This course explores the complex reception history of the ancient Greek poet Sappho from antiquity to the present day. Students will gain insight into the ever-changing significance of her poetry and its impact on literary, cultural, and social discourse. The course begins with a study of Sappho’s life, poetry (in translation), and historical context. Building upon this foundation, we then turn to the reception of Sappho’s poetry in later periods, from the Classical period to the present day. Students will explore how Sappho’s poems were preserved, transmitted, translated, and interpreted by ancient scholars, poets, and philosophers, as well as the ways in which her legacy was reimagined and appropriated in diverse cultural contexts. We will pay particular attention to the resurgence of interest in Sappho’s poetry in Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries, especially within the context of feminist movements, LGBTQ+ activism, and modernist literature. Students will also analyse how Sappho’s poems have been reclaimed and reinterpreted by twenty-first-century authors, translators, and scholars, who often use her legacy to offer new perspectives on gender, sexuality, and identity.