CLAS 42323 Readings of Homer: Ancient, Medieval, and Now
This seminar approaches Homeric studies as a sub-discipline in Classics that has created a breadth of methodologies and hermeneutical approaches, both new and old, that are central to the evolution of Classical Studies and literary theory more generally. The seminar deals with different readings of Homer—scholarly and otherwise—from the ancient scholia to the present day. On the modern side, we will engage with the history of Homeric scholarship (oral theory, narratology, neoanalysis) as well as new directions in modern scholarship (affect studies, cognitive theory). On the premodern side, the seminar will focus on interpretations that applied rhetorical theory, Neoplatonic philosophy, and ancient scholarship, to ensure Homer’s enduring canonical status among Platonists and Christians. The seminar will include substantial reading of original texts, and will result in an extended research paper, to be completed in the Winter term.