Aims

Knowledge of the main works of Byzantine literature, from the IVth to the XVth cent., in order to identify the characteristics of the Byzantine literary production, a.o. compared with the literatures of the Greek and Latin Antiquity, the Christian Near East and the Western Middle Ages.

Main themes

Historical introduction to Byzantine literature byzantine its main works and trends. Introduction to the main tools (bibligraphy).

Content and teaching methods

The course gives an insight into the main literary trends of the Byzantine period (330-1453), especially with regard to the influences of the classical sources and of the oriental cultures of the Near East. The various literary genres and the different periods are studied through the reading of translated excerpts. A systematic historical presentation of the Byzantine literature is followed by the analysis of various themes considered throughout the whole period, such as the relationship with the classical sources, the Christian identity, the mixing of genres, the status of the writers, and so on, and ends up with a reflexion on the originality of Byzantine literature.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Prerequisite : no knowledge of Greek is required.
Evaluation : oral exam at the end of the year.
Teaching materials : texts and documents provided by the teacher.

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