CLAS 3315 Death and Burial in Homer's Iliad (and beyond)
The readings for this course are in ancient Greek! Thinking about death is inevitable when reading the Iliad, but this course embraces death as its focus. How do discourses of dying well and badly shape the contested ethical systems of the epic? What role do representations of burials and failed burials play? How do depictions of monuments and commemorative practices highlight tensions with the needs of the living? How does lyric poetry subsequently take up these questions in conversation with Homer's epic? We will read extensive selections of the Iliad as well as selected lyric poetry, and archaic funerary epigram.
Course overview
- Department
- Classical Studies
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Both
- Offered
- Every Fall
Catalog details
- Prerequisites
- Two years of Greek or the equivalent. Consult professor before registering.
Requirements fulfilled
- Classics: Advanced courses (three courses, 9 credits minimum): Latin and/or Greek at the 3000 level for the Classical Language track, or courses in English at the 4000 level for the Classical Cultures track (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Classics: Electives (five courses, 15 credits minimum): any Classical Studies course, or approved electives from other departments (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Ancient Greek: I. Four courses (12 credits) in ancient Greek above the Elementary level (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.50 / 5 · Excellent
- Instructor rating
- 5.00 / 5 · Excellent
- Terms evaluated
- 1
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2023 | Hanne Eisenfeld | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3 of 4 |