Sculpted mask, Ostia

The tragedians of Athens in the fifth century BCE composed plays whose beauty, elegance, and power have stood the test of time.      In this course we will survey the works of the three great Athenian playwrights, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.

We will approach the plays from different perspectives and contexts — mythical, historical, cultural, theatrical, and so on — in order to understand better how they function, not only as plays, but also as artifacts of individual artists and their societies.

All readings are in English.

Students of CC 222 will

• explore the content, scope, and structure of Greek tragedy;
• read tragedy as both myth and social commentary;
• discern how tragedy differs from other ancient genres; and
• compare the sensibilities of ancient and modern audiences.

     Furthermore, students will draw upon universal skills of critical reading and thinking, and will communicate these skills in class, in performance, and in written exercises.