Course Themes
The principal project of the semester will be for each of you, with help from the rest of the class, to formulate the beginnings of a theory of tragedy:
- What is tragedy? Is there a connection between tragic drama and the tragedies of life? Is tragedy always sad?
- Was tragic drama, there and then (ancient Athens, ancient Rome), a thing altogether different from tragedy now? Are there connections between, on the one hand, the tragic dramas of the ancient Greeks and Romans, on the other hand, more recent plays on what we're told are tragic themes? Are there connections with our lives today?
Life is a journey and so is this. I don't expect students to come up with a finalized, polished anything. Rather, I want to see evidence of reflection on the question of what tragedy was then and is now, and an appreciation of the dimensions of the question.
Our exploration will at times be broad and open ended. But we'll also be focusing on two, very specific issues, both with relevance to today's world:
- Gender — how it is dramatized in the plays we'll read and how that might connect with us
- Performance — what we can learn about the plays by thinking of ways to make them more alive for today's audiences. (This is not a theater class, nor will I assign performances of scenes. What we'll do instead is form discussion groups on the day of class to share thoughts about performance and to demonstrate with reading of lines)
- Other people's thoughts — Honig's, Williams', etc. Do they connect with us?
We'll work on the above in our Private Course Journal entries and in our in-class discussion. It will figure into essay questions on exams.
Student Learning Outcomes
General-Education
This course fulfills the Humanities (H) General-Education requirement for undergraduates taking a degree from Binghamton University. As such, its aims correspond to the following, quoted from the BU General Education site. Thus students will:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods of at least one of the humanities; and
- Recognize and analyze nuance and complexity of meaning through critical reflections on text, visual images, or artifacts
Course-Specific
By the conclusion of this course, students should expect. . .
- To grasp key facts about ancient practices, cultural realities, etc. pertaining to ancient ancient Greek and Roman drama, especially tragedy.
- To grasp key issues of the modern performance of ancient tragedy.
- To formulate an initial-stage, working theory of tragedy, an answer to the question, "What is tragedy?"
Course Contract
General
By enrolling in this course, students agree to abide by expectations set forth in this and other course-related documents. You should therefore regard any document posted by the instructor to the "Bingdev; site (this site), or to the Brightspace site associated with this course, as a contract laying out the responsibilities and expectations instructor and students.
Among the aforementioned are the following:
- Adherence to the the University's standards and regulations regarding academic honesty (below)
- Respectful and courteous treatment of others participating in this class, both while class is in session and between meetings. Avoid, in other words,
- Distractive, discourteous, or disrespectful discussion, commentary, remarks, including offensive (sexually, racially, etc.) or gratuitous speech.
- Disrespecting the personal (i.e., physical) space of others.
- Distractive / disruptive comings and goings (once in class, please try to stay there).
- Distractive use of electronic devices (see below).
- Any activity not directly related to the business of class.
Failure to abide by these expectations may result in disciplinary action.
Academic Honesty
We shall follow the University's Academic Honesty Code as laid out in the University Bulletin.
WHAT IS ACADEMIC HONESTY? It is the ability to say that your work is yours, and that you have forthrightly and scrupulously pointed out how you have relied on the words, ideas, research, etc. of others.
As for academic dishonesty, that includes:
- Plagiarism (presenting another's work as one's own through unacknowledged quoting/paraphrasing, use of another's ideas, failure to acknowledge sources, using someone else's research notes or similar)
- This course does not allow the use of generative artificial intelligence as described in the University Bulletin (generative AI, ChatGPT, Google Bard, Microsoft Copilot, etc. etc.). Use of same for assignments, tests, anything you write for this course will be treated as plagiarism and will be dealt with accordingly.
- Cheating
- copying from. . .
- another's test paper
- a "cheat-sheet" brought to class
- any form of unfair help received
- copying from. . .
- "Recycling" of papers (submitting one paper to more than one class)
- Fabrication (arguing from evidence you've made up)
- Forgery (of signatures, of paper-authorship, etc.)
- Sabotage (undermining efforts of other students)
- Bribery (inducements to affect grade)
- Fabrication of excuses concerning (i.e., lying about) absence, need for make-ups, etc.
Note, too, that any and all instances of academic dishonesty WILL result in a course-grade of F along with appropriate disciplinary action, not excluding expulsion from the University, as deemed appropriate by those authorities charged with handling such cases.
Further, by taking this course, students consent to submit all written assignments to Turnitin.com or other, similar anti-plagiarism databases for textual similarity review. Students also agree not to abet the academic dishonesty of others in connection with this class.
Updating / Modifying Online Course Pages
The instructor reserves the right to alter, as needed and in reasonable ways, details of the assignment schedule, course syllabus, indeed, any course-related page or document.
Required Texts, Print & Online
REGARDING REQUIRED TEXTS, we'll all need to work from the same editions.
- We shall be dealing mostly with translations, which can vary widely in quality
- In class and on exams, I shall make reference only to editions listed below
- When we discuss, and experiment with, performance in class, we'll be using assigned texts
Texts for Purchase from Campus B&N Bookstore:
Aeschylus. The Oresteia. Trans. Robert Fagles. Harmondsworth, England and New York: Penguin Books, 1984.
---. Persians. Trans. Janet Lembke and C. J. Herington. Greek Tragedy in New Translations. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981.
Aristophanes. Frogs. Trans. Jeffrey Henderson. Newburyport, Mass.: Focus Publishing, 2008.
Euripides. 10 Plays. Trans. Paul Roche. New York: Signet Classic, 1998.
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. Four Tragedies and Octavia. Trans. E. F. Watling. Penguin Classics. 2 ed. Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1966.
Sophocles. The Three Theban Plays. Trans. Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics. New York: Penguin Books, 1984.
Electronic Texts via Brightspace
Additional readings online are to be accessed via Brightspace course site > Content.
Anouilh, Jean. Antigone. Trans. Barbara Bray. Plays: One. Variation: Methuen World Classics. London: Methuen, 1997. 77-137.
Warmington, E. H. Remains of Old Latin II. Livius Andronicus, Naevius, Pacuvius and Accius. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1967. Loeb Classical Library.
Electronic Text via BU Library
Honig, Bonnie. "Introduction." Antigone, Interrupted. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013. 1-10. Online acces via BU Libraries, Log-in required.
Access to Online Course Materials / Dual Web Sites
This course employs two, separate web sites:
- A "Bingdev" web site (where this syllabus resides), and,
- A Brightspace course site.
The "Bingdev" web site will provide access to course-related information and materials of a non-secure nature, including:
- Syllabus (this document)
- Assignment schedule
- Study guides
- Lectures / instructor's PowerPoints
- Various other informational pages
The Brightspace course site is mostly for materials and links OF A SECURE NATURE, things that should NOT be accessible to the general public via internet or Google.
Navigate to the Brightspace site via the following "breadcrumb" path:
Brightspace > Ancient Tragedy, Greek & Roman
On that Brightspace site, you'll find links to:
- Announcements
- Journals
- etc.
E-mail Contact
All students taking this course must agree to check their respective BU E-mail addresses (username@binghamton.edu) on a regular basis, as that will be the principal medium for instructor-student communication outside class.
My E-mail is ascholtz@binghamton.edu. For my office hours, schedule, etc., visit the "Contact" page.
Attendance, Absence, Tardiness
Attendance is required, as is prompt arrival at class; learning cannot happen if we are not there on time and participating. Attendance will be taken and will figure into the participation grade. Students with more than 7 unexcused absences (see just below) risk not receiving a passing grade. A pattern of unexcused tardiness can and will count as absence at the discretion of the instructor.
For regular class meetings, to leave class early unexcused will count as unexcused absence. No graded exercise scheduled for that meeting will be accepted. The same does not apply to midterm or final exams. If you finish those early you may leave early.
Students will have the opportunity to make up graded exercises (including exams) only in the event of excused absence.
Excusable Absence
IF YOU ARE ILL, or otherwise cannot make class for VALID REASONS (religious observance, job interview, important family function, etc.), please contact me AS SOON AS POSSIBLE via E-mail. Without timely E-mail notification, I will not credit missed classes. Note that excused absence does not figure into the total mentioned just above, 7 unexcused absences.
Excusable verus Inexcusable, a Non-Exhaustive List
Excusable Absence/Lateness
- Illness
- A medical appointment
- Circumstances relating to a documented and agreed-to SSD accommodation
- Unforeseeable transport issue — vehicle breakdown, etc. — without alternative transport
- Unavoidable court date
- Job interviews, important family events, religious observances, etc.
- Disasters, traumatic events of various sorts
Inexcusable Absence/Lateness
- "I missed my bus" (get to the bus stop on time)
- "My parents made the vacation reservations without telling me" (tell them that's not a valid excuse)
- "I overslept" (set your alarm)
- Scheduling conflicts of any sort with other classes (please speak the other instructor or have them speak to me — they can't do that)
Make-Ups
In the event of excused absence on days when a graded exercise happens in class (quiz, midterm, that kind of thing), it is the student's responsibility to arrange for timely make-ups. By "timely," I mean IMMEDIATE. I do not reschedule merely to accommodate "busy" schedules, as that would be deeply unfair to others just as busy.
Think of it this way: Excusably absent from class Thursday, makeup Friday or Monday. Tuesday ordinarily too late.
Required Absence Due to Illness
If you are clearly and obviously sick enough that it interferes with your learning, obviously, stay home and get better; maybe see a doctor. Do not come to class. That is for your sake but it is also to prevent you from infecting others.
For more on attendance, see the University Bulletin.
In-Class Use of Electronic Devices
I do permit use of electronic devices in class by students. That includes use of laptops, tablets, cellphones (aka mobile phones).
Students who abuse the use of devices, i.e., who use them for purposes extraneous to class, may have the privilege revoked, temporarily or permanently.
Without instructor's permission,* audio-recording of lectures or other in-class activities is forbidden. Unauthorized sharing of recorded classes, lectures, etc. by students is a violation of property-rights law and as such is subject to academic and/or legal sanction. All video recording is forbidden, without exception.
* Students with the proper documentation from Services for Students with Disabilities need to make known to me their need to use voice recording — see more, below.
Bootlegged Notes
By "bootlegged notes" I mean a set of practices expressly forbidden for this class, any one of which could result in a failing grade:
- Unauthorized note-taking, i.e., arranging to have someone extraneous to the class attend to take notes
- Unauthorized distribution of notes
- For this last I don't mean the occasional sharing of notes with friends unable to make a given class meeting — not forbidden, but don't make a habit of it. I mean note-sharing as a service or a regular practice, whether one does it for money or not.
Students with Special Needs
Students with special needs are strongly encouraged to contact me in addition to contacting the office for Services for Students with Disabilities here on campus. Those needs can include, but are not confined to, extra time on exams, the need to record lectures and classroom activities, the need for a note-taker, and so on. It will be necessary for students to obtain and to pass on to me the proper paperwork for such accommodations (for which, check in with Services for Students with Disabilities).
Assessment of Student Work (grading)
Weighting
| 20% | |
| Journals | 30% |
| midterm exam | 20% |
| final exam | 30% |
Grading Scale
| A | 93-100 |
| A- | 90-92.9 |
| B+ | 87-89.9 |
| B | 83-86.9 |
| B- | 80-82.9 |
| C+ | 77-89.9 |
| C | 73-86.9 |
| C- | 70-82.9 |
| D | 60-69.9 |
| F | 0-59.9 |
Participation, Reading, Preparation, etc.
General
Assigned readings, associated journal entries, indeed, anything assigned for this class must be done, and on time, which is to say, by class on the date indicated on the assignment schedule. Failure on that score will compromise one's grade.
Discussion will be partly structured, partly unstructured, and will center mostly on issues and topics listed on the schedule of assignments and on study guides.
- INSTRUCTOR'S CALLING ON STUDENTS
- RESPECT FOR ONE'S OWN AND OTHERS' THOUGHTS
Discussion cannot happen if we don't acknowledge that not all contributions will represent the most profound of insights. Please do not, therefore, feel reluctant to participate simply because you don't have anything remarkable to say. Life is a journey and all discussion is dialogue, a dynamic process requiring your input.
Don't be surprised if I call on you in class. I do this a lot; it actually works well — shy students don't feel reluctant to speak when asked to comment in that way. It does, however, mean you'll need to prepare.
Study Guides
You should understand study guides as assigned reading along with the plays etc. themselves.
- Designed to be user-friendly, especially for those new to the study of "classical antiquity" (ancient Greece and Rome), study guides introduce readings and related material, including background (historical, etc.) crucial to make sense of it all
- Study guides clue you in to important topics for discussion in class, journal entries, etc.
Study guides can be accessed via the "Assignments" page next to each reading assignment. Plus, there is a section devoted to them on the Site Index.
Private Course Journals
As indicated on the Assignments page, and for most assignments, students are required to supply journal entries of between 150 and 400 words. These entries are to be based on the journal entry prompt for that day's class, to be found on the relevant Study Guide.
Journal entries are to be completed online, via the Brightspace course site > Discussions link, no later than 9am on the day a given assignment is due. Do not upload a word doc or similar, as I will not read or accept it.
- These journals are private. Only you and the instructor can see what you write. They are to get you to reflect on the reading and to prepare you to talk about them — no right or wrong answers. They're graded, but it should be easy to get full points on each and every one. Read, reflect, write clearly — that's it! (100 = good-faith effort. 75 = entry done but falls short of a good-faith effort. 0 = no entry or not nearly enough effort to merit points.)
Accessing your Private Course Journal
Access your Private Course Journal via Brightspace course site > Discussions. Read the instructions (important!). Scroll down and click/tap the Private Course Journal link at the bottom of the screen.
That brings you to yet another page with the same set of instructions, and with a button ("Start a New Thread") at the bottom of the page. Click/tap that button; give an assignment-related title to your entry (aka "thread") and enter that entry into the text box. Make sure you ckick post!
Exams
There will be two exams: a midterm (20% of grade) and a final (30%).
Midterm
- A more detailed guide to the midterm can be found here.
To sum up, the midterm will involve:
- Multiple-choice questions focused on factual matters
- Short-answer questions requiring paragraph-length answers combining
- Factual elements ("Explain what an ekkuklēma was, . . .")
- Interpretive elements showing that you can process facts in relation to key questions explored in class (". . . then talk about how its use might have related to the dramatic arc of a tragic play's plot in classical Athens?")
- Some short answers will require that you comment knowledgeably on quotations from readings, so be prepared!
Final Exam
- Final Exam Study Guide, with specifics on the "how" and the "when" of the test.
The Final exam will be exactly like the midterm in that it will have:
- Multiple choice questions
- Short answer questions
But it will also have a longer essay to help you synthesize what you'll have learned.
It will help that I provide the text of that essay question right here:
"In drama you struggle, because you hope you’re going to survive. It’s utilitarian – sordid. But tragedy is gratuitous. Pointless, irremediable. Fit for a king!" (Chorus in Anouilh's Antigone, p. 102).
What do you think the Chorus means by that? Do you agree? Disagree? Judging by dramas read during both halves of the semester (please discuss at least two from each half), how does this quote validate or challenge your definition of tragedy? How do you respond?
I will not allow make-ups of exams except in cases of verifiable illness, etc.; see above for more information.