Plato and Aristophanes, Four Texts on Socrates
Aristophanes, Ecclesiazusae (Assembly of Women) (mimeo)
Sophocles I, Three Tragedies, 2nd Ed. (U. of Chicago Press)
Machiavelli, Mandragola
Shakespeare, Coriolanus, Antony and Cleopatra, The Tempest
Flaubert, Madame Bovary (Penguin)

In the past, the poet was regarded not as an antipolitical bohemian nor as a partisan of a political class or cause but rather as a wise human being who could help us to understand the drama of human life as a whole and the drama of political life in particular. The goal of this course is to see what we can learn about the nature of politics and about human nature (and hence about ourselves) by studying a number of masterpieces of classical literature. As we study these works, we will consider such themes as the equality of the sexes, democracy and aristocracy, the wisdom of the poet vs. the wisdom of the philosopher, the tragic view of life vs. the comic view of life, science and politics, religion and politics, morality and politics, love and politics, and ambition and politics.

There will be two short (5-7 page) papers (worth 25 % each) and one longish (8-10 page) paper (worth 40-45%). You must do all the written work to pass the course. You will be docked a half of a grade (for example, from A to A-) on a paper which you hand in late unless you either have asked for (and received) my permission beforehand or have a very good excuse. Roughly 5- 10% of your grade will be determined by class participation. Regular attendance is expected. You will also be expected to read these works carefully and more than once before and as we discuss them in class.

August 31 Introduction

September 7 Aristophanes, Clouds

September 14 Aristophanes, Ecclesiazusae (Assembly of Women)

September 21 Sophocles, Oedipus the King (literally, the Tyrant)

September 27: FIRST PAPER DUE AT 5:OO P.M. IN CHAMBERS 203-C

September 28 Sophocles, Oedipus the Tyrant

October 5 Machiavelli, Mandragola Recommended: The Prince, esp. chaps. 8, 15-18, 25

October 12 Shakespeare, Coriolanus Recommended: Plutarch, Life of Coriola nus

October 26 Shakespeare, Coriolanus

November 2 Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra Recommended: Plutarch, Life of Antony

November 8: SECOND PAPER DUE AT 5:00 P.M. IN CHAMBERS 203-C

November 9 Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra

November 16 Shakespeare, The Tempest

November 23 Shakespeare, The Tempest

November 30 Flaubert, Madame Bovary

December 7 Flaubert, Madame Bovary

December 14 Overview

December 20: THIRD PAPER DUE AT 5:00 P.M. IN CHAMBERS 203-C