Text and Context: Roman Laughter
| Module title | Text and Context: Roman Laughter |
|---|---|
| Module code | CLA2405 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Sharon Marshall (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 48 |
|---|
Module description
What made the Romans laugh? What were the limits of Roman humour? What does this reveal about Roman culture and society? This module addresses some of the key issues of the politics and poetics of Roman humour. It is concerned with the way the Romans employed wit, satire and irony for comment, criticism and deconstruction, as well as a powerful weapon in their rhetorical battles. We will consider a range of materials from the poems of Catullus, to the fables of Phaedrus, to non-elite art. Ultimately, we will address whether the humour that seems to turn everything on its head seeks to subvert or reinforce prevailing power structures.
Module aims - intentions of the module
Students will learn how to analyse and critically evaluate texts and how to relate their style and content to the wider context of Roman literary culture.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Be able to independently analyse texts which put Roman humour on display
- 2. Understand and engage critically with a variety of approaches possible in the study of classical literature and current trends in criticism
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Be able to use, analyse and evaluate ancient texts in relation to other sources and their socio-historical context
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Develop advanced academic and library skills as well as a critical ability in assessing published literature
- 5. Demonstrate advanced independent and group study skills in guided research and presentation of findings
- 6. Demonstrate an ability to select critically and organise effectively relevant material and to present this in oral and written form
- 7. Be able to discuss and debate critical issues in a peer group
Syllabus plan
Introduction: Theories of laughter
Comedy and rhetoric: Cicero’s In Pisonem
Epigram: Catullus and Martial
Phaedrus’ Fables
Satire: Horace,Juvenal and Persius
Laughter in visual material
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | 124 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 22 | Lectures (11 x 2 hours) |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 4 | Seminars (4 x 1 hour) |
| Guided | 124 | Independent study |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral presentation | 5-10 minutes | 1-8 | Written and verbal feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 60 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 40 | 2000 words | 1-6, 8 | Mark, written and oral feedback |
| Exam | 60 | 2 hours | 1-6 | Mark, written and oral feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay | 1-6, 8 | August ref/def period |
| Exam | Exam | 1-6 | August ref/def period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Catullus (a selection)
Phaedrus (Book 5)
Horace, Satires
Juvenal, Satires
Martial, Epigrams
Cicero , In Pisonem
Recommended Reading:
Fitzgerald, W. Martial: The World of the Epigram. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Freudenburg, K. ed. (2005) The Cambridge Companion to Roman Satire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Henderson, J. (2001) Telling tales on Caesar: Roman Stories from Phaedrus. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Jäkel, S. and A. Timonen. eds. (1997) Laughter down the Centuries. Turku: Turun Yliopisto.
Sullivan, J. P. (1991) Martial: The Unexpected Classic. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.50 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Last revision date | 23/02/2017 |
