30078 - History of Classic Tradition in Modern and Contemporary Culture

Learning outcomes

The analysis of texts from classical antiquity provides students with the skills to interpret the development of poetic, musical and figurative forms in the Western tradition.

Course contents

Virgil and tragedy: myths and variations

The course examines the relationship between the Aeneid and attic tragedy as a fundamental moment for the development of tragic forms in Western literature.

The reading of Aeneid 4 will be complemented by the analysis of variations on the story of Dido, queen of Carthage, from the Middle Ages to the Nineteenth century.

Readings/Bibliography

Virgil, Aeneid, Book 4.

A. Ziosi, Didone. La tragedia dell’abbandono. Variazioni sul mito (Virgilio, Ovidio, Boccaccio, Marlowe, Metastasio, Ungaretti, Brodskij), Venezia, Marsilio, 2017.

Teaching methods

Lectures in class, supplemented by moments of interactive teaching and seminaries.

Assessment methods

The examination consists of a viva voce exam. Students are tested on:

- their ability of reading and translating the analysed Latin texts
- their knowledge of Literary History
- their ability of setting in a historical and cultural context the texts analysed in class
- their ability to discuss the chosen critical readings

The assessment criteria are thus explained:
failing grades: lack of basic knowledge and inability to produce a coherent interpretation of the texts. Lack of knowledge of Latin literature
passing grades: literary interpretation of the texts is correct, but inaccurate and lacking in autonomy
excellent grades: interpretation (and translation) of the texts are not only correct, but carried out with autonomy and precision.

Teaching tools

Online resources.

Office hours

See the website of Antonio Ziosi