Greece Yesterday and Today

Feb 21, 2012

grose

Civic theatrical performance as a method of planting the seeds of public engagement in ancient Athens was the topic of the fourth annual Grose Lecture in Classical Studies.
 
The speaker was Dr. Karen Rosenbecker, assistant professor of languages and cultures at Loyola University in New Orleans, La.
 
Rosenbecker’s talk highlighted Aristophanes’ play “Wealth,” which explores poverty and an unfair economic system in Athens and draws parallels with the dire present day economic situation in Greece.
 
Rosenbecker’s own research explores how modern ideas are represented in classical literature. She studies how the Coen brothers include classical themes in their films like “No Country for Old Men” and “Oh, Brother Where Art Thou,” where mythological spirits of vengeance visit the modern day human community.
 
Charles Grose, a grand nephew of I.F. Grose, namesake of Grose Hall and first president of Concordia College, founded the Grose Lectures. I.F. Grose came to the college at age 29, eventually serving as a faculty member and treasurer of the college until 1897, when he left to teach at a Minneapolis seminary. His career included serving as registrar and faculty member at St. Olaf College.  
 
Grose Hall was named in his honor in 1963, and a portrait of Grose hangs at the entrance of the hall.
 
While on campus, Rosenbecker met with students, attended classical studies classes and spoke in the Knutson Campus Center's Centrum on the theme, “Occupy Athens: Economy, Scatology and Theatrical Protest in Aristophanes’ ‘Wealth.’”


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