CL4461 Roman Drama and its Reception

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Not automatically available to General Degree students

Planned timetable

Any time between 0900 and 1700, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr E L Buckley

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr E Buckley

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module will explore Roman drama and creative responses to Roman drama in the early modern and modern periods. We will explore the social, literary and performance contexts of ancient drama, through close reading of a selection of the Republican comedy of Plautus and the early imperial tragedy of Seneca the Younger. We will also explore important early modern and modern creative responses to this drama, focussing not just on theatrical responses in comedy and revenge tragedy, but also adaptations and refractions of ancient drama in musical theatre, television and film. Along the way we will tackle the way ancient and modern drama refracts urgent questions of our own time (the threat of autocracy and the experience of slavery; gender-based violence and toxic masculinity) and consider how modern critical theory – audience and performance studies, cultural memory and feminist studies in particular – can help us recontextualise ancient drama for our own times.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

AS STATED IN THE SCHOOL OF CLASSICS UNDERGRADUATE HANDBOOK

Assessment pattern

100% coursework

Re-assessment

100% exam

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 x 2-hour seminar (x 10 weeks)

Intended learning outcomes

  • Ability to identify, describe and understand the major formal linguistic, generic, and socio-cultural features of Roman, early modern and contemporary comic and tragic dramaturgy.
  • Understand and apply a range of theoretical approaches to these texts, including reception theory, audience and performance studies, cultural memory and feminist studies.
  • Present well-reasoned and researched arguments in both verbal and written form, constructed through close reading of primary texts and secondary literature.
  • Demonstrate initiative and independence in devising and managing an individual research project.