Hellas og Romerriket i norske lærebøker. Analyse av norske lærebøker på 1800-tallets framstilling av gresk-romersk historie.

Abstract

English: This master thesis is an attempt to carry out an analysis of a selection of Norwegian textbooks published between 1814 and 1905. The main goal is to examine the textbooks' portrayal of ancient Greece and Rome, which parts of Greco-Roman history they choose to focus on, and if there is a connection with the creation of a Norwegian identity. The thesis will make use of four textbooks. These were written by the authors Eiler C.K. Munthe (1814), Maurits C. Hansen (1838), Anton Ræder (1894) and Jonas Vellesen (1901). These authors will be compared to one another in order to examine potential differences and developments in the portrayal of Greco-Roman history throughout the 19th century. The thesis is focused around three main subjects: 1) The portrayal of Athenian democracy, as well as the governing systems of Sparta and Rome as opposites to the Athenian system. 2) The portrayal of the Greco-Roman culture, religion and philosophy. 3) The portrayal of the so-called «roman values» and how the textbooks utilize stories about virtuous and moral roman citizens as examples of good morals and virtues, such as bravery and patriotism.