Midterm Review
Women in Ancient Greece and Rome

Exam Overview

The midterm will consist of (I) a multiple choice section (40%) , and (II) an essay (60%).  Six essay questions are listed below.  On the actual midterm, I will give you a choice between two of them, and you will write an essay on ONE topic.  You may prepare however you like for the exam (study groups are fine) but no books or notes are allowed at the test.  Bring your own paper; no need to bring scantrons.

Multiple Choice Pool:

Essay Topics

1.  Young girls or maidens are celebrated in a number of Greek works, notably in Alkman’s Maiden Song, in Sappho’s poetry, and in the portrayal of Nausicaa in the Odyssey.  Artemis offers another image of the life of a maiden, as does Persephone in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter.  What are the ideal characteristics of maidens, in the Greek view?  What sorts of things do they do, or what sorts of things “happen” to them?  Do different visions of maidenhood appear in our different sources, or do they show agreement of what a maiden is and does?  Explain how and, to the extent possible, why these similarities and differences exist.

2.  In Archaic Poetry, Semonides and Hesiod have left a humorous and a serious invective against women's faults -- or the faults of bad women since both acknowledge that a very few can be good.  In classical Athenian drama, as well as in legal arguments such as L&F 87, we also see women criticized or portrayed on stage in a way that seems to be "bad" by the culture's standards.  How are the perspectives on women of these two periods alike?  In what ways do they differ?  Use parallel perspectives from the archaic poets and the passages we have studied from drama to prove your point.

3.  In the case against Neaera (excerpted in L&F 90), Neaera’s life is described at length, and implicit comparisons made with the sort of life a respectable married woman might have.  Make these comparisons explicit by discussing the key events of Neaera’s life and pointing out (based on the variety of evidence we have seen in this class) what a respectable citizen woman would be doing and experiencing.  Provide as much detail as you can about ordinary life, and make your sources clear.

4.  In what ways were the laws of Athens protective of the rights and safety of women?  In what ways were they destructive of those rights?  Bear in mind that "protective" and "destructive" are relative terms, defined differently by different cultures -- so be sure that you are specific in saying they ways in which Athenian laws would have helped and/or caused problems for Athenian women.  Use examples from lawsuits and/or references to particular laws.

5.  Amazons as described by the Greeks are mythic, whereas Spartan women were real; nevertheless they both functioned in Athens as opposites to the values and virtues expected of Athenian women.  In what ways are Spartan women and Amazons portrayed differently?  In what ways are they seen as alike?  How do these two types of women define Athenian women by contrast?

6.  In what ways do the Greek goddesses we have encountered (Artemis, Athena, Aphrodite, Hera, Demeter & Persephone) affect or represent the lives of Greek women?  Consider this from two main standpoints: first, how these goddesses or some aspects of these goddesses might offer models of how (or how not to) behave; second, how did the actual rituals devoted to these goddesses affect or define women's real life experience and how they interpreted it?  You can focus on 2-3 of the deities, or go for a broader overview.

What I will look for when grading your essay

• Extent and depth of points:  Does the author make only a few points that are easily apparent in the material, or has she gone into more complex interpretations?  Does the author show a perspective that goes beyond the book and notes, showing a personal investment in the ideas?  Does the essay read like a retelling of notes, or like a genuine attempt to wrestle with complex issues?

• Validity of points:  Are the points the student makes well argued and well though out (whether or not I agree with them)?  Are they the logical end point of a student's argument?  Is the point well argued/described?

• Extent and depth of evidence:  Does the student use either a close interpretation of a few primary sources, or a wider knowledge of other sources?  Does the student offer appropriate and convincing evidence to support his or her points?  Has he or she avoided unsupported statements and showed me the rationale behind her work?

• Accuracy and validity of evidence:  Is the evidence used correct and appropriate for the points being made?

• Theme and argument:  Does the student situate his/her paper within a focused topic or question?  Does the student raise his/her points in a way that ultimately contributes to this topic or theme?  Is the student persuasive in presenting the evidence -- does he/she argue it well?  Is the writing clear and coherent?  Can I follow a clear train of thought?