GOALS OF COURSE

This course focuses on attitudes towards women in several ancient cultures and examines evidence that touches the lives and experiences of actual women of the past.

The goal of the course is to give students the background and tools for continuing inquiry into the lives of ancient women, if desired, and to participate in intelligent discussion of the origins of western gender systems.

Rather than forcing students to stuff themselves with a rigidly defined corpus of information, the course encourages independent thinking and sensitivity to assumptions about gender differences, in particular those assumptions that have affected the prevailing belief systems of the western world. Students will also develop a broad understanding of some cultural differences between our lives and those of the peoples of the ancient Mediterranean—differences that may affect our judgment about the texts and artifacts these people have left behind.

The course takes a guided "tour" of some fascinating source materials, including monuments, sculptures, vase paintings, and other examples of the visual arts, as well as inscriptions and a broad range of literary materials in translation.

To a certain extent, the interests of the students who enroll will determine the highlights of the course. In the past, after a brief look at the position of women in Bronze Age Egypt, the Near East, and the Aegean, we have moved on to consider in some depth the evidence from Classical Greece and Rome.

Some acquaintance with the historical background of one or more of the periods to be covered can be helpful, but is not required.

SPRING 2000, R 5:20 - 7:50

Office: DICKSON 152 (1st floor, last hallway to left)

Hours: M W 10-11, R 4-5, in DICKSON 152

E-mail: HusseinS@mail.montclair.edu
 

REQUIRED TEXTS & ABBREVIATIONS

Blundell, Women in Ancient Greece, Harvard 1995 = BL

Henderson, Three Plays by Aristophanes, Routledge 1996 = AR

Kleiner, et al, I Claudia, Women in Ancient Rome, Texas, 1996 (for Yale Art Gallery) = KL

Rabinowitz et alWomen on the Edge, Routledge, 1999 = EU

Materials to be posted on class web site (see above) = WW

Handouts = X

EVALUATION
Classwork, Homework, Group Assignments, Minitests, Attendance  = 15%
Two Short Papers @ 10%&                                        = 20%
Midterm(s)                                                     = 30%
Final Exam                                                     = 35%

Please Note: It is the policy of the Classics Department that to obtain credit for a course, students must complete all requirements of that course in a satisfactory manner.

ATTENDANCE: REQUIRED. Just being there is a contribution. A very small part of the classwork grade will be based on attendance. And there is a carrot: Perfect attendance --no excuses!-- will earn a 0.2 point bonus on the 4.0-point scale. Attendance for the bonus means being present for the entire class. Occasionally, those who miss only one class or part of a class may be granted a small 0.1-point bonus.

EMAIL ADDRESS: REQUIRED. If you do not already have one, we will help you get one.

MSU COMPUTER ACCOUNT: STRONGLY ENCOURAGED. We will try to deal with this in a computer lab at the end of the first session. To get a MSU account, go to any lab, telnet to ALPHA.montclair.edu (you can use any telnet program: QVT, Better Telnet, NCSA Telnet, etc.) and sign in as STUDENT. At the menu, choose (1).

IF YOU'RE LATE: YOU'LL MISS IMPORTANT STUFF. Announcements will be made during the first few minutes of class. If you do end up walking in late, be sure to check with a classmate and on WebCT to find out what you missed: you may have a new test date, or a required WebCT assignment!

TESTS: MUST BE TAKEN WHEN SCHEDULED, but you can always try for an exception. If disaster strikes and you miss a test or other important class event, get in touch fast! Students who stroll into the next class session hoping for the best are likely to be disappointed.

OFFICE HOURS: FLEXIBLE. "Official" Office Hours are M & W 11 am--just drop by--and W 8-9 am, but other days and times can be scheduled. Call me: Home phone during early evening (before 10 pm) is best time. Or use e-mail: Professor will answer mail sent to husseins@mail.montclair.edu within a day or two.

TOPICS & ASSIGNMENTS: CHANGES WILL BE MADE.
* Assignments are listed for the days they are to be covered in class. Lectures and other class activities presuppose familiarity with these materials, and build on them.
* Fuller versions of some assignments and helpful notes will be posted to WebCT as the class gets moving.
* Last-minute changes will be annouced in class and posted on WebCT...eventually. Check with a classmate if you miss class or the first few minutes of class.
* Reading required for papers is already built into the course assignments.

WOMEN IN ANTIQUITY SPRING 2000—
Preliminary List of TOPICS & ASSIGNMENTS*

*This list will be filled out after students have had an opportunity to indicate some of their preferences.
As noted in the introduction, WEBCT is the place to go for further information. Changes will be posted there first. But because on-line items may not always be updated immediately, be sure to check with a classmate if you miss class or come in a little late.

Dates on the syllabus are preparation dates: Dates BEFORE WHICH readings should be done.

Date     Lecture/Discussion Topics        Preparation

R Jan 18 Introduction                     <—In-Class Materials

R Jan 25 Background,
         Some Theoretical Considerations,
         What Some Men Were Saying        <—BL 9-12; 20-24; 78-81; KL 11-13; 14-24; KL 126-140

R Feb 01 Women of the Imagination—
         Goddesses and Others             <—EU Alcestis; WWW; BL 25-46; BL 58-62

R Feb 08 The Family?                      <—TBA

R Feb 15 Marriage?                        <—TBA

R Feb 22 The Unmarried?                   <—TBA

R Mar 01                                  <—TBA

R Mar 15                                  <—TBA

R Mar 22                                  <—TBA

R Mar 29                                  <—TBA

R Apr 05                                  <—TBA

R Apr 12                                  <—TBA

R Apr 19                                  <—TBA

R Apr 26                                  <—TBA

R May 04 READING DAY--NO CLASS            <—Do what you have to do.

M May 10 FINAL EXAM...but                 <—Check your MSU calendars
                                           just in case this is a typo!