Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CL 361"
COURSE NAME: "Sexuality, Eroticism and Gender in Myth and Literature of Greece and Rome"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2024

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Thomas Govero
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN 110 with a grade of C or above. Co-requisites: Recommended: Junior Standing
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This multi-disciplinary (philosophy, literature, history, law, art and archeology) course will examine sexuality and eroticism in antiquity, looking in particular at their role as an initiation to higher levels of thought and cognition; their impetus in defining gender roles; their existence as physiological/psychological needs versus social constructions; how they have invested modern thought, research, and become enduring models interpreting human behavior. Students will carry out a close study of selections from Greek and Roman lyric poetry, Greek drama, philosophy and essays, Roman satire and Ovid’s epics on love and extensive writing to analyze the context and content of the readings and lectures.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This multi-disciplinary (philosophy, literature, history, law, art and archeology) course will examine sexuality and eroticism in antiquity, looking in particular at their role as an initiation to higher levels of thought and cognition; their impetus in defining gender roles; their existence as physiological/psychological needs versus social constructions; how they have invested modern thought, research, and become enduring models interpreting human behavior. Students will carry out a close study of selections from Greek and Roman lyric poetry, Greek drama, philosophy and essays, Roman satire and Ovid’s epics on love and extensive writing to analyze the context and content of the readings and lectures.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
This multi-disciplinary (philosophy, literature, history, law, art and archeology) course will examine sexuality and eroticism in antiquity, looking in particular at their role as an initiation to higher levels of thought and cognition; their impetus in defining gender roles; their existence as physiological/psychological needs versus social constructions; how they have invested modern thought, research, and become enduring models interpreting human behavior. Students will carry out a close study of selections from Greek and Roman lyric poetry, Greek drama, philosophy and essays, Roman satire and Ovid’s epics on love and extensive writing to analyze the context and content of the readings and lectures.

TEXTBOOK:

NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
8 - 10 rèsumès of artlicles or in response to prompts	Frequent résumés written in class and then discussed on a prompt such as a selection from the literature read or the context of a literary selection or myth.	20%
Midterm paper	Five page paper critically discussing a topic from erotic literature or myth. Guidelines and criteria will be handed-out	20%
Participation	Participation in discussions with comments on class material and questions.	20%
Presentation	Oral presentation of the erotic character of a selected text 15 minutes in length with outline	20%
Final Paper	Written discussion of a text as per the midterm paper. Five pages.	20%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the cours
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY

You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Class Session	Content of the Session	Readings and/or Résumés	Assignments & Exercises N.B. There will be frequent quizzes. These will be announced beforehand.
1.1	Introduction to the Course: Rationale, Procedures, Protocals Evaluation	W. Curran, "Only Connect"	Games of Venus, Introduction pp. 1 -50, due week 2.2
1.2	Methodologies and Caveats: anachronism, heuristic approaches, definition of terms: eros, agape,philia, eromenos, erastes , hetaira	Neumann "The Great Mother" Archetypes of the feminine Résumé 1	Handout: Neumann
2.3	Images of the feminine: the faithful wife, the siren, the seductress, the witch	Homer, “Odyssey”: (In-class selections)	Sappho corpus. Due: 3.6
2. 4	The wise prostitute: “Gilgamesh” discussion. (In-class readings and discussion)	Résumé 2	.
3. 5	Introduction to Greek lyric: feminist and homosexual voices; Eroticism and paideia		Theogonis, Ibycus, Archilochus, Anacreon, Anacreonta Callimachus. Due: 4.7
3. 6	Sappho corpus discussion	Criteria and Guidelines for midterm paper.	Plato: “Symposium” ""Aristophanes speech" Due: 6. 10
4. 7	Theogonis, Ibycus, Callimachus et al discussion	Résumé
4. 8	Zeus progenitor: sex among the gods	Selections from the Iliad. Visuals: Slides from art representations.	Midterm paper topics due. Guidelines and Criteria will be provided.
5. 9	Eroticism and sexuality in philosophy and rhetoric: Gorgias and Plato	Gorgias, “Enconium to Helen”	Plato: “Phaedrus” Part 1 Due: 7. 13
6. 10	Plato, “Symposium” discussion	Résumé
6. 11	Plato, “Symposium” (con’t): Women and Wisdom: Diotima		Aristophanes, “Lysastrata”. Due: 9. 16
7. 12	Eroticism in classical Greek art	Visuals
7. 13	Presentations: Guidelines and criteria will be provided.
8. 14	Presentations		Euripides, “Alcestis”, “Medea” Due: 10. 17
8. 15	Presentations
9. 16	Discussion, Aristophanes, “Lysistrata”: Women on Strike	Short, oral reports on papers	Midterm papers due.
10. 17	Discussion of Eurpides: “Alcestis”, “Medea”		Plutarch, “On Marriage” Due: 11.20
10. 18	New social perspectives: Hellenism	Criteria and Guidelines for final paper
11 19	And now the Romans….the new face of women; a new sexual code. Patriarchal codes	Résumé The XXII Tables	Livy: the “Lupa”, Lucretia, the Rape of the Sabines, Verginia.
11. 20	Marriage and sexuality in Roman law	Selected laws and inscriptions	Selections from Catullus, Horace, Propertius, Vergil and Juvenal
12. 21.	Latin erotic poetry: Catullus and Propertius Reason and passions	Selections Final paper topics due
12. 22	Latin erotic poetry: Horace and Vergil (Ecologue 2), “Aeneid” Book IV	Selections	Tertullian, Jerome, “Letter 22”, Gregory of Nyssa, “On Virginity”, Augustine, “On Marriage”,” On Virginity” Due: 13.26
12- 23	Latin erotic poetry: Ovid, “Art of Love”	Selections
13. 24	Latin erotic poetry: Juvenal: Misoginy	Résumé
13. 25	Christian perspectives: Denial as Holiness, Institutional control of sexuality. Influence of Manichism	Paul, selections from “Letters”
13. 26	Discussion of Tertullian and Jerome
13. 27	Discussion of Gregory of Nyssa and Augustine
13 28	Review and Overview
13. 29	Final exam	Final Papers due. Short, oral reviews of papers.