Ancient World Literature

Catalog description

How might we read Homer's Iliad differently, if we juxtapose it with canonical ancient literature from beyond the Greek-speaking world, such as Gilgamesh or the Hebrew Bible? What shared themes or differences are there, between ancient Indian, Greek and Roman epics? Did ancient fables teach the same lessons the world over? This course focuses on canonical literary texts from the pre-modern world. We will study each in their original historical and cultural context, and also consider how each might represent "the world", "literature", and the relationship between different cultures. Students will learn about the different norms and practices for storytelling and poetic production in different ancient societies, and will be invited to make comparisons between different ancient literary traditions. The course will include discussion of what is at stake in deciding that an ancient text is canonical or "classical", and we will discuss the benefits and pitfalls of cross-cultural analysis for the ancient world.