Before the power, lights and internet went out here in central NJ thanks to the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, the RU Classics Weblog was engaged in a two-part meditation on all the great things Classics can do for your career, with features on the Rutgers undergraduate major and then some impressive but not unexpected outcomes.
But then—as if on cue—a new blog launched itself in the UK on 1 November wholly devoted to the question that we raised in our Part 2, namely: what Classics-educated folks have gone global?Let’s let blog founders (and Royal Holloway Classics postgraduate research students) Jarrid Looney and Lottie Parkyn tell the story in their words.
The Classics Closet is an up and coming blog where we’ll be kicking open the closet door and exposing the classical world to all! It is a place where we will provide titillating explorations into ancient Greek and Roman cultures, and how they continue to influence our society in ways both overt and obscure.
We are going to drag out some of the most globally famous people into the light, and showcasing their knowledge or interactions with the ancient world. Whether or not they have utilized their knowledge through officially studying the classical canon, myths, languages, and cultures into making them the successes that they are today, it’s undoubtable that these celebrities share two things: success and exposure to the classical world. In short, we will be ‘outing’ actors, politicians, authors, musicians, athletes, and other public personalities as the classicists that they truly are!
The Classics Closet hopes that you’ll join in this discussion as it proves that you don’t have to be an academic to enjoy the field and it aims to be a tool for all those who are trying to encourage engagement with ancient world.
If you’re interested in joining us as we dig a few classical skeletons out of the closet follow us on www.classicscloset.com.
The Classics Confidential blog adds a bit more detail—and scores a video interview with Looney and Parkyn:
Jarrid and Lottie will be posting on the site on the 1st and 15th of every month. You can give feedback on the individual posts via the Comments feature on the site – or if you’d like to make suggestions of celebrities who might be featured on the blog, or even contribute your own post, you can write to Lottie and Jarrid on editor@classicscloset.com. We’re looking forward to the first official posting on 15th November!
Here is the interview:
To your correspondent, the site seems ultra-well informed, and—since it allows for celebrities who “attended schools where Latin was a part of the curriculum”—will have enough material to allow for those bi-weekly posts until infinity, if not beyond…best wishes from the Banks!
As you might have expected: dance diva Dido was educated at City of London School for Girls and Westminster, and has five A Levels including Latin, Greek and Philosophy
rutgersclassics.com 