LT4215 Senecan Tragedy

Academic year

2023 to 2024 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Available to General Degree students with the permission of the Honours Adviser

Planned timetable

TBC

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr E L Buckley

Dr E L Buckley
This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr E Buckley

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module will explore in Latin and translation a selection of Senecan Tragedy, the 'dark side' of Seneca the Younger's literary output. We will examine the influence of Greek and Roman tragic and epic antecedents, set the 'nefarious' poetics of Senecan drama against Seneca's philosophical writings, and consider the political resonances of writing tyranny, victimhood and despair in the reign of Nero. The module will also offer the opportunity to explore the cultural impact of Seneca's tragedies and examine the potent 'afterlife' of Senecan drama in revenge tragedy more generally.

Assessment pattern

2-hour Written Examination = 40%, Coursework = 60% (1 essay, 15%, 2 commentaries, 30%, 1 class-test, 15%)

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

2 meetings

Scheduled learning hours

22

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

280

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Identify, read, understand and describe the key features of Senecan tragedy and its cultural milieu
  • Understand and deploy the theoretical and methodological processes of relevant literary research.
  • Devise coherent and critically aware arguments on the basis of a thorough analysis of the primary texts and the evaluation of relevant published scholarship
  • Present their arguments both orally and in writing
  • Organize their own learning, manage their workload and work to a timetable
  • Engage independently with the source text, offering their own distinctive and creative translation or adaptation of the source text