Undergraduate

Reading classical Greek: language and literature

On this page

• What you will study
• Entry
• If you have a disability or additional requirement
• Study materials
• Teaching and assessment
• Students also studied
• Future availability

This course combines an introduction to classical Greek language with the study of classical Greek culture and literature in translation. It is intended for beginners in Greek and assumes no previous experience of language learning. The course teaches you basic vocabulary and grammar, and sets you on your way to reading Greek texts in the original. The course uses the JACT Reading Greek series, augmented by Study Guides. Your language learning is also supported by specially designed interactive resources. Alongside your language work, you study set texts in English (Euripides’ Medea, Aristophanes’ Clouds and Plato’s Defence of Socrates) from literary, cultural and performance angles.

Course facts

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This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees and financial support may vary by country.

What you will study

All references to the Greek language in these notes are to classical Greek, not modern Greek.

This course looks at the language and literature of classical Greece. It provides an introduction to the basics of classical Greek and allows you to lay solid foundations on which you can later build if you want to go on to read Greek authors in the original. It also develops your knowledge of the culture and literature of the classical era and includes the study, in translation, of three of the era’s most enduring texts: Euripides’ Medea, Aristophanes’ Clouds and Plato’s Defence of Socrates. No previous knowledge of Greek is required. This course is ideal both for students new to the discipline of classical studies and for anyone wising to expand their knowledge of the rich thought-world of classical Greece.

The structured approach of this course will enable students with a variety of backgrounds to develop an awareness of the cultural and linguistic characteristics of classical Greece. Its specially designed grammar and vocabulary materials make it accessible to people who have not studied an ancient language before. It will also be of particular interest to those who are already taking classical studies courses. It complements other Open University Level 2 courses, especially Exploring the classical world (A219). 

While this course is designed in such a way as to be suitable for students wishing to cover only the basics of classical Greek, it also provides a sound foundation for more language-orientated students wanting to study authors in the original, such as Plato, Aristophanes, Euripides, Sophocles, Herodotus and Homer. It also offers a suitable grounding in language if you want to go on to postgraduate work in areas such as classical studies or philosophy. Also, as this course examines the culture and literature of classical Athens, it is ideal preparation for studying Level 3 courses such as Myth in the Greek and Roman worlds (A330)

The linguistic core is based around the second edition of the textbook Reading Greek where you get to grips with the language by reading passages adapted from Greek authors. This emphasis on reading means that new vocabulary and grammar is always met in context, with the added advantage that while studying the language you gain an important insight into the literature and history of classical Greece. The passages you read are adapted from a number of authors such as Thucydides, Plato, Herodotus and Aristophanes.

The Language Study Guide is specially developed for independent learners. It will help you to understand the structure of Greek in greater depth and develop strategies for reading and understanding the language. It is designed to support all students, regardless of whether or not you have any previous experience of language learning. It offers important guidance in using the Reading Greek texts, helps you to pace your learning effectively and provides support throughout your studies.

The Literature Study Guide introduces you to a number of texts that you will read in translation, with special attention given to their authors’ use of language and to key cultural concepts. The key works you read are: Euripides’ Medea, a tragedy about betrayal and bitter revenge; Aristophanes’ Clouds, a bawdy comedy about Socrates and the changing intellectual climate in Athens in the 420s BCE; and Plato’s Defence of Socrates, a version of Socrates’ defence speech delivered at his trial in 399 BCE. During the course you will then study the Greek theatre and the changing thought world of classical Athens as well as gaining an overview (in translation) of some of the major authors of the classical Greek world.

The Language Study Guide is also backed up by another key resource: simple-to-use, interactive, web-based exercises that allow you to consolidate the language learning you have done and hone your knowledge. In addition, there is a Language Reference Book that sets out clearly, for quick reference, all the Greek grammar you will need for your study.

CDs provide short audio lectures that cover various aspects of the history, literature, thought and culture of the Greek world and also allow you to hear how classical Greek may have been pronounced using a number of readings from texts you will encounter in the course. There are also audio and DVD resources that support your study of the texts you read in translation. These include a filmed production of Euripides' Medea and specially recorded versions of Aristophanes' Clouds and Plato's Defence of Socrates. This course aims to provide a unique insight into Greek language and literature and the rich culture from which they originated.

Entry

This is a Level 2 course and builds on the Level 1 courses The arts past and present (AA100), Voices and texts (A150) and Making sense of things: an introduction to material culture (A151). These Level 1 courses develop skills such as logical thinking, clear expression, essay writing and the ability to select and interpret relevant materials. They also offer an introduction to a range of subjects in the arts and humanities. AA100 also introduces the Greek world with a case study of Seamus Heany’s The Burial at Thebes, a modern version of Sophocles’ tragedy Antigone. Aspects of ancient Greek culture – the gods and heroes in Homer's Iliad –are introduced in A150.

If you have not studied at university level before, you are strongly advised to study at Level 1 before progressing to Level 2 study.

Your regional or national centre can advise you on where you can see reference copies of Level 1 study materials. Some are also available from Open University Worldwide Ltd. We particularly recommend looking at these materials if you have not successfully completed Level 1 study or studied at an equivalent level elsewhere.

Although you don’t require any knowledge of the Greek language, this course does demands consistent work and commitment from the beginning. If you have experience of learning an ancient language (perhaps from Reading classical Latin (A297)) you will be aware that regular study sessions are the only way to gain and retain a reading knowledge of the language.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.

Preparatory work

The specially prepared website Interactive Introduction to Ancient Greek provides you with an excellent introduction to the study of the language. If you would like our preparatory leaflet, please send an A4 self-addressed envelope without a stamp to the A275 Curriculum Manager, Faculty of Arts, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA.

If you have a disability or additional requirement

Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and musical notation and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Other alternative formats of the study materials may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.  Sample pages of text are available from the A275 Curriculum Manager at the address above.

If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our publication Meeting Your Needs.

You can also find information about accessible study materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.

Study materials

What's included

Books, other printed materials, DVD, DVD-ROM, audio CDs, website.

You will need

CD player, DVD player.

Computing requirements

This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.

You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2005 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. We may also be able to offer group tutorials or day schools that you are encouraged, but not obliged, to attend. Where tutorials are held will depend on the distribution of students taking the course.

Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.

Assessment

The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.

You must use the online eTMA system to submit some of your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs). Your assignment booklet will tell you which method of submission you should use for each assignment.

Students also studied

Students who studied this course also studied at some time:

• Exploring the classical world (A219)
• Myth in the Greek and Roman worlds (A330)
• The arts past and present (AA100)
• Reading classical Latin (A297)
• Continuing classical Latin (A397)

Future availability

The details given here are for the course that starts in October 2012. We expect it to be available once a year.

Fees 2012

See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.

Study explained

Financial support

- find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.

Study explained

- all you need to know about distance learning with the OU.

Student Reviews

Having long had an interest in the classical world and previously having studied A219, I decided the time had come ...
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I found A275 both very enjoyable and very challenging. The course materials are clear and easy to read, and the ...
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