Ever wonder what it’s like to speak a dead language? UW-Milwaukee classicist Deanna Wesolowski can answer that question, in English, Latin or Greek. As a researcher, her studies have focused on pastoral literature, but she’s taught everything from Latin to Greek to mythology, and her field encompasses archaeology and culture too. With a doctorate in classics from the University of Missouri with a concentration in ancient studies, Wesolowski is an asset to Milwaukee’s intellectual scene.
How did you decide to study classics?
I attended NYU my freshman year of college and capriciously chose to take two classics courses: one on the history of the Roman Republic and the other on ancient religions. I was completely intrigued by this weirdly foreign yet familiar world.
How does the classics scene at UW-Milwaukee differ from other schools?
I’ve taught at Marquette University, the University of Missouri and the University of Richmond in Virginia, and each school has a different student demographic. UWM works with a wide range of students. It is a commuter school that does an excellent job of engaging students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Our classics program also offers majors and minors in classical civilization, Greek and Latin, but also allows students a great deal of choice within their credit hours. Further, there is a certificate program in ancient Mediterranean studies that has brought together the classics students with history, philosophy, religious studies and anthropology departments.
What’s your dream class to teach?
I would love to teach a course on pastoral literature, but shepherds and their flocks can be a hard sell to college students. I swear it’s fascinating stuff! The other would be on vengeance in the ancient world, looking at various ways one could exact punishment—both legally and extra-legally—for wrongs committed. The extra-legal ways include slanderous breakup poetry from jilted lovers to magical spells to try to bring down an enemy.
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Why study Latin?
Not only have Latin, Greek and classics been an integral part of the educational system for hundreds of years, thus helping shape Western culture and thought, but because learning Latin demands an understanding of Latin grammar, it makes students learn English grammar, too. Although grammar is necessary in learning any foreign language, learning Latin, since it is a read language, involves more careful consideration and teaches you a lot, since, as an earlier Indo-European language, it has more clarity. It is more specific about what it is saying. More modern languages have lost some of this. It’s also really helpful in learning the history of words. One of my favorite parts of teaching Latin is explaining etymologies and having students get excited about everyday words.
How has its popularity fluctuated?
From what I’ve seen at various schools, there have been peaks and valleys. At UWM, the Latin program has gotten stronger over the years, with a greater number of students continuing into subsequent semesters. I think the rise of modern sword-and-sandal epic movies (I’m looking at you, Troy, Gladiator, 300—even Disney’s Hercules) have caused jumps in enrollment; the ancient world is less foreign than it once was, and classics has benefitted.
How do people respond when you tell them what you do?
Sometimes people assume I’m some sort of untouchable super-nerd. Sometimes the person asking studied Latin in high school or college, so there’s a nostalgic connection, a bit of familiarity. The other far more common response is awkward silence. In the end, though, I feel fortunate to teach a topic I love. I can only hope that I’m able to incite the same passion in my students.
