Lynn Fotheringham
Lecturer in Classics, Faculty of Arts
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Expertise Summary
Ciceronian Judicial Oratory, formal aspects of Greek Tragedy, Stylistics and Reception.
Teaching Summary
I teach a broad range of modules in Greek and Roman literature, Greek and Latin language, and late Roman Republican history. I am particularly enthusiastic about creating opportunities for students… read more
Research Summary
I am currently working on a commentary on Cicero's Pro Milone. My research is based on a detailed analysis of the structure and language of Cicero's speeches, including the pro Milone. It is only on… read more
Recent Publications
FOTHERINGHAM, L.S., 2013. Twentieth/Twenty-first century Cicero(s). In: STEEL, C., ed., The Cambridge Companion to Cicero Cambridge University Press. (In Press.)
L. S. FOTHERINGHAM, 2013. Persuasive Language in Cicero's Pro Milone: A close reading and commentary Institue of Classical Studies. (In Press.)
FOTHERINGHAM, L.S., 2012. The positive portrayal of Sparta in late-twentieth-century fiction. In: HODKINSON, S. and MORRIS, I.M., eds., Sparta in modern thought: Politics, history and culture Classical Press of Wales. 393-428
FOTHERINGHAM, L.S., 2009. An Action Research Approach to Assessment and Learning on a Second Year Classics Module. In: SIDOROVITCH, A., ed., Teaching for Integrative Learning: Innovations in University Practice 2. Nottingham: Centre for Integrative Learning. 48-58
I teach a broad range of modules in Greek and Roman literature, Greek and Latin language, and late Roman Republican history. I am particularly enthusiastic about creating opportunities for students to gain understanding of the ancient languages at whatever level is appropriate to them.
In 2011/12 I am teaching:
Autumn:
Q83IL1 Intermediate Latin 1: for those students who did Beginners Latin (or equivalent) in 2009/10, regardless of the stage they have reached in their degree. The module is usually taken by a mixture of second- and third-years and M.A. students. For many of these it is the first time that they have read 'real' Latin, having concentrated on learning the grammar in the previous year. When teaching this module, I use Cicero's Pro Archia as the text, because this short speech allows you to get the feeling of achievement that comes from reading a complete text, and because there is a good edition of the text that has lots of help for students. This year I am trialing an innovative approach to the assessment of this module, using a Portfolio built up from frequent coursework exercises rather than closed-book exams.
Q83343 Euripides: Experiments in Tragedy: a module for second- and third-year students, taught through a combination of lectures and seminars, reading the texts in translation. The goal of the module is to expose you to a wide range of Euripides' surviving plays (more of Euripides' work survives than of Aeschylus' or Sophocles'), in order to challenge pre-conceived notions of what 'tragedy' is. In the course of the module we will focus on the formal structure of Greek tragedy, on Aristotle's definition and discussion of tragedy, and on performance issues; there will be an opportunity to consider the modern reception of Greek tragedy.
Spring:
Q81LT2 Latin Texts 2/Q83AL2 Advanced Latin 2: for those first-year students who have an A-level pass in Latin, and those third-year students who took Intermediate Latin in 2010/11. This module aims to lift your linguistic and literary understanding of a Latin text beyond the school or Intermediate level. When teaching this module, I use Virgil's Eclogues in order to combine close reading, literary interpretation, and an introduction to the principles of Latin hexameter poetry; this combination helps you consider the interface between language and literature.
Q82105 Independent Second-Year Project: for second-year students in the Department of Classics. This module increases your ability to work independently by allowing you to choose both the subject-matter and format of your work: website, teaching-plan, travel guide, reconstruction - all these and more are possible. My work on this non-traditional form of assessment is discussed in the "Teaching and Learning" section of the Classics Department website.
Q84504 Studies in Greek and Latin Literature: for students taking the M.A. in Classical Literature, and other interested postgraduates. When teaching this module, I focus on Narratology, a formalist approach to the analysis of texts which can be applied to a wide variety of ancient literary genres, depending on the interests of the students taking the module. You will look at the analysis of narrative in the ancient world as well as in the 20th-21st centuries, in both Classics and other fields; you will explore a number of ancient narrative genres and consider the relationship between narrative and other genres such as drama and philosophical dialogue; you will consider the place of Narratology in contemporary scholarship and literary theory.
Current Research
I am currently working on a commentary on Cicero's Pro Milone. My research is based on a detailed analysis of the structure and language of Cicero's speeches, including the pro Milone. It is only on the basis of a detailed understanding of how each text functions as a piece of persuasive language that wider questions about the judicial, political and social contexts can be addressed. Despite a recent boom in Ciceronian studies, detailed analyses of individual speeches as whole, considering the interaction between the different sections of each text, are still few and far between. A commentary demands that every section of the text be considered equally. My commentary will focus on the language of the text in an attempt to understand its persuasive processes, and will build answers to larger questions on this understanding. In addition I am working on various reception issues, including Frank Miller's comics version of the battle of Thermopylae, and the question of how ancient epic can be adapted for the screen.
Past Research
My work on Cicero has focused on the structure of the judicial speeches, using insights from Discourse Analysis as well as ancient rhetorical theory to enhance our appreciation of Cicero's verbal skill. I have worked with computer-generated concordances to study vocabulary patterns and am interested in applying this methodology to other texts. I am also interested in paratextual markers of structure such as paragraphing, in post-classical editions of the text, and in the reception of Cicero's life and works as expressed in biographies and commentaries.
Future Research
I hope to build on the concordancing and commentary work I have done on Cicero's Pro Milone and other texts, to publish a series of articles on the reception of the Pro Milone in ancient and modern texts, and to collaborate with colleages in Classics and other fields on the development and use of concordancing tools. I also hope to continue working in the area of reception, and to return to my interests in Homer and Greek Tragedy.