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Kirk Ormand |
CLAS 219: Greek and Roman Sexuality |
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King 105a; x8394 |
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Office Hours: |
Fall, 2003 |
Purpose: In this course we will interrogate the
central theses of Foucault’s last major work, the History of Sexuality (in three volumes). That is, we will question whether or not the ancient Greeks
and Romans understood “sexuality” as an integral component of
one’s identity, and indeed whether they had a concept of
“sexuality” as such.
We will also examine and attempt to understand the social rules and regulations
that ruled over Greek and Roman sexual lives, and their meanings in the larger
cultural contexts of those two civilizations.
Grading: Your grade will be based on class
participation, 2 very short papers and one longer, final paper. Your class participation
grade will be based on whether your contributions to discussion; if you miss
classes, or regularly come to class unprepared, this portion of your grade will
suffer.
Late Papers: Unless
arrangements are made before a paper is due, late papers will be graded down
1/3 letter grade for each day late. Of course, in the case of a legitimate
medical excuse, family emergency, etc., the above does not apply. See me as soon as possible, and we will
make arrangements.
Attendance: For the duration of this semester and
for the purposes of this class, we are a community of scholars. Please plan to attend every class
session. If you miss class, it is
your responsibility (not mine) to find out what you missed. Repeated absences
will harm your grade for class participation.
Readings: A good deal
of the readings on the syllabus (especially secondary) are on E-Res. You must do these readings. Please let me know if there are
problems with E-Res.
Academic Honesty: In the unlikely event that a student is
found to have engaged in academic dishonesty (cheating, helping other students
to cheat, plagiarism) he/she will be reported to the Honor Board, and will
receive a failing grade in the course. If any student is unclear as to what may
be considered plagiarism, cheating, etc., she/he should speak to me about it in
advance.
Schedule of
Readings
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Sept. 2 |
Introductions; Syllabus and Expectations; A Brief History of Sexuality Studies in Classics |
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4 |
The Problem Homosexuality in Greece and Rome, 10.37 (pseudo-Lucian, Erotes) |
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9 |
Early Greek poetry and the problem of Sappho Homosexuality in Greece and Rome(HGR) 1.1-1.3 (Archilochus), 1.5-1.27 (Sappho), 1.29-1.34 (Anacreon), 1.84 (Simonides), 1.85-1.87 (Pindar) |
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11 |
E-Res: Parker, “Sappho Schoomistress”; du Bois, “Sappho in the History of Sexuality,” and “Foucault, Sappho, and the Postmodern Subject,” from Sappho is Burning. |
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16 |
Classical Athenian Law and the Male Body HGR 4.4 (Lysias’ Against Simon); 4.6 (Demosthenes Against Androtion); 4.7 (Aeschines, Against Timarchus) |
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18 |
E-Res: Winkler, “Laying Down the Law” from Constraints of Desire; Halperin, “The Democratic Body,” from “One Hundred Years of Homosexuality |
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23 |
A week of theory Foucault, History of Sexuality vol. 1: pp.1-14, 51-74 |
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25 |
History of Sexuality, vol. 1, pp.75-132. |
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30 |
How Bodies turn to Philosophy HGR 5.7 (Plato, Symposium); 5.9 (Plato, Phaedrus) |
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Oct. 2 |
E-Res: J. Carnes,
“This Myth Which is Not One: Construction of Discourse in Plato’s
Symposium“ from Rethinking Foucault |
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7 |
Paper #1 Due. HGR 2.21 (Athanaeus
on Sophocles), 2.22-2.27 (Graffiti, Vase Inscriptions) |
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9 |
Athenian Comedy and Cross-dressing Aristophanes, Lysistrata; Thesmophoriazousae, 1-300 |
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14 |
E-Res: Excerpt from Henderson, The Maculate Muse; Excerpt from Zeitlin, “Travesties of Gender and Genre in the Thesmophoriazousae” |
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16 |
Hellenistic poetry, or Fun in the Sun HGR Chapter 6 (All); E-res: Herondas, “The Dildo” (complete) |
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19-25 |
Fall Break, no classes |
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28 |
We begin Rome E-res: A. Richlin, “Not Before Homosexuality.” |
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30 |
“Greek Love” at Rome HGR 7.7-7.15 (Excerpts from Roman
Comedy); Williams, Roman
Homosexuality, ch. 2.
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Nov. 4 |
Aggressive Masculinity
HGR 7.39-7.51 (Catullus); 7.57-7.64
(Cicero)
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6 |
Williams, Roman Homosexuality, Ch. 4 E-Res: M. Skinner, “Ego Mulier,” from Roman Sexualities |
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11 |
But what about the Women? HGR 8.21-8.22 (Ovid, Metamorphoses: Iphis and Ianthe, Orpheus) |
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13 |
E-Res: D. Pintabone, “Ovid’s Iphis and Ianthe: When Girls Won’t be Girls.” |
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18 |
Cinaedi and Soldiers Petronius, Satyricon, first half |
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20 |
Petronius, Satyricon, second half; HGR 9.7 (Suetonius, Nero) |
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25 |
Paper #2 due; No reading assignment |
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27 |
Thanksgiving – No classess |
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Dec. 2 |
Williams, Roman Homosexuality, Ch. 5 |
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4 |
Narrating the erotic self E-Res: Achilles Tatius, Leukippe and Kleitophon (first 1/2) |
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9 |
Achilles Tatius, conclusion |
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11 |
HGR 10.20 (Artemidorus) E-Res: Foucault, excerpt from The History of Sexuality vol. 3: The Care of the Self |
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Reading Period: Dec. 13-15 |
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Exams begin: Dec. 16 |
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Friday, Dec. 19,
7:00 |
Due date for final paper |