Sarah Jones

Professor Connors

HONORS 394A

18 March 2019

Portfolio Reflection: Women in Antiquity

Before this class, my knowledge of the classics was fairly minimal. After taking this

class, I have learned an enormous amount, but in the scheme of classics I remain far from an

expert. My previous experience with this sort of material stems from the three years of Latin I

took in high school and an honors class this fall quarter titled “The Classical Tradition.” In

English classes I have had to read excerpts from the Odyssey, Iliad, and Mythology among other

short stories. In Latin we would often translate short texts relating to Roman gods or politics, but

the most interesting piece that sparked an interest in classics for me was our translation of the

first book in Ovid’s Ars Amatoria. We also shortly focused on Greek art periods and poetic

meter. Having found enjoyment from these experiences, I felt inclined to take the classics class

in the fall. From that class I became even more interested in the topic; this small interest coupled

with the possibility of reading classic texts from the perspective of women made signing up for

this class an easy choice.

Even though I was quite excited for the content of this class, I began the quarter with fear.

I am very science-oriented in thought and analysis of material, and I plan to be a biology major. I

also find myself to struggle quite frequently in English classes as I become frustrated interpreting

literature. Anticipating that much of this course would consist of reading literature and analyzing

it, I became nervous. However, after a few days in lecture I found myself comfortable with the
information even if I did not understand it in the assigned reading. I am quite grateful for the

extensive discussion surrounding the readings in each lecture rather than treating them as

supplemental material to the lecture.

Overall I enjoyed my time in “Women in Antiquity.” At times the material seemed

convoluted, but that is the case in most subjects. Although the history and mythology was

incredibly captivating, what was unique was the analysis of the material from a woman’s

perspective as well as a traditional male’s. I especially enjoyed the way in which we

acknowledged the bias in our sources and the nuances in language that aided in our

understanding of not only the texts but the society from which it came. The flexible nature of the

course in encouraging us to be free in our thought on a topic was extremely beneficial to my

learning as well.

Regarding my future after taking this class, I will probably not be able to take many more

classes relating to classics due to my schedule with honors classes and biology requirements--

although I would like to. Even if I may not continue acquiring knowledge of ancient societies, I

found the classical material quite applicable to multiple facets of life, so I know it will continue

to be a part of my life at least in the near future. The inclusion of the feminine perspective in this

course I believe will also foster more critical thought on topics I come across and aid in my

understanding of the multiple lenses I can perceive information through. I am quite thankful for

having taken this course, and I am glad that out of the limited exposure I might have to this

material, this class was a part of it.