Classical Civilisation

Course summary

Students learn about the ancient world through its literature. The Greek Tragedy in its Context module explores society and its values as well as religion through the study of four plays written by the great 5th century BC tragedians Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. The child murderer Medea, the husband murderer Clytemnestra and the defiant Antigone are some of the characters students study for this module. Homer's Odyssey and Society takes us back to the 7th century BC and earlier, examining society and values through the study of Homer's great epic poem The Odyssey that describes events following the Trojan war as Odysseus tries to get home to his wife and son and the problem he has to deal with on his return. The texts for both modules are read through, explained and discussed in the classroom. Characters and plot are explored as well as relevant cultural or historical information. This is a popular AS choice and there is a very high retention level to A2, during which students study two further modules: Comic Drama in the Ancient World and Virgil and the World of the Hero.