All readings are in English.
Ancient fiction blended ideal romance, fantastic adventure, and social realism into new literary forms that would have a lasting impact on the medieval and modern imagination, from early Christian and Renaissance literature to opera and film. This course will survey major works of fiction by Greek and Roman authors in translation, including the novels by Achilles Tatius, Apuleius, Chariton, Heliodorus, Longus, and Petronius and a selection of shorter pieces from related genres, such as satire, biography, and travel accounts. Students will also evaluate several theoretical approaches to the interpretation of ancient fiction and consider the influence of the ancient novels on their successors.