The ancient novel: from the Graeco-Roman

In this seminar we will explore the ancient novel, this fascinating product of the Graeco-Roman world. We have a two-fold goal : on the one hand we have the  literary objective to explore how narrative works and how genre is constructed. On the other hand, we will explore how the construction of genre relates to history. We will look closely at four novels : first Daphnis and Chloe by Longus, and the Aethiopian story by Heliodorus, both originally written in Greek; then the Satyricon by Petronius and the Metamorphosis by Apuleius originally written in Latin. At the same time we will look for parallels and contrasts in other texts and also material culture. Romance, love, desire,, past and present, nature and society, city and countryside, the construction of gender through the narrative, the imaginary and real landscapes of the Roman world, reality and fantasy Roman Greece, social class and religious choices, human and divine as historical products, individual and community, literature and history are only  some of the themes we will explore. An emphasis will be given to the ancient novel as a source for contemporary religious life and as a representation of religion. A pivotal question will also be the reception of the novel in modern and contemporary music, literature and film.