This style was constructed by using sequential pairs of rhyming iambic pentameter lines. Similar in theme, but differing in style, Dante’s The Divine Comedy and Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales were, and still remain some of world literatures most renowned works. I feel there are two possible underlying themes of the Iliad. They are; the blind need to achieve a goal at all cost and the bitter sweet result of achieving that goal. Although the story is centered on the events surrounding the siege of Troy, the subject of this poem is the anger of Achilles.
In what was does Pucks spirit dominate the mood of the play and how does the comedy surrounding him differ to that surrounding bottom? In my essay I am going to be looking at the input of both of the characters in the play and how their actions have an effect and importance in the play. The play the Midsummer’s night’s Dream was written by the famous writer William Shakespeare. He was born in Stratford on Avon , April 1564. He wrote both tragedies and comedies as well some poetry.
Antigone Tragic Hero? By Matthew Scully Does Antigone earn the title of tragic hero in Sophocles’ play Antigone? In most Greek tragedies ,the title of the play is the name of the tragic hero. I strongly believe that Antigone is the tragic hero of the play because she has a tragic flaw, the play focuses on mostly her actions, and her story best describes what a Greek tragedy is. The play, Antigone takes place in the Greek city of Argive.
The Aeneid, written by Virgil, is a prime representation of epic poetry and it encompasses all epic themes. In his attempt to continue the Aeneid, Maffeo Vegio looks to use Virgilian style and tone to tell story Aeneas' story after Aeneas kills Turnus. Although he touches upon some Virgilian techniques, he would be viewed through Virgil's eyes as a sub-par epic poet. Vegio does not capture the Aeneid accurately, partly because he does not stay faithful to the epic dactylic hexameter, and he arouses a different attitude toward the story as perceived by the reader than Virgil does. Some of the Virgilian techniques that Vegio attempts to imitate include the use of epithets, similes and metaphors, role of the gods, symbolism, and various others.
The Greek Culture turned to mythology to explain the different phenomena when they had no scientific explanation and this was prominent in the epic the Odyssey. Both The Odyssey and the Epic of Gilgamesh are two incredible stories written long ago. The main characters and the heroes of these two great epics have many differences but also many similarities. By exploring differences of the two characters will also reveal their similarities and also give a bit of history about our two heroes (2). These two epics share many of the same concepts.
Not only does Hesiod’s sexist attitude reflect in his writing, but also his stories all have a connection to the reality and social aspects of the world. Hesiod artistically develops plots to explain the purposes of the gods because the “muses called upon him to sing about the gods.” (Harvard university press, Theogony) The stories and gods initial interactions may be examples of finding reason for a natural phenomenon such as in nature, or rather trying to explain reasons for stereotypical double standards towards men and/or women. Hesiod makes many connections between the gods and the people. Hesiod strategically exemplifies Zeus as a third generation god, simply because it creates a realistic suspense that Zeus is that much closer
Aristotle’s Poetics is not only relevant to Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex Aristotle’s muse for the writings of his Poetics was Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex as well as works from other ancient Greek plays such as Homer, who Aristotle described as a ‘supreme poet of serious subjects’. This is indicative of Aristotle’s appreciation for the works of these ancient Greek playwrights, as Homer complemented him in his Poetics. Aristotle’s Oedipus Rex was the pinnacle of tragedies; he drew inspiration from several key components of this play to create his own great work that would contribute an enduring philosophy of theatre. This discussion will first seek to demonstrate the extent to which Aristotle drew directly from Oedipus Rex to highlight the key components of tragedy and the value of Aristotle’s principles in what makes a tragedy. I will also however, go on to examine how far Aristotle’s criterion for a successful tragedy has been applied to other genres of theatre, for instance the satire that became particularly popular in the eighteenth century.
The play “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles is a wonderfully written Greek tradgedy based on folklore and mythology. There are almost as many interpretations of the meaning of this play as there are versions of it that have been rewritten by other authors. Francis Fergusson and David Wiles both comment on the political aspects of Oedipus Rex and spend some time commenting on the chorus in particular (183). I feel that although Fergusson and Wiles choose different words to describe was the chorus is trying to say, that if you get down to basics, they are both trying to say something extremely similar. Fergusson describes a Sophoclean chorus as an important character or group personality, like an old Parliament or a Prime Minister (237-238).
Greek tragedies were written by a small group of male playwrights, who each prided themselves on being the best. Competition was fierce among the writers for the bragging rights over being named the best tragedy. To make a great tragedy it must contain a main character, a hero, who befalls something drastic, brought on by himself in a single day and the result would be great misery to himself and others. There were typically four episodes and four staismas. Staismas are musical interludes when the chorus would sing or chant melodic songs to add to the performance.
The Victimization of Cassandra and Hedvig For centuries, writers often have progressive ideas as to how innocent character(s) in their stories should suffer; however, it is with their creativity that they are able to convince us to see how pathetic these suffering characters are. Aeschylus and Henrik Ibsen are very similar in that respect. In his play, The Wild Duck, Ibsen choose Hedvig to be the innocent victim in the play’s conflict. Similarly, In Agamemnon, Aeschylus convey the same idea by having Cassandra as his play’s victim. Likewise, both Hedvig and Cassandra share common consequences, torture (not just physically but mentally) and in the end both walk hopelessly toward death.