1. CLASSICAL CIVILISATION
Unit 3: Greek Tragedy
Mock Revision

2. Mock Exam
Your mock exam for Unit 3 will take place on Wednesday 14 May at 2.10pm
The examination is 1 hour 30 minutes long
It is closed book – you will not be allowed to refer to copies of the set texts during the examination
Answer questions from two options
Choose one option from Section One and one option from Section Two
Answer all questions from the options you have chosen

3. Assessment You will be assessed on your ability to discuss:
the structure of the plots
characterisation
the conventions and production of tragedies in fifth-century Athens
the use of the chorus
dramatic techniques and effects
themes
the religious, cultural and social context and the place of tragedy in Athenian life

4. Section One
You will have a choice of two options, each of which will consist of several questions. Choose one option and answer all of the questions that belong to it
Each option will ask questions on one of the set texts and will offer a passage for close comment
Notice that the questions are very unequally weighed:
A short answer question or questions worth a total of 5 marks
An analytical question worth 10 marks
A discursive question worth 20 marks

5. Section One: Antigone
I rejoice in your success, father – nothing more precious to me in the world. What medal of honour brighter to his children than a father’s growing glory? Or a child’s to his proud father? Now don’t, please, be quite so single-minded, self-involved, or assume the world is wrong and you are right. Sophocles, p In what circumstances does Haemon make this speech to his father? (5 marks) 2. How far does this speech bring out the main themes of the play? (10 marks) 3. To what extent do you agree that Antigone is “a play of parents and their children”? (20 marks)

6. Section One: Medea
It may be with justice that the god has clamped so many disasters upon Jason on this day. O daughter of Creon, you wretched girl, how we pity you in your catastrophe – for your marriage with Jason has brought you to the house of Hades.
Euripides, p.33
1. In what circumstances does the Chorus make this speech? (5 marks)
2. How far does this speech express the typical attitudes of the Chorus in the play as a whole? (10 marks)
3. To what extent do you agree that “by far the most radical element of Euripides’ Medea is his Chorus”? (20 marks)

7. Section Two
You will have a choice of two options. Choose one option and answer it as fully as possible
Each option will require you to answer on all of the set texts
You must write a discursive response, addressing the issue or issues raised in the question with a clear and specific focus
Your response in Section Two is worth 40 marks, so you should devote a substantial amount of time to it in the exam – about 50 minutes

8. Section Two Question (1)
‘Greek tragedy is centrally concerned with conflict between generations.’
How far do you agree with this view? Refer to the four plays you have studied.
(40 marks)

9. Section Two Question (2)
How significant is marriage in Greek tragedy?
Refer to the four plays you have studied.
(40 marks)

10. Section Two Question (3)
“Greek tragedy is fundamentally religious.”
How far do you agree with this view? Refer to the four plays you have studied.
(40 marks)

11. Section Two Questions (4)
How far do you agree that “the dramatic core of Greek tragedy is speech rather than action”?
Refer to the four plays you have studied.
(40 marks)

12. Section Two Questions (5)
“Greek tragedy offers its audience a remarkably pure experience of terror.”
How far do you agree with this view? Refer to the four plays you have studied.
(40 marks)

13. Section Two Questions (6)
How important are questions of justice in Greek tragedy?
Refer to the four plays you have studied.
(40 marks)