I’m hosting a class for RWA Rainbow Writers
Originally published at Jennifer Thorne. You can comment here or there.
Homosexuality in the Classical Age
Homosexuality and lesbianism in the Classical Age will be explored with the help of author Jennifer Thorne, identifying themes of transgression and desire through the works of Homer, Plato, Sappho and Aristophanes. Information will be culled from normal, everyday life as well as the Gods and heroes themselves.
Topics include:
1. a) Defining our terms and frames of reference - who, what, when, where, and why
b) Define ‘Normal’ - Home life, society’s expectations, stages of life (with a look at the Odyssey - who’da thunk that Odysseus and Penelope were the template for ‘normal’?).
2. What was ‘Greek love’, really? (Defining homosexuality/lesbianism in the classical Greek period).
a) Plato and ‘Platonic love’ - the golden ideal.
b) Sappho and ‘Sapphic love’ - what girls did, and why no one cared (as long as it was with each other).
3. Sex and the Body Politic- what happens when the boundaries are broken- the law, medicine, and corporal punishment (Be prepared to push your ’squick factor button’ on this one).
4. Beauty (Or, size does matter, but not in the way you think) - with lots of pictures and poetry, and a ‘create your own caption’ contest for the artwork. Much hilarity (and ogling) is promised. But, it’s all in the name of art. Really.
5. Double-Standards - Gods and heroes, Satyrs, Amazons, and Maenads (The liminal, the bestial, and the war on society - with special emphasis on amazons and maenads just ’cause they’re fun, and it makes a nice change from getting all depressed about how girls were treated).
6. Aristophanes’ Thesmophoriazusae - a quick explanation of the plot, and why it was so funny and outrageous (You have to love Aristophanes - he was such a curmudgeon).
Date: March 1st - March 15th
Location: Rainbow Romance Writers Yahoo! Workshop Group. You will receive an invite to join the group before the workshop begins.
Price: $10 for Rainbow Romance Writers members, $15 for non-members
Instructor: Jennifer Thorne has a B.A. in Classics from Wilfrid Laurier University, and had a lot of fun finding the interesting bits in history in between the lists of Roman Emperors and who smucked whom in which battle. But please don’t ask her about pots. She has worked very hard to forget about those.