Welcome Back! Western Literature January 6, 2014

Perspective Check We will be participating in a Perspective Check to start our semester. THERE IS ONE RULE: ONLY ONE PERSON MAY TALK AT A TIME. If you talk when another is talking you will lose your ability to participate in our discussion.

As we start a New Year and a new semester, here are some reminders: 1.You are responsible for doing your homework in a timely manner. When you are in college, most professors WILL NOT ACCEPT LATE WORK. To prepare for this expectation, I will be strictly enforcing SVA’s late work policy. You lose 10% each day an assignment is late and after 5 days, it will not be accepted. To submit your late OR MAKE-UP WORK you must put your assignment in the orange/black tray. To be considered for credit, you must put the original due date, today’s date, and the number of days absent (if applicable). If you do not follow these steps, your work will not be considered. Course Expectations

As we start a New Year and a new semester, here are some reminders: 2. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to go on my website (that is updated DAILY) and discover what you missed. I will not tell you what you missed—that is your responsibility. Additionally, I have created a Make-Up Binder for each class that will contain the extra hand- outs and an agenda of what we did that day. You may also check the binder. 3. We will have more independent work and reading outside of class this semester. It is your responsibility to complete your reading outside of class. If you struggle to read on your own, you may listen to the audiobook on my website and follow along in the text. Course Expectations

4. The ONLY food allowed in my classroom will be snacks (i.e. granola bar, an apple, a pack of crackers) to be used to refresh your body so that I may have your full attention and best self when you attend my class. Just a reminder this is a privilege that can be revoked if you abuse this rule. 5. Many of you requested that we more regularly use our journals. It is expected that you bring your journal to class every single day or you store your journal in your class period bin. When you enter my room for class, there will be a warm- up journal question on the SMART board. You are to begin this prompt as soon as you enter my room. Course Expectations

Introduction to Greek Tragedy

Athens 5 th Century B.C.E. The Athenian government was an “exclusionary democracy,” run by elected officials in the form of an open assembly. Only about ten percent of the population was eligible to participate (did not include women, slaves, and other “non citizens”). Sophocles was born in Athens, Greece, in 497 BCE and was the best-known of the ancient Greek playwrights. Although he was a member of the ruling class, Sophocles was aware of the social inequalities in Athenian society. He often illustrates the prejudice and injustice to the poor.

Fate versus Free Will The gods, while immortal and powerful, were not all-powerful in the sense of our modern concepts of God. They were themselves subject to Fate and to each other’s will. We see much of this in Oedipus Rex, when the Delphic Oracle is the prophet of Oedipus’ doomed fate. The Greeks did, to some extent, believe in Free Will, always accepting that a person would eventually have to face the human and cosmic consequences of his or her actions and decisions. Free Will was not more powerful than Fate. Oedipus shows that people cannot avoid the destinies to which they are born despite their deeds.

Fate vs. Free Will Journal 1. Which do you think is more powerful: fate or free will? Defend your position with evidence. 2. Provide an example from a movie you watched or a book you have read where fate prevailed. Explain how. 3. Provide an example from a movie you watched or a book you have read where free will prevailed. Explain how. 4. What is the relationship between fate and free will?

Introduction to Oedipus the King Western Literature January 6, 2015

Warm-Up Do you believe in fate in modern day society? Why or why not?

Origins of Greek Drama Sixth Century B.C.E.– According to legend and recorded by Aristotle, Thespis essentially invented acting by stepping in front of the chorus and performing a solo. The word “thespian” has come to mean “actor.”Thespis

Origins of Greek Drama Athens made tremendous advances in philosophy, rhetoric, literature, science, architecture, and the visual arts. Tragedies were performed in an annual competition as a part of the Great Dionysia, one of Athens’ chief religious festivals, in honor of the god Dionysus.Great Dionysia

The Great Dionysia Festival Each playwright produced three tragedies and a satyr- play (a kind of farce intended to provide comic relief after the tragedies); all four plays were performed in a single day. Sophocles, won twenty competitions (Aeschylus thirteen, and Euripides four).

Sophocles’ Theban Plays Sophocles’ Theban Plays include: Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King Oedipus at Colonus Antigone These plays are often anthologized together but they are not considered a trilogy. Each play should be considered a separate work though the characters appear in the various plays. In fact, the plays were written in this order (some written as far as 40 years apart) 1. Antigone 2. Oedipus Rex 3. Oedipus at Colonus

Conventions of the Greek Theater Use of dramatic irony—Since the audience was already familiar with the plots, taken from well-known myths, they always had more information about the action than the characters on stage did. The suspense, then, was in how the well-known events would transpire and in the audience’s actually watching the events unfold before their eyes in “real time.” The plays were acted in the daytime, with minimal sets and props. Actors were all male. They wore masks, wigs, and high-heeled boots, which increased their visibility to the audience and added to the formality of the experience.

The Three Unities by Aristotle To increase dramatic intensity, the plays observed three unities described by Aristotle: Unity of Time– all the action of the play took place within twenty-four hours, in continuous time; dialogue and the Chorus provided background information Unity of Place– all of the action was limited to a single setting Unity of Subject – one single main plot focused on the main character. There were no sub-plots. Due to the religious intent and dignified style, no violence was shown on stage. The messenger ran on stage and spoke to the audience of any deaths or killings.

The Chorus A chorus was used to present exposition and to provide commentary on the action and characters. 5 to 20 men represented the citizens. They were always on stage, and they frequently sang and danced. They always had a leader who carried on a dialogue with the main characters or with the rest of the chorus. The function of the chorus was to: set the tone give background information recall events of the past interpret and summarize events ask questions offer opinions give advice, if asked stay objective, in the sense that it did not disagree with the leading character act like a jury of elders or wise men who listened to the evidence in the play and reached a moralistic conclusion at the end.

Components of Greek Tragedy Greek tragedy focuses on the reversal of fortune (peripeteia) and downfall of the tragic hero and the events leading to that downfall. Both fate (destiny) and free will (tragic flaw) play a role illustrating that a man could not completely control the circumstances of his life, but he was subject to the consequences of the choices he did make. This tension between fate and free will, and the destruction of an otherwise good man due to a single misstep and an angry deity were what made tragedy so powerful for the ancient Greek audience.

Catharsis As the hero accepts the consequences of his errors, he teaches the audience some truth about life. The audience experiences a heightening of emotions, as they watch the hero suffer, and they identify with his problems. In the end, the audience has a catharsis, feeling purged or drained of its emotions, and better able to understand life.

Catharsis Journal 1. When is the last time you felt catharsis? What movie/book/art did you read or watch that made you feel that way? 2. Is the feeling of catharsis good or bad for the audience? Should a writer aim to create catharsis?

Hamartia The tragic condition was often the result of the tragic hero’s hamartia. Often, the hamartia is defined simply as the tragic flaw, the character trait (like wrath or pride) that leads to the tragic hero’s downfall. More accurately, however, the hamartia is an error in judgment or perception, the hero’s inability to see his flaw or to accurately foresee the consequences of his decisions or actions. Often, the misperception is the result of a character flaw: the hero is blinded by his anger to who his friends really are; the hero’s pride will not allow him to back down and avoid a fatal fight.

Hamartia Journal 1. Who is your favorite tragic hero? Why? 2. What is that hero’s hamartia? 3. After considering your traits and qualities, what would you consider to be your hamartia if you were to be a tragic hero?

Hubris One common trait associated with hamartia is hubris. Hubris, or hybris, is exaggerated self pride or self- confidence, which often results in fatal retribution. Hubris against the gods is generally regarded as a character flaw of the heroes in Greek tragedy and the cause of their destruction.

Hubris Journal 1. Who can you think of fictional or in real life that demonstrates hubris? Do you think it is human nature to have hubris? 2. In Greek times, hubris was usually the tragic flaw (or hamartia). Do you think that hubris is as fatal in modern times? Why or why not?

Oedipus Back Story WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OEDIPUS BEFORE WE START READING.

Oedipus’ Backstory Sophocles’ audience would most likely already have known the events leading to the curse of Laius and his descendants that resulted in Oedipus’ tragic destiny. Sophocles’ intent was clearly to illustrate the downfall of the great Oedipus and not chronicle the family saga, so he does not share the backstory with us.

Oedipus’ Backstory Laius, Oedipus’ birth father, was the son of Labdacus, the King of Thebes. When Labdacus died, Laius was raised by his mother, who ruled Thebes as his regent. Two cousins (Amphion and Zethus) usurped the throne and plotted to kill young Laius, so he was smuggled out of Thebes and given to Pelops, King of Pisa, to raise. Laius eventually became the tutor of Pelops’ favorite son, Chrysippus, whom he abducted and took back to Thebes. Amphion and Zethus having died, Laius claimed his throne and kept Chrysippus captive. Pelops raised an army to demand the return of his son, but it was discovered that Chrysippus was already dead.

Oedipus’ Backstory Because of his poor treatment of his host and his host’s son, Laius and his house were cursed. When he married Jocasta, he was warned not to have children by her because his son by Jocasta would one day kill him. One night, while drunk, Laius imprudently disregarded the prophesy—some sources say Jocasta intentionally got Lauis drunk—and Oedipus was conceived. Thus, while Oedipus is, to a large extent, a pawn of Fate, at the root of that ill destiny is an act of Free Will that went against nature and angered the gods.

Prologue The drama begins with the people of Thebes entering, led by a priest. The city is suffering famine and plague and all are desperate to discover its cause. In Greek thought, there was no dividing line between natural and moral law. If the gods were punishing the city, there must be some reason for it; someone was guilty of some offense. Oedipus enters and asks why they have come to see him. The priest answers, telling of the great travail they have endured. They have come to see Oedipus as the one man most likely to be able to solve the problem. After all, he solved the riddle of the sphinx and freed them from its oppression, for which they made him their king.

Prologue and Parados Oedipus tells them he has anticipated their visit and has already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to Delphi to seek the Oracle's advice. Creon returns as they are talking and delivers the Oracle's message. The former king, Laios, was murdered. The plague will not be lifted until that murderer is discovered and punished. Oedipus questions Creon, learning that Laios was killed while on a pilgrimage. One of his servants escaped and said that the king and his attendants were set upon by a band of highwaymen. Oedipus promises to find and punish the guilty party. PARADOS After the stage empties, the chorus makes its entrance for the parados, the first of six choral interludes. They describe the city's suffering and implore the gods to send them deliverance.