AGAMEMNON Clytemnestra Has Her Say
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Notes on Seneca's Trojan Women for Vce Students
NOTES ON SENECA’S TROJAN WOMEN FOR VCE STUDENTS Betty Gabriel-Jones Seneca’s Trojan Women, is, like most of his plays, modelled on a Greek original, Eurip- ides’ Women of Troy. However, he brings a distinctly Roman attitude to his plays, an attitude no doubt at least partly formed by a life led in and around the courts of the Julio-Claudian emperors. Seneca thrived under Tiberius, fell out of favour with Caligula, returned to Rome on Caligula’s death, was exiled by Claudius, then recalled, became influential at the court of Nero (indeed was probably the second most powerful man in Rome, after the emperor) and was eventually sentenced to death by Nero. This eventful and, one assumes, stressful life surely played a part in his somewhat pessimistic view of life. It is hard to see how this could not be the case. After all, his protégé, Nero, murdered his own stepbrother, his stepsister/wife and his mother Agrippina. His second wife, whom he supposedly loved, he kicked to death in a drunken rage. Witnessing such events, even if one were not involved, would not lead one to see life as a sunny, cheerful affair. And Seneca was not uninvolved. He was no innocent, and may even have condoned the killing of Agrippina; certainly he composed a speech for Nero in which he justified his action. In addition to all this, Seneca lived in a Rome where bloody and murderous games were the staple entertainment of the masses. By philosophy, Seneca was a stoic—that is to say, he advised a life designed around ra- tional behaviour, modesty, and discipline. -
An Examination of the Correlation Between the Justification and Glorification of War in Charles Mee's Iphigenia
An Examination of the Correlation Between the Justification and Glorification of War in Charles Mee’s Iphigenia 2.0: A Director’s Approach Caroline Donica Table of Contents Chapter One: Charles Mee and the History Behind Iphigenia 2.0 4 Introduction 4 The Life and Works of Charles Mee 4 Just War 8 Production History and Reception 11 Survey of Literature 13 Conclusion 15 Chapter Two: Play Analysis 16 Introduction 16 Synopsis 16 Given Circumstances 24 Previous Action 26 Dialogue and Imagery 27 Character Analysis 29 Idea and Theme 34 Conclusion 36 Chapter Three: The Design Process 37 Introduction 37 Production Style 37 Director’s Approach 38 Choice of Stage 38 Collaboration with Designers 40 Set Design 44 Costumes 46 Makeup and Hair 50 Properties 52 Lighting 53 Sound 55 Conclusion 56 Chapter Four: The Rehearsal Process 57 Introduction 57 Auditions and Casting 57 Rehearsals and Acting Strategies 60 Technical and Dress Rehearsals 64 Performances 65 Conclusion 67 Chapter Five: Reflection 68 Introduction 68 Design 68 Staging and Timing 72 Acting 73 Self-Analysis 77 Conclusion 80 Appendices 82 A – Photos Featuring the Set Design 83 B – Photos Featuring the Costume Design 86 C – Photos Featuring the Lighting Design 92 D – Photos Featuring the Concept Images 98 Works Consulted 102 Donica 4 Chapter One Charles Mee and the History Behind Iphigenia 2.0 Introduction Charles Mee’s Iphigenia 2.0 is a significant work in recent theatre history. The play was widely recognized and repeatedly produced for its unique take on contemporary issues, popular culture, and current events set within a framework of ancient myths and historical literature. -
The Darkness of Man: a Study of Light and Dark Imagery in Seneca's
The Darkness of Man: A Study of Light and Dark Imagery in Seneca’s Thyestes and Agamemnon A Senior Thesis in Classics The Colorado College In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Bachelor of Arts By Emily Kohut May 2016 Kohut 1 Acknowledgments I would like to give my deepest and heartfelt thanks to Colorado College’s Classics department. Thank you Owen Cramer, Sanjaya Thakur, Marcia Dobson, and Richard Buxton for all of your help, edits, and advice throughout the course of my time here at CC and especially while working on this project. Thank you to my family and friends for supporting me through this whole process and to the many others who have been involved in my time here at CC. This has been an amazing experience and I could not have done it without all of you. Thank you very much. Kohut 2 The Darkness of Man: A Study of Light and Dark Imagery in Seneca’s Thyestes and Agamemnon Seneca’s Thyestes and Agamemnon are texts in which light rarely presents itself, instead it is dark that is present from start to finish. Throughout the course of these texts, I take note of the use and presence, or lack, of light. There appear to be two specific uses of light that serve specific purposes in Thyestes and Agamemnon: natural light (generally indicated with primarily die- or luc-1 based words), and artificial light (referenced by words related to/derived from flamma or ardeo2). Natural light is prominently used only when discussing its being consumed by darkness, while artificial light appears in passages saturated with destruction and chaos. -
AGAMEMNON PROLOGUE: Lines 1-39
AGAMEMNON PROLOGUE: Lines 1-39 GUARD: Watching from a WatchTower in Argos for the beacon of light announcing the fall of Troy! Laments of how long he has waited and watched with “elbow-bent, doglike,” without sleep. At prologues end, the beacon of light has brightened the sky. Guard has much joy, and hope that this will turn the house around. Imagery: Light/ Dark Lines 16-18: We know there is something amiss with how the house is being “administered.” The mix of anticipation and foreboding sets mood of the play. Something’s Coming. PARADOS: Prelude Lines 40- 103 What Character is the Chorus Playing? Lines 72-76 PRELUDE Continued WHAT’S GOING ON? - Trojan War has just ended after 10 years, but how did it began? MENELAUS- KING OF SPARTA AGAMEMNON- KING OF ARGOS/ BROTHER OF MENELAUS Vs. PARIS (ALEXANDER)- PRINCE OF TROY HELEN- Once Wife of Menelaus now Wife of Paris (Clytemnestra's Sister) “Promiscuous Girl, Stop Teasing Me” NESTRA: WAIT, SO MY HUSBAND LEFT TO FIGHT A WAR TO FORCE MY \ SISTER TO STAY MARRIED TO HIS BROTHER? CHORUS: YES, CLYTEMNESTRA. NESTRA: ALRIGHT, COOL. SO, I’M JUST GONNA TRY TO TAKE CARE OF THIS KINGDOM OF ARGOS THEN, I GUESS. CHORUS: BUT, WHY ARE YOU BURNING ALL THESE SACRIFICES FOR THE GODS AND ORDERING ALL THESE CELEBRATIONS? NESTRA: WELL… CHORUS: IMMA LET YOU FINISH BUT, I GOTTA TELL YOU ABOUT THIS OTHER MESS REAL QUICK.. PARADOS: Three-Part ODE Part One: STROPHE (East To West, or From Stage Right) ANTISTROPHE (West to East, or From Stage Left) EPODE (From Center, could be by one member of chorus or multiple) CALCHAS: I’m a Soothsayer and those two eagles eating that pregnant rabbit means VICTORY for the two brothers! ARTEMIS: Yes, but those eagles killed a pregnant rabbit. -
CLAS 4000 Seminar in Classics on Seneca's Thyestes and LATN 4002 Roman Drama
CLAS 4000 Seminar in Classics on Seneca’s Thyestes and LATN 4002 Roman Drama http://myweb.ecu.edu/stevensj/CLAS4000/2016syllabus.pdf Prof. John A. Stevens Spring 2016 Office: Ragsdale 133 [email protected] Office Hours: TTh 11-1:30 and by appt. (252) 328-6056 Objectives. Upon completion of this course, you will be able to: • Situate Senecan tragedy in the contexts of Roman literature, history and political philosophy • Analyze the elements of Roman Stoicism present in Seneca’s Thyestes • Characterize contemporary literary approaches to the play • Evaluate the play’s literary and philosophical elements as an integral whole Writing Intensive (WI) CLAS 4000 is a writing intensive course in the Writing Across the Curriculum Program at East Carolina University. With committee approval, this course contributes to the twelve-hour WI requirement for students at ECU. Additional information is available at: http://www.ecu.edu/writing/wac/. WI Course goals: • Use writing to investigate complex, relevant topics and address significant questions through engagement with and effective use of credible sources; • Produce writing that reflects an awareness of context, purpose, and audience, particularly within the written genres (including genres that integrate writing with visuals, audio or other multi-modal components) of their major disciplines and/or career fields; • Understand that writing as a process made more effective through drafts and revision; • Produce writing that is proofread and edited to avoid grammatical and mechanical errors; • Ability to assess and explain the major choices made in the writing process. • Students are responsible for uploading the following to iWebfolio (via Courses/Student Portfolio in OneStop): 1) A final draft of a major writing project from the WI course, 2) A description of the assignment for which the project was written, and 3) A writing self-analysis document (a component of our QEP). -
Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides Translated by Nicholas Rudall Directed by Charles Newell
STUDY GUIDE Photo of Mark L. Montgomery, Stephanie Andrea Barron, and Sandra Marquez by joe mazza/brave lux, inc Sponsored by Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides Translated by Nicholas Rudall Directed by Charles Newell SETTING The action takes place in east-central Greece at the port of Aulis, on the Euripus Strait. The time is approximately 1200 BCE. CHARACTERS Agamemnon father of Iphigenia, husband of Clytemnestra and King of Mycenae Menelaus brother of Agamemnon Clytemnestra mother of Iphigenia, wife of Agamemnon Iphigenia daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra Achilles son of Peleus Chorus women of Chalcis who came to Aulis to see the Greek army Old Man servant of Agamemnon, was given as part of Clytemnestra’s dowry Messenger ABOUT THE PLAY Iphigenia in Aulis is the last existing work of the playwright Euripides. Written between 408 and 406 BCE, the year of Euripides’ death, the play was first produced the following year in a trilogy with The Bacchaeand Alcmaeon in Corinth by his son, Euripides the Younger, and won the first place at the Athenian City Dionysia festival. Agamemnon Costume rendering by Jacqueline Firkins. 2 SYNOPSIS At the start of the play, Agamemnon reveals to the Old Man that his army and warships are stranded in Aulis due to a lack of sailing winds. The winds have died because Agamemnon is being punished by the goddess Artemis, whom he offended. The only way to remedy this situation is for Agamemnon to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia, to the goddess Artemis. Agamemnon then admits that he has sent for Iphigenia to be brought to Aulis but he has changed his mind. -
Senecan Tragedy and Virgil's Aeneid: Repetition and Reversal
City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 10-2014 Senecan Tragedy and Virgil's Aeneid: Repetition and Reversal Timothy Hanford Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/427 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] SENECAN TRAGEDY AND VIRGIL’S AENEID: REPETITION AND REVERSAL by TIMOTHY HANFORD A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Classics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2014 ©2014 TIMOTHY HANFORD All Rights Reserved ii This dissertation has been read and accepted by the Graduate Faculty in Classics in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Ronnie Ancona ________________ _______________________________ Date Chair of Examining Committee Dee L. Clayman ________________ _______________________________ Date Executive Officer James Ker Joel Lidov Craig Williams Supervisory Committee THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii Abstract SENECAN TRAGEDY AND VIRGIL’S AENEID: REPETITION AND REVERSAL by Timothy Hanford Advisor: Professor Ronnie Ancona This dissertation explores the relationship between Senecan tragedy and Virgil’s Aeneid, both on close linguistic as well as larger thematic levels. Senecan tragic characters and choruses often echo the language of Virgil’s epic in provocative ways; these constitute a contrastive reworking of the original Virgilian contents and context, one that has not to date been fully considered by scholars. -
Thyestes, Acts 1 and 2
Archived at the Flinders Academic Commons: http://dspace.flinders.edu.au/dspace/ Daalder, J. (Ed.). (1982). Thyestes (J. Heywood, Trans.) (New Mermaids series). London: Ernest Benn Limited. Copyright (1982) Ernest Benn Limited. Published version of the text reproduced here with permission from the editor and the publisher. Personal use of this material is permitted. that to reprint/republish this material for Please note advertising or promotional purposes, or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works, permission must be obtained from the editor and the publisher. I vi SE~ECAIHEYWOOD If L. A N. S e N E C A E CHORVS. Anaporfrici,pra-ur unum & alrcrum Adonlum. vo tm.trurn,{uprrionq; parrns, Q Cuius ttd ort us noCl1s opac~C Dtc~M omnr fogit,quo Ut'rtls rtt"rf J..'itdioq; dmn pnd1s Olympof Cur Phcxbe tuos .rapls aJPcCl~Mf :Nondum {ru.nuntiuf bor~C N ott urn auocat .lumina urjptr. ·.~~ fa)cnrra rnhtulrb ~hp~ Non®m Htf1mi.~:flrxur~t rot~ rftrs fdUbfullr 4'n;h1 Jubtt cmrricos {olun-e CU7Tu5. (brb bP }afprr ""'~ :N ond&~m in r.oflrm urrgrntr die tDool' frlfotut of Tttti.t mifit buccin11 fignum. 3:1Coln£ .Cob Stupct ad {ubit~C ttmpord cCXM lcgt Non dum fofTu bub~M 4Tdtor. CR _,JfOJble QEid tt td'rtio ptpulit c:ur{u! Qg.c C.tU{4 tUOJ finUtt CrTtO Driedt equosfnunquid dperto IMPRINTED AT Cdl'ure DitJ) uiCli,trntztnt konbon an 1lrtrftncc BeUd gigdntcstnunquid Tit''" an tbr bf»ae lata Pettore fiffo rrncuat uetms C[bomae 15tr:; Saucitu ir.t~fnum reidlo r~dcUt8. -
Study Questions Helen of Troycomp
Study Questions Helen of Troy 1. What does Paris say about Agamemnon? That he treated Helen as a slave and he would have attacked Troy anyway. 2. What is Priam’s reaction to Paris’ action? What is Paris’ response? Priam is initially very upset with his son. Paris tries to defend himself and convince his father that he should allow Helen to stay because of her poor treatment. 3. What does Cassandra say when she first sees Helen? What warning does she give? Cassandra identifies Helen as a Spartan and says she does not belong there. Cassandra warns that Helen will bring about the end of Troy. 4. What does Helen say she wants to do? Why do you think she does this? She says she wants to return to her husband. She is probably doing this in an attempt to save lives. 5. What does Menelaus ask of King Priam? Who goes with him? Menelaus asks for his wife back. Odysseus goes with him. 6. How does Odysseus’ approach to Priam differ from Menelaus’? Who seems to be more successful? Odysseus reasons with Priam and tries to appeal to his sense of propriety; Menelaus simply threatened. Odysseus seems to be more successful; Priam actually considers his offer. 7. Why does Priam decide against returning Helen? What offer does he make to her? He finds out that Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter for safe passage to Troy; Agamemnon does not believe that is an action suited to a king. Priam offers Helen the opportunity to become Helen of Troy. 8. What do Agamemnon and Achilles do as the rest of the Greek army lands on the Trojan coast? They disguise themselves and sneak into the city. -
The Iliad Book 1 Lines 1-487
The Iliad Book 1 lines 1-487. Homer. The Iliad with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0134:book=1:card=1 [1] The wrath sing, goddess, of Peleus' son, Achilles, that destructive wrath which brought countless woes upon the Achaeans, and sent forth to Hades many valiant souls of heroes, and made them themselves spoil for dogs and every bird; thus the plan of Zeus came to fulfillment, from the time when first they parted in strife Atreus' son, king of men, and brilliant Achilles. [8] Who then of the gods was it that brought these two together to contend? The son of Leto and Zeus; for he in anger against the king roused throughout the host an evil pestilence, and the people began to perish, because upon the priest Chryses the son of Atreus had wrought dishonour. For he had come to the swift ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, bearing ransom past counting; and in his hands he held the wreaths of Apollo who strikes from afar, on a staff of gold; and he implored all the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus, the marshallers of the people: Sons of Atreus, and other well-greaved Achaeans, to you may the gods who have homes upon Olympus grant that you sack the city of Priam, and return safe to your homes; but my dear child release to me, and accept the ransom out of reverence for the son of Zeus, Apollo who strikes from afar. -
Iliad and Odyssey - 800-750 BCE Early Greece
Clst 181SK Ancient Greece and the Origins of Western Culture Early Greece A Basic Chronology 1a. Bronze Age Greece - Minoans The Minoan Civilization (1900-1450 BCE) ! ! Knossos, Crete 1b. Bronze Age Greece - Mycenaeans The Mycenaean Civilization (1450-1200 BCE) Mainland Greece, especially the Peloponnesus Mycenae – Palace Megaron Cf. Megaron at Pylos, Palace of Nestor Mycenae – Demons? Mycenae – Palace Megaron Cf. Megaron at Pylos, Palace of Nestor The Bronze Age - Collapse ! Greek Palace structures are destroyed in about 1200-1150 BCE ! Knossos Mycenae Pylos Thebes Tiryns Troy(!) We do not know how or by whom the devastation occurred - the Greeks told a story of invaders (the “Dorian invasion”) 2. The Greek! “Dark Age” - the Iron Age 1200-800 BCE Lefkandi – Heroön plan ! 2. The Iron Age 1200-750 BCE Early Geometric Vase 850 BCE ! 3. The Archaic Period 750-480 BCE 530 BCE 750 BCE 560 BCE 700 BCE 600 BCE Clst 181SK Ancient Greece and the Origins of Western Culture Early Greece A Basic Chronology ! 1a. Bronze Age - Minoans 1900-1450 BCE 1b. Bronze Age - Mycenaeans 1450-1200 2. Iron Age (Dark Ages) 1200-750 3. Archaic Period 750-480 ! “Trojan War” - 1250-1200 BCE Collapse of Bronze Age palace system - 1200-1150 BCE Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey - 800-750 BCE Early Greece “Trojan War” - 1250-1200 BCE Collapse of Bronze Age palace system - 1200-1150 BCE Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey - 800-750 BCE Question: which early Greece does Homer’s Iliad assume? The Bronze Age era of palaces or the Iron Age era sometimes known as the Dark Ages? ! The Trojan War: The Heroes Note: Ilium or Ilias is another name for Troy, thus the Iliad means the story of the war against Troy ! Mycenae (Mycene) Review: Mesopotamia,Phoenicia, Crete, Cyprus, Delphi, Peloponnesus, Ionia Review: Knossos, Mycenae, Pylos Mycenae – aerial view Lion’s gate reconstruction Mycenae – Demons? Mycenae – Palace Megaron Cf. -
Sophocles' Electra
Sophocles’ Electra Dramatic action and important elements in the play, scene-by-scene Setting: Mycenae/Argos Background: 15-20 years ago, Agamemnon (here named as grandson of Pelops) was killed by his wife and lover Aegisthus (also grandson of Pelops). As a boy, Orestes, was evacuated by his sister Electra and the ‘Old Slave’ to Phocis, to the kingdom of Strophius (Agamemnon’s guest-friend and father of Pylades). Electra stayed in Mycenae, preserving her father’s memory and harbouring extreme hatred for her mother Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus. She has a sister, Chrysothemis, who says that she accepts the situation. Prologue: 1- 85 (pp. 169-75) - Dawn at the palace of Atreus. Orestes, Pylades and the Old Slave arrive. Topography of wealthy Argos/Mycenae, and the bloody house of the Atreids. - The story of Orestes’ evacuation. ‘It is time to act!’ v. 22 - Apollo’s oracle at Delphi: Agamemnon was killed by deception; use deception (doloisi – cunning at p. 171 is a bit weak) to kill the murderers. - Orestes’ idea to send the Old Slave to the palace. Orestes and Pylades will arrive later with the urn containing the ‘ashes’ of Orestes. «Yes, often in the past I have known clever men dead in fiction but not dead; and then when they return home the honour they receive is all the greater» v. 62-4, p. 173 Orestes like Odysseus: return to house and riches - Electra is heard wailing. Old slave: “No time to lose”. Prologue: 86-120 (pp. 175-7) - Enter Electra, who addresses the light of day.