Classics Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2754

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    Lucretius: the Wonderer
    (2014) Kunz, Inna; Hallett, Judith; Classics; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    I seek to create a Lucretius text useful for a high school classroom including a commentary on four sections of the poem. The passages include 2.998 – 1047 which explains how the Epicurean atomic theory, 3.912—979 the famous passage that denies the underworld and its tortures, 5.855 – 923 the semi-Darwinian passage detailing the sorts of creatures that can exist in this world, and 5.1194– 1240 about the detrimental effects of humans fearing gods. In addition to writing a commentary on these passages, I will explore the perception of Lucretius though the present day, in hopes of discovering how and why this important and influential author has been so systematically excluded from secondary latin literary studies. My discussion will include an overview of how modern Latin textbooks do or do not mention Lucretius and how his presence in these textbooks compares to his role in university-level Latin course offerings. In addition to writing a commentary on these passages, I will explore the perception of Lucretius though the present day, in hopes of discovering how and why this important and influential author has been so systematically excluded from secondary latin literary studies. My discussion will include an overview of how modern Latin textbooks do or do not mention Lucretius and how his presence in these textbooks compares to his role in university-level Latin course offerings. I am hoping this research will be useful both pedagogically and for learning how decisions about literary content are made in American secondary and higher education in Latin.
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    Animal Similes and Gender in the Odyssey and Oresteia
    (2008-05-19) Braff, Johanna Leah; Doherty, Lillian; Classics; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    This thesis offers an overview of a selection of the animal similes within the Odyssey and the Agamemnon. I examine the ways in which the animal similes, reverse similes, and overall character portrayal are depicted within each work. I argue that these tools are used in order to reflect the genres of the two works and how neither completely adheres to the expectations of the gender roles, that is, what is expected of the male and female characters. The gender roles are more stable in the Odyssey as Penelope relies on her homophrosune with Odysseus, while the Agamemnon captures the chaos that occurs when the female does not remain within the female sphere.