CLAS4280 · Classical Studies
Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
From Aesop's fables to animated films, philosophical dialogues to furry graphic novels, we often imagine animals speaking as humans do. But what are we saying when we use animals to talk with and about one another and ourselves? And what do cultural products featuring articulate beasts say about our attitudes towards humans and animals and the lines that we draw between them? This course examines animal anthropomorphism as a mode of thought and expression in ancient Greece and Rome, Medieval Europe, and the modern world. Please contact Prof. Polt (polt@bc.edu) directly for permission to enroll in this course.
Course experience
Averages use the original five-point historical evaluation scale.
Organization
4.8 / 5
How well the course was organized
Challenge
4.8 / 5
How intellectually challenging students found it
Attendance
4.6 / 5
How necessary attendance was
Assignments
4.8 / 5
How helpful assignments were
Weekly effort
~5
hours per week
Estimated from the original workload response buckets. Individual sections may differ.
Instructor options
Ratings below reflect only recovered evaluations connected to this course.
Across time
Section-level results available in the recovered archive.
Fall 2024
1 sectionSpring 2023
1 section