This interdisciplinary course explores the reception of ancient conceptions of women (especially Plato) as bearers of knowledge in the early modern period, focusing on Europe but also including non-western material from New Spain and the Ottoman Empire. We will begin by reviewing classical representations of women as philosophers as well as reflecting on how medieval commentators approached the question of women’s relationship to learning. The reintroduction of ancient Greek texts to the Latin west inspired an explosion of interest in the philosophical works of Plato in particular: not just by male humanists, but by educated and creative women. These women drew on the figure of Diotima, the mysterious woman in the Symposium who teaches Socrates about love, to reconsider women’s epistemological authority. The syllabus will span many genres, including art, dialogues, poetry, letters, and commentaries. Together, we will reflect on whether an increased female readership of Plato informs a new understanding of his work and what it means to be a “lover of wisdom.”
Summer: July 6–August 21
