Women in Ancient Myth and Society

Module Code:

MCLA8420

When taught:

n/a

Credit points:

20

Method of Assessment:

1 x 5,000 word essay

Teaching Methods:

Module pack

Availability

Residential and distance students

Lecturer:

D. Noy

Contact hours (for residential students):

N/A

Syllabus:

The module examines some of the roles of women in Greek and Roman myth and history.  You will study the lives and stories of various real and imaginary women, considering how the images of the imaginary ones influenced the portrayal of the real ones.  The module starts by looking at some of the most important women in the world of Greek myth: Pandora, the first woman (in one version); Penelope and Alcestis, the archetypal devoted wives; Clytemnestra the pseudo-man, Medea the witch and Phaedra the wicked stepmother.  Then you will study two real-life Greek women about whom we do not know as much as you might at first think: Neaera the courtesan from Corinth and Cleopatra the last queen of Egypt.  Moving back chronologically, you will study the role of women in early Roman ‘history’ (which we would now consider more myth than history).  There will be case-studies of two notorious women from Roman history: Clodia and the younger Agrippina.  Finally, you will see how myth and reality merged in the portrayal of women on Roman sarcophagi.  The source material used will mainly be literature, including epic, history, forensic oratory and drama.  Some attention will also be paid to inscriptions, papyri and archaeological evidence, particularly coins and funerary artefacts.  It will not be assumed that you have any previous knowledge of gender studies.

Learning outcomes:  

• To develop an understanding of the images of women (good and bad) which existed in myth and were promulgated by myth-based literature.
• To develop an understanding of the roles and experiences of some women in the real Ancient World.
• To consider how the images of myth influenced the portrayal of real-life women.
• To raise awareness of the problems and difficulties associated with reconstructing the history of women on the basis of male-authored ancient sources.
• To enhance students’ skills of source analysis in a variety of genres.

Transferable and other skills involved:  

Academic writing skills.

Main recommended texts:  

• Blundell, S.  Women in Ancient Greece (British Museum Press, 1999).  ISBN: 071412219X. [This book can also be found in other editions; it doesn’t matter which one you have]
• Fantham, E. et al. Women in the Classical World (Oxford Univ. Press 1994).  ISBN: 0195067274.
• Lefkowitz, M. Women in Greek Myth (Bristol Classical Press, 1998).  ISBN: 1853994782
• Pomeroy, S.  Goddesses, Whores, Wives and Slaves (Pimlico, 1994). ISBN: 0712660542. [This book can also be found in other editions; it doesn’t matter which one you have]

Evaluation (including student evaluation):  

Students will be asked to complete a questionnaire at the end of the module. This will be used by the Department in its annual review of all its teaching to help evaluate the module’s success. The external examiner will also have the opportunity to make comments and results of the questionnaires will be discussed in the SSCC.