Drama and public spectacle were pervasive features of Roman culture from an early date. Latin literature officially begins in 240 BCE, when Livius Andronicus produced a comedy and a tragedy translated from Greek at a state-sponsored, religious festival that year in Rome. Roman theater is markedly self-reflexive and metadramatic, in large part because of its inception in the linguistic and cultural translation of Greek sources. Despite elite and state control of drama, some playwrights also used the stage to interrogate Roman social and cultural norms, if only to expose these as cultural constructions (i.e. rather than to effect social transformation). We are fortunate to have twenty nearly complete comedies of Titus Maccius Plautus (254-184 BCE), i.e. Plautus, and six surviving comedies of Publius Terentius Afer (died 159 BCE), i.e. Terence. Early Roman tragedy survives only in fragments. Eight tragedies of Lucius Annaeus Seneca or Seneca the Younger (1 BCE-65 CE), who perhaps is best known for his Stoic philosophical works, also survive. Seneca’s tragedies are marked by their preoccupation with violence, horror, and aberrant psychology. This course will provide a survey of Roman drama, comic and tragic, both within its unique cultural context and also as it was variously received by subsequent cultures and epochs. We will study seventeen plays in all by Plautus, Terence, and Seneca. With its necessary focus on issues of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and social class, this Tier 2 Humanities course has a Diversity Emphasis.
Instructor
Professor David Christenson (faculty webpage)
Modern Languages Building 326
621-5326; christed@email.arizona.edu
Office Hours: M 12:30-2:00pm, F 9:00-10:30 am, or by appointment
UA Classics Website
Expected Student Outcomes
Course Requirements
1. There will be two (in-class) Examinations.
2. Quizzes (i.e. unannounced) will be given on a regular basis.
3. Two Responses are required.
4. You are required to participate in the performance of two Scenes.
5. You are required to participate in two Group Presentations to the class.
6. There will be a Final Examination.
N.B.: There will be no make-up quizzes or examinations, or extra-credit assignments; the final examination cannot be taken early; papers must be submitted on the due date (those submitted after the due date will be penalized); a detailed guide to writing the responses will be posted on the website.
Course Grade
1. 30% = two examinations
2. 20% = two written responses (2 pages each)
3. 10% = quizzes (ca. fifteen)
4. 10% = attendance and class participation
5. 5% = performance of two scenes
6. 10% = two group projects
7. 15% = final examination
[40+% of the course grade will be determined by the end of week 8 as follows: 15% Examination 1; 10% Response 1; 5% Quizzes; 5% Attendance and Participation; 2.5% Scene Performance 1; 5% Group Project 1]
Scale:
A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
E = 59% and below
[grades will be posted on the course’s D2L site]
Required Texts (all available at the UA Bookstore)
P. Brown, Terence: Comedies (Oxford University Press, 2006) [available as a Kindle edition and as an electronic resource on D2L (see “Library Tools”)]
D. Christenson, Plautus: Casina, Amphitryon, Captivi, Pseudolus (Focus Classical Library/Hackett Publishing, 2008) [individual plays available as Kindle editions]
D. Christenson, Five Plays by Plautus and Terence (Focus Classical Library/Hackett Publishing, 2010) [individual plays available as Kindle editions]
E. Segal, Plautus: Four Comedies (Oxford University Press, 1996)
E. Wilson, E., Seneca: Six Tragedies (Oxford University Press, 2010) [available as a Kindle edition and as an electronic resource on D2L (see “Library Tools”)]
Class Participation
You are expected to prepare and complete all assignments in a timely manner, attend each class, bring the relevant required text(s) to class, and to engage in creative discussion. The rich plays that we are reading demand live analysis and fresh reinterpretation; please do not regard yourselves as passive consumers of them, or as consumers of “information” about them to be dispensed by me in class. Smart literature provokes and compels us to address important issues of human experience, none of which can be reduced to mere information bytes.
Classroom Attendance
Absence Policy
Participating in the course is vital to the learning process, and attendance is required. Students who miss class due to illness or emergency may bring documentation from their health-care provider or other relevant, professional third parties in order to be excused.
Face Covering Requirement
The UA currently requires that surgical or higher-grade (KN95, KF94) face masks that cover the nose, mouth, and chin always be worn in classrooms. Please note that cloth masks no longer meet the face covering requirement. These requirements apply to all faculty, staff, students, designated campus colleagues and visitors to the University of Arizona campuses or locations. As an institution of higher learning, the UA promotes scientific knowledge in the service of the public good. Please keep in mind the health and welfare of others as well as yourself when considering mask-wearing and vaccination.
Classroom Behavior Policy
In class, please always be respectful of others and practice common courtesy: turn off phones and other digital devices not necesary for class, please do not come to class late or leave early, or view materials unrelated to the course in class. Students using non-course related electronic media during class will be counted as absent.
Threatening Behavior Policy
The UA’s Threatening Behavior by Students Policy prohibits threats of physical harm to any member of the University community, including to oneself: http://policy.arizona.edu/education-and-student-affairs/threatening-behavior-students.
Writing Requirement
All General Education Courses are writing intensive. The requirement of a minimum of 10 pages/2,500 words will be met through short answers and essays on the course exams, the written responses, and through regular in-class quizzes. You will be asked to submit a draft of one of your responses, and after receiving feedback from me, you may submit a final, revised version for grading.
Honors Credit
The course is available for honors credit on an individual, contractual basis. Honors students, in addition to completing the requirements for all enrolled students, typically write a research paper (12-15 pages) on a focused topic requiring extensive reading and synthesis of secondary sources, as negotiated in consultation with me. I will meet individually with Honors students to formulate, outline, develop and discuss this project.
Accessibility and Accommodations
At the University of Arizona we strive to make learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on disability, you are welcome to let me know so that we can discuss options. You are also encouraged to contact Disability Resources (520-621-3268) to explore reasonable accommodation. For additional information about the Disability Resource Center and reasonable accommodations, please visit http://drc.arizona.edu. If you require reasonable accommodations, please meet with me to discuss these.
Please be aware that the accessible table and chairs in our room should remain available for students who find that standard classroom seating is not usable.
UA Nondiscrimination and Anti-harassment Policy
The University of Arizona is committed to creating and maintaining an environment free of discrimination. In support of this commitment, the University prohibits discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, based on a protected classification, including race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. The University encourages anyone who believes he or she has been the subject of discrimination to report the matter immediately as described in the link below (“Reporting Discrimination, Harassment, or Retaliation"). All members of the University community are responsible for participating in creating a campus environment free from all forms of prohibited discrimination and for cooperating with University officials who investigate allegations of policy violations. See further: http://policy.arizona.edu/human-resources/nondiscrimination-and-anti-harassment-policy
UA Code of Academic Integrity
Each of you must adhere to the University of Arizona’s Code of Academic Integrity: https://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/policies/code-academic-integrity. You are encouraged to share intellectual views and discuss freely the principles and applications of course materials, but graded work/exercises must be the product of independent effort unless otherwise instructed.
The University Libraries offer advice on avoiding plagiarism: http://new.library.arizona.edu/research/citing/plagiarism
Life Challenges
If you are experiencing unexpected barriers to your success in your courses, please note that the Dean of Students Office is a central support resource for all students and may be helpful. The Dean of Students Office can be reached at 520-621-2057 or DOS-deanofstudents@email.arizona.edu.
Physical and Mental Health Challenges
If you are facing physical or mental health challenges this semester, please note that Campus Health provides quality medical and mental health care. For medical appointments, call 520-621-9202; for after Hours care, call 520-570-7898. For the Counseling & Psych Services (CAPS) 24/7 hotline, call 520-621-3334.
Content Warning
Our course materials address topics such as sexual assault, slavery, and violence that may pose personal challenges. Please be assured that these issues will always be treated with the utmost sensitivity and professionalism, and that their inclusion in the course is intended to generate productive and valuable discussion. Course materials may also sometimes be sexually explicit. Please speak with me in advance to discuss any content related concerns, as alternative materials may be available.
The Classics Major and Minor
The University of Arizona’s interdisciplinary Department of Religious Studies and Classics offers a major (B.A.) and a minor in Classics, with options in Classical Civilization, Greek, or Latin. For more information on the Classics major and minor, see http://classics.arizona.edu.
Classics majors have pursued careers in a wide variety of fields, including business, government, law, medicine, education, and social services. Many students have paired the Classics major with majors in a wide range of fields, earning a double major or dual degree. This provides a comprehensive undergraduate education and gives graduates a competitive edge when applying for jobs or graduate studies.
For questions about the Classics major or minors and/or to declare a major/minor, contact the Classics undergraduate faculty advisor, Dr. Robert Stephan (classics-advising@email.arizona.edu) or visit https://classics.arizona.edu/declare. You also can contact the College of Humanities Advising Office for any advising needs, at http://advising.humanities.arizona.edu.
The Department also offers a major (B.A.) and a minor in Religious Studies, as well as a minor in New Testament Language and Literature. For more information on these degree options, see religion.arizona.edu and religion.arizona.edu/students/new-testament.
*The information contained in this syllabus, other than the grade and absence policies, may be subject to change with reasonable advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.