GMU.   Classics-350: GREEK AND ROMAN TRAGEDY - SYLLABUS

Prerequisite:	English 101 or equivalent
Instructor:	Olga R. Arans, Ph.D. <oarans@gmu.edu>

AUTHORS READ:

• Aeschylus:
• The Oresteia. Transl. by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics,1966/1977.
• Sophocles:
• The Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colon. Transl. by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics,1982/1984.
• Euripides:
• Bacchae. Transl. by Stephen Esposito. Focus Classical Library, Newburyport, 1998.
• Hippolytus. Oxford U.P. Transl. by Robert Bagg. Oxford U.P., 1973.
• Iphigenia in Aulis. Transl. by W.S. Merwin and G.E. Dimock, Jr. Oxford U.P., 1978.
• Seneca:
• Phaedra. Transl. by Frederick Ahl. Cornell U.P., 1986.
• The Tragedies, vol. II. Ed. By David R. Slavitt. The John Hopkins U.P., 1995.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

• Classics 350 provides a comprehensive survey of the genre of ancient tragedy:
• Structure; plots; dramatic conventions and theatrical devices.
• Major masterpieces.
• Ritual origins and the cultural setting.
• Tragic genre as a classical literary legacy of an everlasting appeal.
• Students will read the tragedies in English translation and discuss their fundamental issues from various points of view, such as:
• Literary
• Aesthetical
• Philosophical
• Cultural
• Historical
• Attention will be paid to comparative interpretation of mythological sources of the genre of classical tragedy; its artistic conventions and cultural context, and its different perspectives in Greek and Roman traditions.
• Post-classical developments of the genre of tragedy in European literature will be briefly outlined.
• Discussion will focus on those essential traits of ancient tragedy which made Aristotle qualify it as the "noblest of all genres."

STUDENTS' RESPONSIBILITIES:

•  Attendance: Regular attendance is essential for successful completion of the course requirements. Since the assigned readings are supplemented by the data of lectures and class discussion, including the video materials, attending classes provides a fair chance to be prepared for the tests and the Final exam.
• Late arrivals and early departures detract from one's class participation and are distracting to others. Please be considerate of your fellow students.
• Assigned readings and class participation: Readings as assigned in the Class Schedule are expected to be completed by that date. Students should keep up with their reading, as well as take notice of the data and exercises introduced in class. Student participation in class discussion by asking questions, sharing views and opinions, making suggestions, etc. is strongly encouraged.
• Term paper: By the end of the course, students submit a 3 to 10 pages long paper of discoursive writing on a chosen theme related to the course. It should contain references to the sources and include a short bibliography.
• Paper for this course may be substituted by an artistic presentation in class of an excerpt from a classical tragedy by a single "actor" or a group.
• Taking tests: There will be three non-cumulative Tests of 30 minutes each and the cumulative Final exam. All tests are multiple choice. Tests have to be taken at their scheduled times. Students with learning disabilities who want to take exams at the Disabilities Support Service Office must provide me with a copy of the Faculty Contact Sheet available from Disability Support Services by the end of the second week of the semester and with the Test Form no later than five working days before the exam. No exceptions!
• All tests are based on class lectures and assignments and will include identifications of meanings, terms, concepts, etc. Outside aid in preparation for tests, such as reviewing materials with others or additional readings, is perfectly acceptable; however, no aid is permitted during any test (cf. below under “Honor Code”).
• Honor Code: George Mason University participates in an honor system which has existed in Virginia since 1842. The GMU Honor Code, to which you have agreed to conform with your application for admission to the university, provides that a student's word is a declaration of good faith acceptable as truth in all academic matters. Specifically, the Honor Code applies to all your written work submitted for a grade. By putting your name to your exam you certify that you are the only person who has produced the work you hand in. Students are expected but faculty are required to report violations of the Honor Code to the University's Honor Committee. If you are caught, do not expect or ask for forgiveness. Your enrollment in this class constitutes your acknowledgment that you have received fair warning that cheating, plagiarism, and other kinds of intellectual dishonesty are unacceptable. For details of the Honor System and Code consult the appropriate pages in the current Undergraduate Catalog.

TESTING AND EVALUATION:

• Since grades in all Classics courses are exclusively based on students' performance, you are yourself solely responsible for your grade in this course. In effect, you--and only you!--grade yourself. For the sake of fair treatment of all students, graduating seniors and those who must maintain a certain grade point average, e.g. to keep a scholarship or to be admitted to an advanced degree program, should not expect special consideration from the instructor, but should work particularly conscientiously instead. The responsibility not to jeopardize your GPA or your graduation rests solely with you.
• Testing is based on multiple choice questions. Each test is graded by the percentage of correct answers on the following scale:

0 - 59% =	F
60 - 69% =	D
70 - 76% =	C
77-79% =	C+
80 - 86% =	B
87 - 89% =	B+
90 - 100% =	A

WEIGHTED GRADE INGREDIENTS:

Three Interim tests average (non-cumulative)	55%
The Final exam (comprehensive)	20%
Paper PAPER GRADING INGREDIENTS: Title present - 5% Pages numbered - 5% Bibliography appended - 10% Correct language: spelling, syntax, punctuation - 10% Pertinence to the subject of the course - 10% Technique of reference: consistent, systematic, correct - 10% Use of the primary sources - 10% General familiarity with the subject - 10% Organization - 15% Argument - 15%	15%
Class participation	10%

• A grade of Incomplete will be given only in accordance with the University regulations.
• The University allows only an instructor's legitimate error as the basis for changing a course grade after it has been submitted to the registrar's office. No later work can therefore be accepted to improve a grade.
• A Final Note: If I can be of any help or assistance to you, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. And take a look sometime at the GMU Classical Studies homepage on the internet at <http://patriot.net/~lillard/cp>, where you will find information about the program and a wealth of links to classical and related sites all over the world (museums, universities, images, texts, etc.)