The Wrath of Achilles ― Guided reading of the Iliad

The purpose of the course is to introduce the students to the origins of classical Greek literature. The various literary genres are defined while focusing on the Homeric epic poetry, its conventions, Meters and literary devices. The course includes an introduction to the Homeric world in terms of historical context, values, economy, politics and Homeric religion. The teaching is conducted through a guided reading of selected passages from the Iliad while analyzing their content, the major plot lines, main characters and their development.

This is an introductory course that requires no previous knowledge of Greek epic poetry.

Course requirements: In order to finish the course successfully the students should pass a take-home exam; the final mark will be the examination mark.