The Athenian playwrights of the Classical period, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, produced brilliant tragedies and comedies that continue to engage us today and to define our notion of drama. At the same time, the Athenian people forged the principles that form the basis for our own political institutions. The element of performance, common to both drama and democracy, provides an important key to understanding this interesting confluence of theater and politics, and this class will combine the close reading (in English) of ancient Greek drama with a consideration of the plays in their original context. We will also address the interplay between Greek tragedy and comedy, assessing each genre's capacity for social and political criticism as well as the subversion of Athenian values and norms.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 25

Crosslisted Courses:

Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CLCV 310.

Instructor: Dougherty

Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring

Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level as CLCV 310.