Chapter 1: Greco-Roman Period (9th C. BC - 5th C. AD)
Explore the foundational texts of Western Literature. From the epics of Homer to the comedies of Rome, these notes cover the essential authors and movements for UGC NET English.
1. Ancient Greek Literature: Epic Foundations
Homer, Hesiod, and the cultural legacy of the Epic tradition.
2. Greek Lyric Poetry & Philosophical Thought
Sappho, Pindar, and the shift from epic to personal expression.
3. Greek Theatre (550–220 BC)
Origins in ritual, the structure of the amphitheater, Tragedy vs Comedy.
4. Aeschylus: The Father of Tragedy
The Oresteia trilogy, the introduction of the second actor, and themes of justice.
5. Sophocles: The Master of Tragedy
Oedipus Rex, Antigone, and the perfection of tragic structure.
6. Euripides: The Innovator
Medea, The Trojan Women, and the questioning of traditional values.
7. Aristophanes: The Father of Comedy
Old Comedy, political satire, Lysistrata, and The Frogs.
8. Menander: New Comedy
The shift from political satire to domestic situations and stock characters.
9. Plautus & Terence: Roman Comedy
The adaptation of Greek New Comedy for the Roman stage.
10. Greek Philosophy & Thought
Ethics, Forms, and the foundations of Western thought (Plato & Aristotle).