Ugliness in Roman Literature

Catalog description

This seminar explores ugliness in Roman literature in two areas: writing meant to discomfit, displease, and disgust—i.e. an ugly style—and writing about ugly bodies. We will explore ugliness in literature as it relates to disgust, fear, ridicule, and laughter, including where ugliness blurs with monstrosity. Readings in Latin will emphasize humor, invective, and satire (including Horace, Persius, Petronius) but will also include readings from Cicero, Seneca, Lucan, and Pliny. In addition to familiarizing ourselves with contemporary scholarship on disgust and horror in Roman literature, we will read reflections upon ugliness from outside the field (e.g. Eco, Hilal). In addition to weekly readings, students will be responsible for presentations, midterm exam, work-in-progress workshop, and final research paper.