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Greek and Latin Literature (350-0-2)

Topic

Women of the Trojan War: Ancient and Modern Adapta

Instructors

Jennifer LeeAnne Cecelia Weintritt

Meeting Info

Parkes Hall 212: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

Homer, the Roman poet Statius tells us, left some things out. In this course, we'll study the long history of supplementing Homer's epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, by revisiting the experiences of mythical women, from the early fragmentary poems of Sappho to the 2018 novel, The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker.
Combining literary and visual evidence, this course examines the techniques by which authors writing in the wake of Homer intersect with brief moments in his foundational poems to authorize new stories for Helen, Penelope, Briseis and others. Along the way, we'll apply the theories and methods of modern fan studies, narratology, and adaptation studies to the evolving story-world of ancient Greek and Roman myth.

Class Materials (Required)

Required Texts
Blessington, F., Trans. 2015. Trojan Women, Helen, Hecuba: Three Plays about Women and the Trojan War. University of Wisconsin. ISBN: 978-0299305246

Atwood, M. 2005. The Penelopiad. Canongate. ISBN: 978-1841957173


Recommended Texts
Alexander, C., Trans. 2015. The Iliad. Ecco. ISBN: 978-0062046277

Wilson, E., Trans. 2018. The Odyssey. Norton. ISBN: 978-0393089059

Class Attributes

Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area