Classical Week, which celebrates the ancient Mediterranean world, begins today.
Hosted by the Shackouls Honors College, the event will include talks, three performances of the Greek tragedy “Antigone” and events hosted by the honors council for students.
Christopher Snyder, dean of the honors college, said the program would kick off today with a talk from Thomas Burns, professor emeritus of history at Emory University, titled “Ancient Rome and Early America.” It will take place in the Honors Forum Room in Griffis and will begin at 12:30 p.m.
Beginning Wednesday, “Antigone” will be performed on the Mainstage in McComas Hall at 7:30 p.m.
“Mississippi State doesn’t have a regular repertoire of classical theatre. Those of us who like this stuff should be excited to see this,” he said.
The play will run through Friday night. After each performance, a talk by MSU faculty members will immediately follow. On Wednesday, Nancy Hargrove and Megan Foley will speak on the role of women in Ancient Greece. Thursday, Robert Wolverton will speak on how tragic is tragedy, and on Friday Snyder will deliver a talk titled “How the Greeks Remembered Their History.”
Tickets are $10, Snyder said.
On Friday afternoon at 2, Tim Roche, associate professor of philosophy at University of Memphis, will deliver a talk titled “Aristotle on Happiness and Ta Ektos Agatha” in the Honors Forum Room. A reception will immediately follow.
Snyder said it is important to celebrate the liberal arts, despite the student’s major, and in the future, he would like to see more classical theatre.
“The Greeks were the founders of the liberal arts. … The humanities were essential to society as they saw it,” he said.