CL 250: Classical Drama in English
Spring 2021
Dr. Gwen Compton-Engle
gcomptonengle@jcu.edu
Office Hours: M 9:00-11:00 am; T 1:00-3:30 pm; W 3:30-5:00 pm; Th 1:00-3:30 pm
Office Hours link: https://johncarrolluniversity.zoom.us/j/95809939189
Course Description: This course takes us from the mystical world of Greek myth and its larger-than-life
dysfunctional families, through the comic representation of young lovers, slaves, and the underclass in
the world of Roman comedy. We will place special emphasis on understanding the plays as live
performances rather than simply as words on a page. Students will engage creatively with the course
materials through performances and a creative project. This course fulfills the Core CAPA designation.
Alignment of Course Goals with University and Program Goals
JCU Academic
Learning
Outcomes
Classics Program
Goals
Student Learning Goals for
Core CAPA Courses
CL 250 Course
Goals
1. Demonstrate
an integrative
knowledge of
the human and
natural worlds.
2. Demonstrate
knowledge about
ancient
Mediterranean
societies and their
cultural products
1. Demonstrate
knowledge about
ancient Greek and
Roman dramas and
their original
performance contexts.
4.
Communicate
skillfully in
multiple forms
of expression
1. Communicate
skillfully and
effectively in both
English and either
Greek or Latin: a)
engage in effective
interpretive
reading.
Understand and
demonstrate the diverse
nature, meanings and
functions of creative
endeavors through the
study and practice of
literature, music, theatrical
and visual arts and related
forms of expression
Demonstrate the ability to
analyze multiple forms of
expression (such as oral,
written, digital, or visual)
2. Develop
habits of
critical analysis
and aesthetic
appreciation
3b. Apply critical
analysis and
aesthetic
appreciation.
Respect innovation and
creativity by demonstrating
a basic conceptual analysis
of aesthetic expression.
Articulate an appreciation of
the arts through a
consideration of or
engagement in the creative
process.
2. Interpret ancient
drama with an
appreciation for
specific literary and
visual techniques.
3. Engage creatively
with ancient plays by
performing scenes and
constructing creative
interpretations of
them.
4. Reflect on the ways
performance
contributes to meaning
in theater.
Note: The plan outlined in this syllabus is subject to change as we adapt to the experience of hybrid
learning.
Required Books: There are no books that students must purchase for this course. All readings will be
available online via Canvas.
Course Requirements and Grading:
attendance and participation
reading journals
performances (2 x 15%)
performance responses (2 x 10%)
individual creative project
15%
20%
30%
20%
15%
The final grade for the class will be calculated on a percentage system: 93-100 = A; 90-92 = A-; 87-89 =
B+; 83-86 = B; 80-82 = B-, etc.
Bring to Class: Each day you attend class in-person, you should bring with you: a laptop or tablet; a
headset; warm clothes (because windows may be opened, even in cold weather). Masks must be worn
over mouth and nose at all times, no exceptions. Eating and drinking are prohibited during class.
Attendance and Participation: The first week of class will be conducted on Zoom. After that, students
who choose in-person learning will be divided into two groups. Half will attend in-person on Tuesdays,
the other half on Thursdays. On the days when they are not scheduled to be in class, students will
attend via Zoom. Students who choose to be all-remote will attend every class on Zoom. All class
meetings will be recorded.
If you have chosen in-person learning as your preference for this class, you are committing to
attending class in person on the days and times assigned by the professor, if your health permits. Do
not come to class sick. As a courtesy to the professor and your classmates, you should notify the
professor in advance if you need to attend class via Zoom instead of in-person. This should only occur in
the case of illness, quarantine, or emergency. Having this information in advance will enable the
professor to adapt class activities to run smoothly.
The success of a discussion-based class depends on the active presence and participation of all
students. Students are expected to come to class (whether remotely or in-person) ready to participate
knowledgeably and thoughtfully in discussion of the day’s material. Students attending remotely are
expected to have their cameras on and to remain engaged with class activities. If you anticipate that this
will be a problem for you due to bandwidth or other issues, please contact the professor at the start of
the semester to discuss your situation. Students who are unable to attend because of illness (self or
family member), internet connectivity issues, or other emergencies will have an opportunity to make up
a maximum of three class periods by viewing the recording of the day’s class and providing a written
response to that class period. A rubric for the attendance and participation grade will be distributed via
Canvas.
Zoom etiquette:
The same standards of appropriate behavior and dress apply on Zoom as in a classroom. Please take
care of your daily hygiene before joining the class, and be aware of your surroundings. Use a virtual
background if you prefer not to have your home surroundings visible to the class.
Reading Journals: Approximately once per week, a journal assignment will be due. Students will respond
on Canvas to a prompt related to the play that the class is reading that week. Journal assignments will
be scored on a simple 0-4 point scale. They are intended to incentivize regular reading and to stimulate
reflection about the material outside of class. Late entries will receive only 1 point each.
Performances: Twice during the semester, each student together with 2-3 classmates will perform a
scene from a play that we have read. Performances will take place during the class period, before an
audience of class members. You will have an opportunity to be creative with costumes, props, and sets
(virtual or real). Further guidelines will be distributed. Don’t be anxious! You will have fun with this.
Performance Responses: After each set of performances, each student will write a brief (2 page)
response in which s/he articulates how his/her understanding of the play(s) was affected by performing
and viewing the scenes.
Individual Creative Project: Each student will choose a way to engage creatively with one of the plays
that we have read in class. This will result in a substantial original product that can be shared with the
class. Some examples include: make a full-face mask or set of masks; create a graphic-novel version of
the play; write a monologue by a minor character in a play; write a comic scene using JCU-based stock
characters; make a filmed version of a scene. Further guidelines will be distributed.
Policies on Academic Honesty, Bias, and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities are in the
Learner Support folder on Canvas.
Content Warning: The plays studied in this class involve murder of family members (matricide, patricide,
fratricide, filicide), adultery, incest, insanity, intoxication, sexual humor, cranky old men, xenophobia,
prostitution, misogyny, slavery, exploitation of the lower classes, and language that some might find
offensive. This does not mean that the professor endorses such behavior.
Schedule
*reading journal entry due on Canvas on days with *
Jan.
19
21
Introductions and logistics
Background – myth and performance
Unit I: Tragedy
In-Person Learning Begins!
26
Aeschylus, Agamemnon (through line 907)
28
*Aeschylus, Agamemnon (line 908-end)
Feb.
Mar.
2
4
Aeschylus, Libation Bearers
*Aeschylus, Eumenides
9
11
wrap-up on Oresteia, transition to Sophocles
*Sophocles, Oedipus the King
16
18
*Sophocles, Antigone
wrap-up on Sophocles; transition to Euripides
23
25
*Euripides, Medea
Medea, continued [with Actors from the London Stage]
2
4
*Euripides, Bacchae
No Class: use class time to work on performances
9
11
tragedy performances
tragedy performances
16
18
Introduction to Roman tragedy; performance responses due
*Seneca, Medea
Unit II: Comedy
April
23
25
Introduction to Athenian Old Comedy
*Aristophanes, Lysistrata
30
1
*Aristophanes, Birds
Easter Break - NO CLASS
6
8
Easter Break – NO CLASS
*Character types: Theophrastus, Characters
13
*New Comedy: Menander, The Grouch
May
15
Introduction to Roman Comedy
20
22
*Plautus, Menaechmi
Plautus, Menaechmi (cont.)
27
29
*Plautus, Pseudolus
wrap-up on Plautus; individual creative project due
4
6
*Terence, Adelphoe
No class: use class time to work on performances
Final Exam Period: Tuesday, May 11, 10:00-11:50 am
comedy performances
comedy performance responses due by midnight