Marc Witkin

This class would be good if you are a classics major or enjoy actually reading Greek or Roman poetry, but if you're just trying to get philosophy credit, just take an easier class. It's very reading heavy and the reading is not that engaging and is difficult. Lectures are long, but discussions can be insightful. Grading is pretty fair, if you do the work you can pull out an A/B. There was one paper, a midterm, and final.

This class would be good if you are a classics major or enjoy actually reading Greek or Roman poetry, but if you're just trying to get philosophy credit, just take an easier class. It's very reading heavy and the reading is not that engaging and is difficult. Lectures are long, but discussions can be insightful. Grading is pretty fai …Read more

While Professor Witkin clearly is deeply interested in the material for this class (The Iliad, The Odyssey, and The Aeneid), he often goes far too in depth if you are not someone who has devoted their whole life to this material. Coming into class never having read the poems it can become incredibly confusing very quickly and even the outside reading can at times not be helpful because you cannot interpret it anything like how Witkin explains in the most roundabout way possible in class. His ability to get down a random rabbit hole is unparalleled and lectures are always several books behind where they should be on the syllabus. If you have a background in the poems and enjoy the nitty gritty and often hard to believe connections made in classics then this class is for you, otherwise find your distribution requirements else where.

While Professor Witkin clearly is deeply interested in the material for this class (The Iliad, The Odyssey, and The Aeneid), he often goes far too in depth if you are not someone who has devoted their whole life to this material. Coming into class never having read the poems it can become incredibly confusing very quickly and even th …Read more

Professor Witkin is a really strong Classics professor. Clearly knowledgeable about the readings and its super interesting to hear his opinions and thoughts in lectures. The class is lecture heavy and can get very complicated. He cares about bigger themes and pointing out context of important passages. Exams/papers are graded fairly and are usually written papers. Discussion sections are super insightful and a great way to ask professor questions.

Professor Witkin is a really strong Classics professor. Clearly knowledgeable about the readings and its super interesting to hear his opinions and thoughts in lectures. The class is lecture heavy and can get very complicated. He cares about bigger themes and pointing out context of important passages. Exams/papers are graded fairly …Read more