Classics, Class, and Politics Flashcards
Q: What tension exists within the discipline of Classics?
A: Classics are admired for cultural value but have discomfort due to an elitist, exclusive history.
Q: Who were traditionally the main receivers of Classical education?
A: Mainly the elite; working-class access was very limited.
Q: How did many working-class people traditionally access the ancient world?
A: Through translations, theatre, opera, festivals, pageants, and popular culture.
Q: What role does class agenda play in the reception of Classics?
A: Reception is shaped not only by class position but also by one’s relationship to class politics – What you believe about class struggles and social change informs your response.
Q: How can political opinions shape classical scholarship?
A: Scholars’ political views can inform how they interpret ancient texts (e.g., Gildersleeve’s Confederate-influenced study of Pindar).
Q: How does The Odyssey reflect issues of class?
A: It blends kingly and vagrant identities; later adaptations often highlight class dynamics more than early interpretations.
Q: How can political ideologies shape the classical canon?
A: Different societies emphasize different works (e.g., Soviet Union favoring Hesiod over Roman poets) to match their class and political ideals.
Q: What ancient figures have been adopted as symbols of working-class movements?
A: Spartacus and Prometheus.
Q: How was knowledge of Greek and Latin used to police social status in 18th-century Britain?
A: Fluency marked elite status; autodidacts were mocked or excluded (e.g., Lord Chesterfield’s attitudes).
Q: What are three ways non-elite readers have engaged with Classics?
A: Assimilation (social climbing), Integration (rising but staying loyal to roots), Subversion (mocking/criticizing Classics).
Q: How can Classics serve both domination and resistance?
A: As a tool of elite control or, alternatively, a means for radical, resistant narratives (e.g., The Island).
Q: What is a potential risk when resistant texts become canonized?
A: They can lose their radical edge and replicate elitist patterns.
Q: What are some strategies for democratising access to Classics?
A: Using pop culture, modern translations, public education inclusion, community engagement, and reclaiming ancient figures for marginalized groups.
Q: What does Edith Hall argue about class and Classics?
A: Class-blindness restricts Classics; inclusion of a wider social spectrum enhances it.
Q: What is Barbara Goff’s view on Classics and class struggle?
A: Classics are “fought over” — inheritance contested by those wanting to share it differently.
Q: What does bell hooks say about language and oppression?
A: Language is a site of struggle for the oppressed.
Q: What does Hardwick propose about the role of Classics?
A: Classics should serve democratic culture, not just remain within academia.
