The downside of studying the classics
I'm taking a medieval literature class this quarter. Last class were were analyzing a short poem called "Wulf and Eadwacer" after which my teacher pressed us for any thoughts. I didn't know what else to say (I'm not overly fond of poetry that isn't Ovid), so I said that the poem kind of reminded me of Pasiphae. He asked me to elaborate so i said, "She was the queen of Crete. The white bull? Gave birth to the Minotaur." It wasn't the best summation of the myth but I don't do well under public pressure. In any event he continued to look at me blankly at which point I realized he still had no idea who I was talking about.
What was worse was when he recommended that those of us in class who wanted to get a taste of heroines in Greek and Roman mythology read the "Heroides." But then when he couldn't remember any of the letters in the book. When he was suppled a few, he retold the myths incorrectly.
*Gnashes teeth*
My CLAS430 teacher was even worse. She was lecturing on creation myths today and touched on Aristophanes etiology of Eros in "The Symposium." If she had stopped there she would have been good, unfortunately she then went on to talk about Diotima and how she was there and a hetairai. Apparently the symposium also broke up because it was morning, Alcibiades was not really that important.
Did I mention that she's teaching our MYTHOLOGY class?
*Plucks eyes out with broaches*
Something similar happened on the bus the other day. A guy in the classics major (major, mind. I'm in the minor) was talking with his friend who was majoring in something science-y (something says it was chemistry but I could be just merging memories). The classics major was discussing whether Homer was a real person or not. It took them several minutes to decide that he was not. After this they (haphazardly) discussed the "Iliad" and the "Aeneid". It was horrifying to me that the classics major, currently taking a Vergil translation course, barely knew anything about the "Aeneid" - which is actually my favorite of the three serious epics.
I don't mean to sound pretentious or preachy (although I'm pretty positive it sounds that way) but it bugs the crap out of me that people say out of one side of their mouth how important the arts and literature and history are, but then they know nothing about the classics - the combination of all three.
The short version of this rant? Don't learn about the classics. You really are happier if you go through life believing that "Troy" was a faithful adaptation of one of the most influential stories ever.
What was worse was when he recommended that those of us in class who wanted to get a taste of heroines in Greek and Roman mythology read the "Heroides." But then when he couldn't remember any of the letters in the book. When he was suppled a few, he retold the myths incorrectly.
*Gnashes teeth*
My CLAS430 teacher was even worse. She was lecturing on creation myths today and touched on Aristophanes etiology of Eros in "The Symposium." If she had stopped there she would have been good, unfortunately she then went on to talk about Diotima and how she was there and a hetairai. Apparently the symposium also broke up because it was morning, Alcibiades was not really that important.
Did I mention that she's teaching our MYTHOLOGY class?
*Plucks eyes out with broaches*
Something similar happened on the bus the other day. A guy in the classics major (major, mind. I'm in the minor) was talking with his friend who was majoring in something science-y (something says it was chemistry but I could be just merging memories). The classics major was discussing whether Homer was a real person or not. It took them several minutes to decide that he was not. After this they (haphazardly) discussed the "Iliad" and the "Aeneid". It was horrifying to me that the classics major, currently taking a Vergil translation course, barely knew anything about the "Aeneid" - which is actually my favorite of the three serious epics.
I don't mean to sound pretentious or preachy (although I'm pretty positive it sounds that way) but it bugs the crap out of me that people say out of one side of their mouth how important the arts and literature and history are, but then they know nothing about the classics - the combination of all three.
The short version of this rant? Don't learn about the classics. You really are happier if you go through life believing that "Troy" was a faithful adaptation of one of the most influential stories ever.