Course teached as: B026257 - DRAMMATURGIA CLASSICA 3-years First Cycle Degree (DM 270/04) in LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE STUDIES Curriculum LETTERE ANTICHE
Teaching Language
Italian
Course Content
Introduction to the 5th cent. Greek Attic theatre, with a particular focus on tragedy and on the following topics: the origins of the Greek drama, the political and religious context of its performance; Greek dramatic festivals and spaces of performance; actors, masks, direction, etc. Introduction to the Roman theatre: from the archaic to the Imperial age. Close reading of Euripides’ Medea and of passages from Seneca’s Medea; analysis of some modern receptions of the myth of Medea.
A. For the students of the degree program in DAMS and in Lettere, modern curriculum:
1. Didactic material used in class and uploaded on the Moodle repository;
2. E. Adriani, “Storia del teatro antico”, Carocci, Roma 2017 (4th reprint 2022);
3. ‘Euripide, “Medea”, testo greco a fronte. Introduzione e premessa al testo di V. Di Benedetto, traduzione e appendice metrica di E. Cerbo; note di E. Cerbo e V. Di Benedetto’, Milano BUR 1997 (with successive reprints): study of the Introduction and close reading of Medea’s translation (explanatory notes included);
4. Seneca, Medea in “Seneca, Tragedie, a cura di G. Giardina e R. Cuccioli Melloni”, Torino, UTET 2009; or “Seneca, Medea – Fedra, a cura di Francesca Nenci”, Milano, Mondadori 1989 (or successive reprints);
5. Medea, a movie written and directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini: viewing of the film and reading of the screenplay published in: P.P. Pasolini, Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo, Edipo Re, Medea, Garzanti, new ed. 2020 (only the “Medea”);
6. M. Fusillo, “La Grecia secondo Pasolini. Mito e Cinema”, second updated edition, Roma Carocci, 2007 (5th reprint): Introduction (“Una Grecia barbarica”) and Chapter 2 (“Medea: un conflitto di culture”);
7. Christa Wolf, ‘“Medea. Voci”, traduzione dal tedesco di Anita Raja. Postfazione di Anna Chiarloni’, Edizioni E/O Roma, 1997, with successive reprints (reading of the novel and the afterword).
B. For the students of the degree programme in Lettere, ancient curriculum:
1. Didactic material used in class and uploaded on the Moodle repository;
2. M. Di Marco, “La tragedia greca. Forma, gioco scenico, tecniche drammatiche”, Carocci 2009 (II ed.);
3. G. Mastromarco, P. Totaro, “Storia del teatro greco”, Milano 2008 (with successive reprints), Part II: “la commedia” (pp. 165-258);
4. “Euripide, Medea”: translation of the Greek text in its entirety and metrical scansion of the iambic lines. Suggested editions: ‘Euripide, “Medea”, testo greco a fronte. Introduzione e premessa al testo di V. Di Benedetto, traduzione e appendice metrica di E. Cerbo; note di E. Cerbo e V. Di Benedetto’, Milano BUR 1997 (and successive reprints); critical edition with commentary: Euripides’ “Medea”, edited by D.J. Mastronarde, Cambridge 2022;
5. “Seneca, Medea”: close reading in Italian of the entire tragedy and translation from Latin of a selection of passages (with metrical scansion of the iambic lines). Suggested editions: “Seneca, Tragedie, a cura di G. Giardina e R. Cuccioli Melloni”, Torino, UTET 2009; or “Seneca, Medea – Fedra, a cura di F. Nenci, Milano, Mondadori 1989” (or successive reprints);
6. Medea, a movie written and directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini: viewing of the film and reading of the screenplay published in: P.P. Pasolini, Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo, Edipo Re, Medea, Garzanti, new ed. 2020 (only the “Medea”);
7. M. Fusillo, “La Grecia secondo Pasolini. Mito e Cinema”, second updated edition, Roma Carocci, 2007 (5° reprint): Introduction (“Una Grecia barbarica”) and Chapter 2 (“Medea: un conflitto di culture”);
8. Christa Wolf, ‘“Medea. Voci”, traduzione dal tedesco di Anita Raja. Postfazione di Anna Chiarloni’, Edizioni E/O Roma, 1997, with successive reprints (reading of the novel and the afterword).
Learning Objectives
Knowledge and Understanding – Knowledge of the structural features, the dramatic genres, and the political and socio-cultural context of the Classical theater, with special attention to the main Greek and Latin dramatic authors, and with close examination of specific texts.
Applying knowledge and understanding – acquisition of a conceptual and analytical framework for understanding the structure, the genres, and the communication code of the classical theater, as well as the features of its performance throughout Greek and Roman history; ability to develop an adequate analysis of modern receptions of Greek and Roman dramas; ability to use bibliographical research tools, and literary and historical sources useful for the knowledge of Greek and Roman theater.
Making judgements – acquisition of skills useful for carrying out independently the close reading and critical analysis of a Greek and Latin play; encouragement to the development of personal opinions through participation in discussions and supplementary activities promoted during the course.
Communication skills – familiarity and appropriate use of the vocabulary specific to Greek and Roman theater; ability to paraphrase and comment on effectively a Greek and Latin drama, also making reference to the poetics of its author.
Learning skills – being able to examine autonomously a Greek and Latin ancient drama; being able to relate a Greek and/or Latin dramatic text to other Classical texts, as well as to some of its modern receptions.
Prerequisites
For students of all the degree programs: knowledge of Italian language and basic information on ancient Greek and Roman dramatists (which can be gained, if necessary, through the reading of a school handbook of ancient Greek and Latin literature).
For the students of the degree program in Lettere, ancient curriculum: knowledge of ancient Greek and Latin language; knowledge of iambic meters.
Teaching Methods
The course is mostly constituted by taught classes but requires a full-time active participation of the students. Students will participate in reading (in Italian or in ancient Greek) and discussing the texts in program, and will have an active role in commenting the modern representations that will be watched and analyzed during the course (“Medea” by Pier Paolo Pasolini; possibly, further modern performances of Euripides’ “Medea”). Individual or common short essays on specific topics, agreed with the teachers, may be submitted by students (optional).
Further information
The reading of the Italian translation of Euripides’ Medea will be carried out by students who will volunteer to create a group of expressive reading to be performed in class under the supervision of the teacher. The vision and analysis of Pasolini’s “Medea” and, possibly, of other modern performances of the tragedy are part of the program.
Students may wish to write short essays on topics agreed upon with the teacher, which will contribute to the final evaluation.
Type of Assessment
Oral Examination.
The final exam consists in an oral colloquium aimed at evaluating the expected knowledge on the history of Classic theatre, namely of the Greek Attic drama (5th-4th centuries BC) as well as of the Roman one. In addition, the colloquium evaluates the acquisition of the expected skills in understanding the dramatic texts read and commented upon in class, the texts intended for autonomous study, and the videos or other literary works dealing with the modern reception of the ancient drama on which the course focuses. Moreover, students’ abilities in contextualizing the dramatic and cinematographic works included in the program will be verified.
Students of the degree program in Lettere, ancient curriculum, will have to show their skills in the metrical scansion of iambic Greek and Latin verses, and in translating and analyzing one or two excerpts from the Greek and Latin works included in the proamme.
Short essays on specific topics, if produced, will be part of the final evaluations.
Course program
A. For the students of the degree program in DAMS and in Lettere, modern curriculum:
1. Didactic material used in class and uploaded on the Moodle repository;
2. E. Adriani, “Storia del teatro antico”, Carocci, Roma 2017 (4° reprint 2022);
3. ‘Euripide, “Medea”, testo greco a fronte. Introduzione e premessa al testo di V. Di Benedetto, traduzione e appendice metrica di E. Cerbo; note di E. Cerbo e V. Di Benedetto’, BUR 1997 (with many successive reprints): study of the Introduction and close reading of Medea’s translation (explanatory notes included);
4. Seneca, Medea in “Seneca, Tragedie, a cura di G. Giardina e R. Cuccioli Melloni”, Torino, UTET 2009; or “Seneca, Medea – Fedra, a cura di Francesca Nenci”, Milano, Mondadori 1989 (or successive reprints);
5. Medea, a movie written and directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini: viewing of the film and reading of the screenplay published in: P.P. Pasolini, Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo, Edipo Re, Medea, Garzanti, new ed. 2020 (only the “Medea”);
6. M. Fusillo, “La Grecia secondo Pasolini. Mito e Cinema”, second updated edition, Roma Carocci, 2007 (5° reprint): Introduction (“Una Grecia barbarica”) and Chapter 2 (“Medea: un conflitto di culture”);
7. Christa Wolf, ‘“Medea. Voci”, traduzione dal tedesco di Anita Raja. Postfazione di Anna Chiarloni’, Edizioni E/O Roma, 1997, with successive reprints (reading of the novel and of the afterword).
B. For the students of the degree programme in Lettere, ancient curriculum:
1. Didactic material used in class and uploaded on the Moodle repository;
2. M. Di Marco, “La tragedia greca. Forma, gioco scenico, tecniche drammatiche”, Carocci 2009 (II ed.);
3. G. Mastromarco, P. Totaro, “Storia del teatro greco”, Milano 2008 (with successive reprints), Part II: “la commedia” (pp. 165-258);
4. “Euripide, Medea”: translation of the Greek text in its entirety and metrical scansion of the iambic lines. Suggested editions: ‘Euripide, “Medea”, testo greco a fronte. Introduzione e premessa al testo di V. Di Benedetto, traduzione e appendice metrica di E. Cerbo; note di E. Cerbo e V. Di Benedetto’, Milano BUR 1997 (and successive reprints); critical edition with commentary: Euripides’ “Medea”, edited by D.J. Mastronarde, Cambridge 2022;
5. “Seneca, Medea”: close reading in Italian of the entire tragedy and translation from Latin of a selection of passages (with metrical scansion of the iambic lines). Suggested editions: “Seneca, Tragedie, a cura di G. Giardina e R. Cuccioli Melloni”, Torino, UTET 2009; or “Seneca, Medea – Fedra, a cura di F. Nenci, Milano, Mondadori 1989” (or successive reprints);
6. Medea, a movie written and directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini: viewing of the film and reading of the screenplay published in: P.P. Pasolini, Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo, Edipo Re, Medea, Garzanti, new ed. 2020 (only the “Medea”);
7. M. Fusillo, “La Grecia secondo Pasolini. Mito e Cinema”, second updated edition, Roma Carocci, 2007 (5° reprint): Introduction (“Una Grecia barbarica”) and Chapter 2 (“Medea: un conflitto di culture”);
8. Christa Wolf, ‘“Medea. Voci”, traduzione dal tedesco di Anita Raja. Postfazione di Anna Chiarloni’, Edizioni E/O Roma, 1997, with successive reprints (reading of the novel and of the afterword).