Why I chose to study The Classical World and its Reception?

During my undergraduate course, I did a classical reception module, and it was in this module where I was introduced to reception studies. At King’s, I am studying The Classical World and its Reception course, which allows me to explore the reception of arts, as that is my primary interest. I chose to study classical reception as it allows me to explore the ways in which the ancient world is still present in modern text and how they are influenced by those before by using intertextuality.

Classical reception is concerned with how the classics and ancient world have been received and portrayed in later periods of history, spanning from the Renaissance to the modern day. Reception allows us to trace the progression of ideas, themes, and values across different historical periods. In classical literature, we meet themes, characters and motifs that are reimagined over and over again in literature, art and other cultural expression. We see how these subjects have influenced modern texts, and how themes and motifs have been absorbed and adapted in the text for the modern reader. Classical reception for the arts allows us to shed light on the relationship between tradition and innovation that is part of the creative process for artists, and how the ancient world is still relevant in the modern day. Fundamental concepts in philosophy, politics, ethics and aesthetics have roots in the ancient world. Classical reception helps us understand the way these thoughts have shaped the modern worldview.

Classical reception is still around to this day in the arts and is especially present in London architecture. The course has allowed me to explore how the negative view of witches has been around since antiquity and has been reinforced throughout history. It has also allowed me to explore how the Pre-Raphaelites’ presentation of mythic women.

The fact that the KCL strand campus is in Central London is a real pleasure as the National Gallery, Tate Britain and the British Museum are all close by. There are plenty of museums and galleries in London, that are worth exploring, especially in the way of how pieces in these places are relevant in classical reception.

Written by Oliwia Julia Prokorym, The Classical World and its Reception MA