28951 - History of Performing Arts in the Ancient World (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

Upon a successful completion of this course students will know the Greek and Roman theatre as a whole (places of performance, festivals and dramatic competitions, poets and preserved works; directors, chorus, players; relationship with public and institutions; the different dramatic genres and their history) and will develop a critical attitude towards the main issues concerning the Greek and Roman theatre. Furthermore, they are expected to know the examined pieces thoroughly.

Course contents

1. Specific topics related to the study of ancient theatre will be examined, with a focus on the conditions, contexts, and modes of dramatic performances in the ancient world — with particular attention to Attic tragedy and comedy.

2. The course will include the reading and analysis of comic fragments directed at Plato, his philosophy, and his school, examined within the broader context of the cultural and political discourse of the period.

Readings/Bibliography

1) For attending students, the class notes and all the documents online (texts, slides, etc.) are the basis for the final exam.

Required readings:

2) A. Pickard-Cambridge, Le feste drammatiche di Atene, trad. it., Firenze, La Nuova Italia, 1996, pp. 79-244 e 361-382; or 5 of the scientific papers at your disposal at "Virtuale.unibo.it".

3) M. Di Marco (ed.), Storia del teatro greco, Rome, Carocci, 2020 - students are required to study the following sections: pp. 27–227 and pp. 243–318. Alternatively, instead of this single volume, students may choose two separate books (one on tragedy and one on comedy) from the following list:

For Tragedy: G. Ieranò, La tragedia greca: origini, storia, rinascite, Roma, Salerno, 2010, oppure A. Rodighiero, La tragedia greca, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013, oppure M. Di Marco, La tragedia greca. Forma, gioco scenico, tecniche drammatiche, Roma, Carocci 2009 (seconda edizione).

For Comedy: B. Zimmermann, La commedia greca: dalle origini all'età ellenistica, ed. it. a c. di Sotera Fornaro, Roma, Carocci, 2016, oppure G. Mastromarco, P. Totaro, B. Zimmermann (a c. di), La commedia attica antica: forme e contenuti, Lecce, Pensa, 2017.

4) Canfora L., La crisi dell’utopia. Aristofane contro Platone, Bari, Laterza, 2014, 69-105; Capra A. Stratagemmi comici da Aristofane a Platone. III. Utopia (Repubblica, Donne al Parlamento), Stratagemmi 4 (2007), 7-50; Corradi M.,“Anche se un’ondata di risate dovrà sommergermi nel ridicolo…”. Aristofane e la kallipolis di Platone «Revista Enunçião» V.3, N.2 (2018), 10-25; Farmer M.C., Playing the philosopher: Plato in fourth-century comedy, « The American Journal of Philology» 138 (2017), 1-41.

5) The texts of the comic fragments to be analyzed will be provided during the lessons and made available on the virtuale platform.

Further bibliographic information (for optional in-depth studies) will be provided in class.

For non-attending students:

- A. Pickard-Cambridge, Le feste drammatiche di Atene, trad. it., Firenze, La Nuova Italia, 1996; or 8 of the scientific papers at your disposal at "Virtuale.unibo.it".

- M. Di Marco (a c. di), Storia del teatro greco, Roma, Carocci, 2020, che basta da solo e copre entrambi gli ambiti; del volume si prepareranno le seguenti sezioni: pp. 27-227, pp. 243-318.

- the readings in point 4)

- the texts in point 5, which will be made available online at the beginning of the lessons.

Teaching methods

Lectures in class; seminars and discussion of the texts analysed in class.

Assessment methods

The examination is oral and consists of an interview during which the instructor, through a series of questions, will assess the student’s knowledge of the topics covered, the texts analyzed in class, and the assigned critical readings.

Grades range from 18 to 30 cum laude, based on the level of confidence, consistency, accuracy, and rigor demonstrated in the mastery of knowledge and skills during the interview. The grading scale is structured as follows:

The evaluation ranges from 18 to 30 cum laude depending on how sure, well-founded, precise, and rigorous the answers of the candidate will be. he grading scale is structured as follows: 30 with honors – excellent knowledge in all areas; 28–30 – very good knowledge and skills; 25–27 – overall good performance, with minor uncertainties; 22–24 – fair level, with some gaps;

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

PC, projector, slides.

Office hours

See the website of Margherita Erbì