History of ancient literature and its legacies [LLETB002]
Learning outcomes
- At the end of the course, the student will have a general view of the main ancient authors, and will be able to measure their influence. - Through the different avatars of a source text (its translations, adaptations, transpositions...), he will be armed to apprehend what are the stakes of the re-appropriation of the ancient material. - When confronted with a literary or pictorial work inspired by ancient literature, the student will be led to go beyond the simple - but fundamental - approach of "identifying" ancient elements (mythological or otherwise) in order to trace the textual source (and be able to quote it correctly).
Objectives
- The course is intended to be an opening onto classical culture as such, but also as a "matrix" of innumerable cultural and artistic manifestations throughout the ages and across the world. The emphasis will therefore be on the presentation of the major authors and genres of Greek and Latin literature, but also on their reception and posterity. - In this way, it will also be possible to glimpse the complexity of the processes of reception and reinvention of models (concepts of imitatio, emulatio, etc.), the vivacity of classical culture as a source of new inspiration. - A methodological objective is to equip students who undertake to study any work through the prism of ancient literature. How to find and reference these texts adequately? How to orientate one's research in such a field?
Content
Once the historical, geographical and conceptual frameworks have been established, the course will be divided into chapters, each linked to a particular literary genre: 1) Epic and didactic poetry 2) Lyric poetry 3) The theatre 4) Depending on the time available and the possible intersections with other courses: epigrams, satire, oratory, etc. Depending on the themes addressed and, above all, the texts or authors studied in depth, extra-curricular activities (meeting authors, concert, etc.) will be organised.
Teaching methods
The encyclopaedic approach to ancient literature (frameworks, authors, genres and main currents) will be coupled with a critical approach to the constitution of what is known as classical culture (from classicus, "that we learn in the classroom"): the aim will be to unravel the mechanics of literary canonisation, to show that tradition is always reconfigured by the evolution of ideas and customs. A collection of extracts and documents will serve as a support for the course: it will compile passages from ancient texts as well as commentaries on these texts. As for the posterity of works, genres and authors, it will be approached by means of a few case studies (2 or 3 max.), evolving from year to year, so as to offer overlaps with other courses in the faculty or to address themes that may find a particular resonance with current events (cultural or otherwise). For example, it will be a question of examining the survival of an author or an ancient work through the ages, or conversely of examining a work (literary, pictorial, etc.) that is "modern", or at least posterior to the ancient period, through the sieve of a study of its ancient substrates.
Evaluations
Written examination comprising: a series of knowledge questions (situate / present / ... a work / a trend / an author); the application of a critical approach to extracts of text (or other types of work) seen or not seen in the course.
Recommended readings
The course material consists of a syllabus and a portfolio of documents. Useful references : • S. Saïd, M. Trédé, A. Le Boulluec, Histoire de la littérature grecque, Paris, PUF. • H. Zehnacker, J.-C. Fredouille, Littérature latine, Paris, PUF. • J. Gaillard, R. Martin, Les genres littéraires à Rome, Paris. • P. Laurens, Histoire critique de la littérature latine. De Virgile à Huysmans, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 2014. • Depending on the theme: the series of collective works Présence de..., collection Caesarodunum. E.g.: Présence de Virgile, d'Ovide, de Cicéron, de Tite-Live...
Language of instruction
French / FrançaisLocation for course
NAMUROrganizer
Faculté de philosophie et lettresRue de Bruxelles, 61
5000 NAMUR
