Introductory description

Philosophy and tragedy have a long and complex relationship in the history of Western philosophy. This module aims at getting this relationship into view. We will do so by looking at some of the most historically notable ways in which philosophers have engaged with tragedy in their work, as well as by reading some tragic plays. Along the way, we will consider questions such as: What is the difference between philosophy and poetry? Does tragic drama ‘think’ in a different way than a philosophical text? How does poetic language represent the world? Does tragedy deal with a specific sort of ethical dilemma? What does tragedy tell us about how to live? Philosophical texts to be read include all or parts of Plato’s Republic and Ion, Aristotle’s Poetics, Hume’s “Of Tragedy”, and Hegel’s Lectures on Fine Art, as well as contemporary work by Stanley Cavell, Martha Nussbaum, and Bernard Williams. Tragic dramas to be read include Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex and Antigone, Euripides’s Medea, and Shakespeare’s King Lear.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

After an introduction to the goals of the module, the module will focus on a series of philosophical texts and tragic plays, devoting 1-2 weeks to each text or set of texts. The philosophical texts and tragedies will be paired in order to illuminate various themes. Possible themes include: representation and reality, representation and action, poetic vs. philosophical language, the role of emotion in aesthetic cognition, and the ethical implications of tragedy.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Key Skills: use written communication skills to analyse and respond critically to main issues; use research skills, drawing on print and electronic resources, to initiate and de-limit a scholarly project; take responsibility for learning, showing ability to manage time and prepare for class meetings and assignments
• Subject knowledge and understanding: develop and communicate knowledge of exemplars that combine philosophical and literary projects; consolidate complex understanding of methodological and substantive issues that emerge from study of key texts and theories
• Cognitive Skills: ability to distinguish relevant features of texts and to consider underlying questions raised by them; ability to apply abstract concepts; ability to seek and use forms of evidence relevant to theoretical questions; ability to develop an argument that addresses a key question in a focused way
• Subject-Specific Skills/Professional Skills: ability to carry out close reading of texts of different kinds, showing sensitivity to forms of language and discourse; ability to consider connections and contrasts between literary and philosophical methods and goals; competence in consistent, scholarly citation of research sources

Indicative reading list

Tragic dramas:

Sophocles, Antigone
Sophocles, Oedipus Rex
Euripides, Medea
Shakespeare, King Lear

Philosophical Texts:

Plato, Republic
Plato, Ion
Aristotle, Poetics
Hume, "Of Tragedy"
Hegel, Lectures on Fine Arts

Stanley Cavell, Disowning Knowledge
Peter Euben, The Tragedy of Political Theory
Stephen Halliwell, The Aesthetics of Mimesis
Martha Nussbaum, The Fragility of Goodness
Bernard Williams, Shame and Necessity

Research element

Essay assignment, requiring research

Interdisciplinary

Incorporates study of philosophy and literature

International

Source texts will be drawn from international literary and philosophical traditions (working in translation with texts written in languages other than English).

Subject specific skills

Subject-Specific Skills/Professional Skills: ability to carry out close reading of texts of different kinds, showing sensitivity to forms of language and discourse; ability to consider connections and contrasts between literary and philosophical methods and goals; competence in consistent, scholarly citation of research sources

Transferable skills

Key Skills: use written communication skills to analyse and respond critically to main issues; use research skills, drawing on print and electronic resources, to initiate and de-limit a scholarly project; take responsibility for learning, showing ability to manage time and prepare for class meetings and assignments
Cognitive Skills: ability to distinguish relevant features of texts and to consider underlying questions raised by those features; ability to work with abstract concepts and show understanding of forms of evidence relevant to theoretical questions; ability to develop a focused argument that addresses a question