Block Day, December 1 ~ A block of Bacchae

Go over Heroes J23

Here is a page from my book. It helps to have the family tree and the background.
What a trip about the Spartoi eh? Also, notice the relationship between Dionysus and Pentheus.

A Thyrsus

HW: Read through page 9 in the printed copy.

Journal 34 

• As you read through Bacchae, highlight lines that allude to the dichotomy (divide) between social/moral order (Zeno thinking) and wild natured chaos (Heraclitus thinking). 
• Why is Dionysus so "salted"?
• What purpose is the chorus (aka Voices 1,2 & 3) serving? 
• Consider, what point are Cadmus and Tiresius making about the concept of wisdom and what makes a person wise?
• How would you cast and direct the scene with Tiresius and Cadmus? (Keep in mind he was the king of Thebes until just recently.)
• What values does Pentheus represent? 

Wednesday, November 30 ~ Bacchae Begins!

EQ: What is Aristotle's definition of Tragedy?



Journal 32: Aristotle's Tragedy
First a few vocab words...

• Mimesis--"imitation"- Contrary to Plato, Aristotle asserts that the artist does not just copy the shifting appearances of the world, but rather imitates or represents Reality itself, and gives form and meaning to that Reality. In so doing, the artist gives shape to the universal, not the accidental. Poetry, Aristotle says, is "a more philosophical and serious business than history; for poetry speaks more of universals, history of particulars."
• Catharsis--"purification"-tragedy first raises (it does not create) the emotions of pity and fear, then purifies or purges them. Whether Aristotle means to say that this purification takes place only within the action of the play, or whether he thinks that the audience also undergoes a cathartic experience, is still hotly debated. One scholar, Gerald Else, says that tragedy purifies "whatever is 'filthy' or 'polluted' in the pathos, the tragic act" (98). Others say that the play arouses emotions of pity and fear in the spectator and then purifies them (reduces them to beneficent order and proportion) or purges them (expels them from his/her emotional system).
• Tragic Hero - The hero is neither a villain nor a model of perfection but is basically good and decent.
• Hamartia - "mistake" or tragic flaw. The great man falls through--though not entirely because of--some weakness of character, some moral blindness, or error. We should note that the gods also are in some sense responsible for the hero's fall.
• Peripeteia or "reversal" - occurs when a situation seems to developing in one direction, then suddenly "reverses" to another. For example, when Oedipus first hears of the death of Polybus (his supposed father), the news at first seems good, but then is revealed to be disastrous.
• Anagnorisis aka Recognition--"knowing again" or "knowing back" or "knowing throughout" ) about human fate, destiny, and the will of the gods. Aristotle quite nicely terms this sort of recognition "a change from ignorance to awareness of a bond of love or hate." For example, Oedipus kills his father in ignorance and then learns of his true relationship to the King of Thebes.
• Recognition scenes in tragedy are of some horrible event or secret, while those in comedy usually reunite long-lost relatives or friends. A plot with tragic reversals and recognitions best arouses pity and fear.
• Pathos or "suffering": Also translated as "a calamity," the third element of plot is "a destructive or painful act." The English words "sympathy," "empathy," and "apathy" (literally, absence of suffering) all stem from this Greek word.

Now click here and create your own working definition of Aristotle's tragedy.

Today we begin the prep work for Bacchae by Euripides.
HW: Journal 33 ~ Leithart Questions p.341(The Contest of  Fetters and Thyrsus)

•  Read the Leithart intro on pages 335-342 and answer the questions on 341-2.

Monday, November 28 ~ Swollen Foot Finished!

Discuss Oedipus questions.

• What purpose did you think the Chorus served? How was Sophocles using them to feed truth to the audience? 
• What do you think made Oedipus a character able to invoke both pity and fear for a true catharsis? 
• What do you think about the last chorus lines? 
• How did Creon serve as a foil character? Find the lines that reveal his opposing traits.

Block Day, November 17 ~ Oedipus begins!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

To start, I will check your movie reflection. Penny for your thoughts?

Today let's go over Leithart and begin working on Oedipus.

When we return from break, you will need to have read all of Oedipus and answered all questions on your bookmark page should be answered as Journal 31. Questions are linked here just in case you lose it.

Wednesday, November 16 ~ Oedipus' Key Concepts

Lecture: Intro to Greek Drama

• Preview Discussion Questions
• What is it about theater that makes us love it so much? 
• What do you already know about Early Greek Theater?
• How would you guess the theater evolved from a bard telling a story?
• What would theater be like if you only had one actor and the chorus? 
• Click here for the power point slides.

HW: Journal 31 ~Read Heroes "City of Confusion" (pgs. 315-324) and be ready to discuss review questions.     

*Please bring your copies of Oedipus the King tomorrow!

Tuesday, November 15 ~ Intro to Grek Tragedy & Oedipus

Finish watching The Odyssey.

HW: Complete your movie reflection journals. Does the movie do justice to the story?

Monday, November 14 ~ Finish this Odyssey of a movie

Odyssey Movie

Journal 30: Write a 1/2-1 page reflection on the movie. Did it do justice to the original story? Did it do justice to the characters? Keep to the text boys...it's too easy to be a critic without grit.

Week of November 7

Monday

• Work on your presentations.

Tuesday

• Reader's Theater of Book 22 (Shoghi, Grace & Kaylee)
• Possibly start Book 23? (Brianna & Isabella)

Wednesday

• Finish Book 23 (Brianna & Isabella)
• Book 24 (Mattie, Zoe & Sarah)

Block Day

• Finish up Readers' Theater
• Watch The Odyssey & Discuss

Block Day, November 3 ~ Make it EPIC!!!

Review Book 21

For the last three books, let's complete them in class without homework AND gain some creative credit!

You will create a reader's theater script for us to enjoy your assigned book.

• The goal is to rewrite the script into simpler language while still capturing the attitudes, tones, and story details of the original. You will understand it better as well as you dissect the text for your own translation. Feel free to add your own twist. 
• You must include:
• at least two or more props
• at least three or more key quotes from the original (you may work them into your script or use them in the processing questions at the end.)
• at least three processing questions to ensure that the audience/actors comprehend the events and deeper themes of the text.
• an emailed script(s) due by the end of the period on Monday, November 7. 

Groups:

• Book 22 (16 pgs.) Grace, Kaylee & Shoghi
• Book 23 (11 pgs.) Bri & Isabella
• Book 24 (16 pgs.) Mattie, Sarah & Zoe

Journal checks will happen while you are working in groups.

HW: Make a plan before you leave today so that you are set to finish on Monday. You really should have no homework this weekend.

Wednesday, November 2 ~ Happy Dia De Los Muertos!

Review Book 19

Fast Forward for Book 20 - click here

HW: Read Book 21
Journal 29
1. Who, other than Odysseus, has the strength and power to string the bow?
2. To what men does Odysseus reveal his identity?
3. What is Odysseus's plan?

Journal Checks tomorrow!