Undergraduate Studies
AUGUSTAN POETRY
Module Code: 3CLA4810
Credits: 10
Taught by: Mirjam Plantinga
Syllabus:
The second half of the first century BC saw a sudden flourishing of poetry.
The brilliant and innovative poetry of this relatively short period can rightly
be considered to be one of the great literary achievements of the Romans.
The poems contain a personal response to contemporary society and many of
the poems studied have a political dimension (even when overtly anti-political).
They provide fascinating glimpses of social and literary life in early Augustan
Rome and the surrounding Italian countryside. The poetry produced in this
period is frequently self-conscious, offering reflections on the art of writing
poetry and what it means to be a poet. Study of the poetry also reveals the
poets’ aspirations, and their attitudes towards and adaptations of
their Greek models. Of special interest is the development of the genre of
love poetry. Here the portrayal of the tormented, infatuated, and often disillusioned
lover, subjected to a whole range of emotions, such as jealousy, fear and
intense passion, is brought to perfection. In the course of this module we
shall study a selection of Virgil’s pastoral poetry (the Eclogues),
Horace’s famous Odes, Propertius’ love elegies and Ovid’s
Amores.
Learning outcomes:
To introduce students to the poetry of four Augustan poets and examine their
key-themes and subjects through close study of their poetry.
To broaden and deepen the students’ knowledge of this period (as acquired
during the Part One module ‘Augustus and the Roman World’) and
place the poetry studied in its social and historical context.
To introduce students to recent critical advances in the study of Augustan
poetry and develop their appreciation of the complexity of these works.
To raise awareness of the problems and difficulties associated with the study
of Augustan poetry.
To encourage students to develop skills of literary appreciation and analysis.
Transferable and other skills involved:
To develop critical, analytical and problem-solving skills through the writing
of coursework and the use of recent critical and scholarly work.
To enhance the use of written English through essay work and skills in oral
presentation through participation in seminars.
Main recommended texts: (recommended purchases)
Day Lewis, C. (1983), Virgil: The Eclogues, The Georgics, Oxford: OUP.
Rayor, D. J. & Batstone, W. W. (1995), Latin Lyric and Elegiac Poetry:
An Anthology of New Translations, New York & London: Garland Publishing.