PHIL 180 - Tragedy and Philosophy: Ancient and Modern Perspectives

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

Since Greek antiquity, philosophers have puzzled over the meaning, value, and purpose of tragedy. This course traces their conversation from ancient Athens to German Romanticism to the present, examining classic writings alongside plays that have captured the philosophical imagination. Authors may include: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Plato, Aristotle, Shakespeare, Schiller, Hegel, Nietzsche, Stanley Cavell and Martha Nussbaum. Students learn to write short, carefully argued analyses of challenging texts, and to reflect on broader issues of interpretation and authorial intent, the moral criticism of art, canonization, and genre. If appropriate, the class will also attend a performance by the Vassar Drama Department, a film screening, or a live broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera. Christopher Raymond.

Open only to freshmen; satisfies the college requirement for a Freshman Writing Seminar.

Two 75-minute periods.