Program Overview

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Greek Authors: Homer (CLAS0138)

Key Information

• Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Humanities
• Teaching department: Greek and Latin
• Credit value: 15
• Restrictions: Second or Final Year Only. Cannot be taken with GREK0035 or GREK0036.

Alternative Credit Options

There are no alternative credit options available for this module.

Description

Teaching Delivery: This module is taught in 10 weekly classes. Content: This course is intended for students outside as well as inside the Ancient World. It involves the study of major literary genres of importance for the European literary tradition in translation. It is suitable for students of Classics as well as outside Classics, because it aims to help students to read widely and to engage with a broad range of literary-critical issues.

The course will focus on Homer, but will also include reference to other archaic epics (e.g. Hesiod). Issues discussed will include structure, plot and character of the epics, the role of the gods, war and battle scenes, issues of gender and social values, the reception of Homer in later ages.

Classes will be a mixture of lecture and discussion. At the end of the course, students will be familiar with the text of the Iliad and will have been introduced to a range of issues concerning Homeric studies. Some articles by scholars shall be analysed in depth in order to help you learn to evaluate literary criticism. Students will have the opportunity to give presentations on particular topics and to participate in class discussions.

They will be expected to equip themselves with translations of the Odyssey (see bibliography).

Skills: By the end of the module, students will engage with classical ideas as explored in the Odyssey and with their reception in secondary literature. In this way, they will gain an understanding of concepts and theories produced by these sources. They will also concentrate on primary materials and develop the ability to read texts independently, to manage their own learning, to communicate ideas orally and in writing and to gather, present, analyse and synthesize data. Teamwork and independent thinking will also be strongly encouraged in order to enable student development and achievement.

Set text: R. Lattimore (ed.) The Odyssey of Homer, University of Chicago Press 2007. Essential reading:

• J. Griffin, Homer (Oxford 1980)
• B. Graziosi, Homer (Oxford 2016)
• M. I. Finley, The World of Odysseus New York 2002

Module Deliveries for 2026/27 Academic Year

Intended Teaching Term: Term 1

• Undergraduate (FHEQ Level 6)

Teaching and Assessment

• Mode of study: In person
• Methods of assessment:
  • 60% Coursework
  • 40% Exam
• Mark scheme: Numeric Marks The methods of assessment for affiliate students may be different to those indicated above.

Other Information

• Number of students on module in previous year: 45
• Module leader: Dr Antony Makrinos