greek depictions of laughter and sorrow in parallel, and to gain knowledge of a selection of literary works where both play a prominent role using literary critical and comparative approaches.
• To develop skills in critical thinking in order to analyse how laughter and sorrow shape the generic features of Greek comedy and tragedy, and inform their ancient reception.
• To gain knowledge of key debates in scholarship and learn how to evaluate these effectively.

• The lectures explore Greek laughter and sorrow with an emphasis on classical tragedy and comedy and their ancient reception.
• Seminars provide a forum for closer analysis of different works and an opportunity to discuss and evaluate the relevant scholarship.
• Tutorials offer feedback on formative work and aid planning and preparation for the summative coursework assignments.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Detailed knowledge of a selection of Greek works depicting laughter and sorrow, and an understanding of generic differences between comedy and tragedy.
• An understanding of contemporary debates in the study of Greek representations of laughter and sorrow.

Subject-specific Skills:

• An ability to engage critically with the representation of laughter and sorrow and to develop a comparative approach to the study of Greek comedy and tragedy and their ancient reception.
• An ability to evaluate, differentiate and synthesise the arguments from scholarship used in the interpretation of Greek drama and other ancient works.

Key Skills:

• An ability to analyse a wide range of primary sources and to evaluate the arguments of contemporary scholarship; a capacity to produce clear, well-structured arguments in written form and to develop independent interpretations of the texts; development of oral presentation skills in seminars.

• Lectures introduce texts, topics and approaches in the analysis of Greek tragedy and comedy.
• Seminars allow students to develop and test their ideas orally and to articulate their views in front of their peers.
• Tutorials offer group discussion of formative work which connects directly to the planning and preparation for the two summative essays.
• Summative essay 1 consists of a detailed study of a Greek drama (2,500 words).
• Summative essay 2 is an essay on one of the drama topics raised in lectures and seminars (3,500 words).

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