Oedipus & Antigone

My Bambis',

I am beyond impressed with the hard work and dedication you all have put into your video presentations. We will continue to have projects like this one throughout the year. I will also teach you guys how to edit your own videos. Special shout outs to Vanessa (Your editing mastery blew me away along with your performance) Topenga you have a h---e---a---r---t. Chris would not expect any less from master actor. Jeremy, Afro, and Franky, I can never look at Athena,Hera,and Aphrodite the same way. Richard you and Fifi need to consider a career in theatre. Jessire Thank You for coming out of your shell! Carlos your loved your video and the fact you helped your best friend ahem Carlos save his grade! Overall I was very impressed! All were great efforts. Now back to digging into the text. To follow you will find study questions, which we will utilize for discussion in class as we wrap up Mythology. Take some time to answer them thoughtfully. Your test will be 10 questions that I will pull from these. Please get started asap have at least the first half done by our next class meeting either Monday or Tuesday. It will be due on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Your test will be on that same day, so it should be fresh in your mind : )

PS!! Vocabulary is DUE next class!

STUDY QUESTIONS ANTIGONE (Or like you guys say Anti-Gone!)

Setting: The drama begins at dawn, after a night in which there has been a war in Thebes between armies led by the two sons of Oedipus. Keep in mind that the Greek theater was in the open air, and that the first performances of the day would begin at daybreak. Thus, imagine that the time of day of the setting would be identical to the performance time.

1-116 As you read the first scene, consider the gravity of the city's condition and how aware Antigone seems of it.

1. Throughout the play, Antigone and Creon will talk much about friends and enemies. Think about what each means by these terms. In general, Antigone and Creon tend to use the same words but mean different things by them. For example, consider Antigone's reference to being a "traitor" (57). This is a political term; does Antigone mean a traitor to the city, or to something else? Compare with Creon at 2580.

2. Why does Antigone assume that Creon's order is directed against her and Ismene? When Creon appears later, consider whether his conduct and language in fact supports her assumption.

3.Do you sympathize at all with Ismene's caution? Does Antigone treat her fairly?

4. Why is Antigone so concerned with glory (113)? Should she be?

5. How old do you think Antigone is? How is this significant?

117-78 6. After the initial dialogue the Chorus emerges for their first choral ode (stasimon), which concerns the previous night's battle. Contrast the picture of Polynices drawn there with Antigone's earlier discussion of her brother; does your opinion of h im, and of Antigone's position, change at all?

7. The chorus evokes Dionysus (171), the first of several times this god is mentioned. Why should the chorus call upon Dionysus? Look up Dionysus to answer this question.

179-376 8.Creon enters. It is very important that you do not project Creon's later conduct back into his first speech. Read this speech carefully, consider his values and beliefs, and ask yourself whether there is anything wrong with his principles, whether in Greek terms or your own. Later, compare Creon's subsequent actions with the principles he articulates here.

9. Throughout this scene, pay close attention to the assumptions Creon makes about gender.
When Creon talks about the gods and the law (317ff), is he talking about the same types of gods as Antigone does?

377-416 10.Second stasimon, perhaps the most famous choral ode in Greek tragedy. What image of man does this ode present? In this vision, what is human greatness? What are the limits of human ability and action? When can a daring man get into trouble?

11. Choral odes often generalize a given problem specific to the play's action into a statement about human life as a whole. Is that the case here? If so, then is the chorus alluding to Antigone, or to Creon, or to both?

417-655 12. Why is Creon so surprised when the Sentry brings in Antigone?

13. Antigone is compared to a mother bird (471ff), not the last time she is referred to as maternal in this play. Is there anything strange or ironic about Antigone being represented as a mother?

14. Antigone's defense to Creon (499-524) is very important, so read it carefully.
Ismene defends Antigone and asks Creon how he could kill his own son's bride (641). Has there been any reference to this relationship before?

656-700 15.Contrast this stasimon with the previous one. Is this ode's thought and tone similar or different? What, if anything, has changed?

701-878 16.Compare the Creon in this scene with the one who first entered the play. Has he changed at all in language or conduct?

17. To what does Haemon appeal in his attempt to save Antigone?
Does Haemon threaten his father, as Creon thinks (842)?

18. Why does Creon chose the particular method of execution that he does (870-8)? What does it say about him?

879-94 19. The ancient Greeks had two words for "love"; philia, meaning something like "friendship", and eros, which has more to do with passion. When the chorus talks about "love" in the ode, which of the two do they mean? And why is the chorus generalizing about love here?

895-1034 20. Note the chorus' reference to Antigone's "bridal vault" (899). What do they mean by referring to a wedding chamber? This will be an important image in the last part of the play. Antigone becomes a "Bride of Death" (or "Bride of Hades"). To understand the importance of this metaphor, you might benefit from reading the Hymn to Demeter, which tells the story of Demeter and Persephone. Strangely, the maternal imagery continues with Antigone as well, as she tries to compare herself with Niobe (915). After reading about Niobe, consider what Antigone does and does not share with that mythical figure..

21.How would you characterize the chorus' exchange with Antigone here?

22.Consider Antigone's speech which begins at line 978. Is this speech consistent with what she has argued before?

23.Is Antigone's faith in the gods wavering here?

1035-89 24.Consider what these myths have in common with each other, and with the story of the play at this point.

1090-1237 25.What does the failure of Tiresias' sacrifice have to do with Polynices and Antigone?

26. What, specifically, in Tiresias' warnings leads Creon to change his mind?

1238-72 27.Why does the chorus call on Dionysus in this ode?

1273-End 28.Why does Antigone chose to commit suicide? Does it suggest her mother's death, or is there an important difference?

29.Creon's wife is only on stage momentarily, yet she plays a key role in Creon's disaster. What does her suicide mean to him?

30.Is Creon a tragic figure? Do you feel sympathy for him at the end as someone who initially tried to do good yet was overwhelmed by circumstance, or do you believe that he is a bullying, misogynistic control-freak who gets what he deserves? Try to compe up with arguments for both sides. Could the play have been called Creon, instead?

31. Conversely, what, specifically, makes Antigone a tragic figure? Think about what, exactly, you mean by such words as "tragedy" and "tragic".

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LINKS TO STUDY GUIDES To supplement your reading:

http://www.pinkmonkey.com/index2.asp PINKMONKEY

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/Oedipus-Trilogy.id-100.html CLIFFSNOTES

E-Text of Antigone

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/31/31-h/31-h.htm#antigone

This is the more traditional translation....now that we have read the simplified version in class, you can decipher the content of the more advanced interpretation.

Try putting it into your own words if you are still confused

Good Luck!!!

Any questions email me :)

Not to give excuses but....
all of our group members live far from each other and some have previous plans...
i dont think we will be able to give you a decent project.

Here's the Link Miss.

http://www.youtube.com/user/djferitbottrop

The Grammar Blue Book

Here is a link to the fabulous Grammar Blue Book! start perusing through it..we will be using it A BUNCH!!! Love my little Bambis' !

http://www.grammarbook.com/

The Medea Golden Fleece Handout

Alright Bambiliciousness, here we go the assignment due on Monday for 5th and Wednesday for 2nd: All the link Medea Questions,Powerpoint, and handout questions are due. We will discuss them in class so I can rest assured that the info is infused into your lovely "three legged hamsters" Much Love the Miss G-anator.
Define the following:
Vocabulary

abashed –
brazen –
defiled –
implored –
libation –
parched –
peerless –
prowess –
shod –
sovereign –
usurper –

Review Questions/Topics

1.What is the Golden Fleece?
2.Who is Pelias? Why is he worried about a "one-sandaled " stranger?
3.Why does Jason seek the Golden Fleece? Who helps him in his quest?
4.What are three adventures he has along the way?
5.How does the King of Colchis treat Jason when he arrives? What tests does he put Jason through?
6.How does Medea figure in these events?
7.What happens to Pelias after Jason returns with the Golden Fleece?
What does Jason do to Medea at the end?

The Powerpoint Questions

Out of the kindness of my heart..for those of you who may have missed a few questions....

• What two tasks does Aietes give to Jason in return for the fleece?
• What third task or challenge must he finally face?
• In what three ways did Medea help Jason accomplish these tasks?
• What did Jason promise in return?
Symplegades, the Clashing Rocks: what sign of safety did they need? What does that recall?
• Describe Jason’s attitude toward Medea when he first appears and in his ‘opening argument’ to her.
• Notice the technical legal niceties: he does have a legitimate argument on some points.
• Who arrives, by great coincidence, just at this point? Where has he been, where is he going, and what will be the outcome?
• What favor does Medea wheedle out of him? What offer does she make him?
• What one condition does he set on his offer?
• Now: what horrifying plans does Medea make?
• In your own words, how does Medea now manipulate Jason?
• What favor does she ask of him, and how will she use Glauce in this?
• Chorus-Medea-Chorus
• Enter … the Messenger!
• What are the gory details?
• Now, inside the house …
• Why has Jason now come?
• How is his speech a praise of Greece?
• What last request does he make of her??
• Is Medea a Bond Girl?Does she have the qualifications?What makes this traditional story element so interesting?
• What’s happened to Jason’s family since he’s been gone?
• Tyrants, be careful: when you send a hero on a deadly mission, he might in fact return and he won’t be the same kid you sent away …

The Trojan War (A synopsis)

This story is written by Homer and Aeschylus.
A thousand years ago before Christ, there was a great city that was rich and powerful and was second to none. It's fame comes from a great war due to a dispute between three jealous goddesses.
Everything started when the goddess of Discord, Eris was not invited to the wedding of King Peleus and Thetis. Eris threw a golden apple marked "For the Fairest" into the wedding. All the goddess wanted the Apple but the choices were narrowed down to three, Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena. They asked Zeus to judge but he refused. Instead he told them to go to Paris who Zeus claimed was a excellent judge of beauty.
As the goddesses descended upon Paris, they all offered him bribes. But Paris decided to give the apple to Aphrodite. This act was the Judgement of Paris, the reason why the Trojan War was fought.
For choosing Aphrodite, Paris was given the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen. Paris went to Sparta to pick up Helen. But Helen was married to King Menelaus. Somehow, Paris took Helen back to Troy and when Menelaus found out about this, he decided to attack Troy.
The Greeks gathered a huge army at Aulis under the direction of Menelaus and his brother Agamemnon, who became the Commander in Chief. Both Achilles and Odysseus originally didn't want to go but both were eventually persuaded to going with the rest of the Greeks. But the winds prevented the fleet from leaving. After speaking to the prophet Calchas, they had to sacrifice Iphigenia, the daughter of Agamemnon, to appease Artemis who was causing these winds to blow.
When the Greeks finally left Aulis, they left Philoctetes on Lemnos because he was wounded. But he would become an important factor as the Greeks needed the bow and arrows of Hercules in Philoctetes possession.
The first Greek to leap onto Trojan soil from the ships was Protesilaus. He also became the first to die as he was struck down by Hector. Protesilaus' wife Laodamia was so distraught with grief that Hermes brought him back to life for a few hours. But when her husband had to return to the realm of Hades, Laodamia killed herself.
The war continued for nine years without much change. Then in the tenth year in dispute between Achilles and Agamemnon nearly threw to balance in favor of the Trojans. Agamemnon took Chryseis, a daughter of Apollo's priest. Her father heard of this and begged for her return but Agamemnon refused to release her. Upon hearing about this, Apollo shot fiery arrows at the Greek Army, killing many Greeks.
Achilles wanted to appease Apollo. Then the prophet Calchas said that the only solution was to return Chryseis. At this point, Agamemnon complied, but not before taking Achilles' maiden, Briseis. When this happened, Achilles refused to fight anymore.
Patroclus, a great friend of Achilles, had a plan to relieve the pressure off the Greeks. He wanted to use Achilles' armor to scare the Trojans off. The plan worked until Patroclus ran into Hector. Despite having Achilles' armor, the Trojan hero was able to kill him.
When Achilles found out about the death of his great friend, he wanted to avenge his death. He went to Hephaestus to get new armor, then he rejoined the battle to avenge the death of Patroclus by killing Hector.
After killing Hector, Achilles knew that his death was near. Achilles was vulnerable only in one place; his heel. Paris killed Achilles with an arrow guided by Apollo. After the death of Achilles, both Odysseus and Ajax wanted the armor of Achilles. The Greeks decided that Odysseus would receive the armor, causing Ajax to go mad and kill a flock of sheep. As he regained his sanity, he realized what he had done and he killed himself.
Philoctetes, having been healed of his wounds, came back to fight with the Greeks. He killed Paris with Hercules' arrows.
But in order to defeat Troy, the Greeks had to get into the city. Odysseus thought of a plan to make a hollow horse with soldiers inside. The rest of the Greeks would sail behind the nearest island, making it appear like they had given up. Only one Greek, Sinon, remained behind to tell the Trojans that the horse was an offering of Athena and it needed to be inside the walls of Troy.
Laocoon tried to remind the Trojans of the treachery and deceit of the Greeks. As he finished two serpents crushed the life out of Laocoon. The Trojans told this as a sign from the gods and quickly dragged the horse into the city.
The Trojans, thinking they had won, partied through the night. But then Sinon released the Greeks within the horse and they let in the soldiers who had just sailed back. They ransacked Troy. By the time the Trojans were awake, Troy was already burning. Slowly, the defenses of Troy broke down. By morning Troy, once the proudest city in Asia, was in ruins. The Greeks had finally won.