| Title: | Making a Mockery |
|---|---|
| Course Section Number: | CLA-211-01 |
| Department: | Classics |
| Description: | In this class, we tour the world of ancient comedy in its manifold genres, from the scandalous stage plays of Aristophanes, to the ripping-roaring satires of Juvenal, to the visual humor found on ancient vases and graffiti. In doing so, we consider what these texts and images tell us about Greek and Roman society, what tickled the ancient funny bone, and what tickles ours, what jokes were permissible, and what was off-limits. We also discuss who was laughing at whom and what this tells us about social power, ancient stereotypes, and the various roles comedy can serve in society for better or for worse. The course will proceed chronologically from the comic figure of Thersites in Homer's Iliad, to the late antique satirist Claudian. Along the way, students will discuss comedies in large and small groups, rewrite scenes for a modern audience, and collect their favorite and least favorite witticisms in their personal "joke books." The course will culminate in an ancient sketch show - Saturnalia Night Live - put on by the class and inspired by Greco-Roman humorists. |
| Credits: | 1.00 |
| Start Date: | January 15, 2024 |
| End Date: | May 4, 2024 |
| Meeting Information: |
01/15/2024-05/03/2024 Lecture Monday, Wednesday, Friday 11:00AM - 11:50AM, Detchon, Room 209
|
| Faculty: | Barnes, Robert |
Course Status
| Section Name/Title | Status | Dept. | Capacity |
Enrolled/ Available/ Waitlist |
|---|