Choose a present-day public figure – a celebrity, politician, or literary individual. In a poem of at least twenty-five lines, chide this individual as the chorus of The Frogs chides Cleigenes at the end of act one. Write the poem with a rhyme scheme. You can gently reprimand or scathingly mock. Imagine that this poem is to be inserted in a modern play by Aristophanes; address the poem to an audience, not to the individual directly.
OR
Design and illustrate what you imagine the frog costumes for the chorus would look like. Feel free to look at other productions and descriptions of comic costumes from the era for inspiration. You can use whatever medium you like, but it has to be chromatic (colored pencils, watercolors, acrylics, etc.).
Writing Assignment:
The first draft of your 500 word synthesis essay is due on Thursday, March 1. Please bring two copies -- one for peer editing and one for me. This is your only writing assignment for this week.
Special Assignments:
Photograph or scan your lecture notes from any day's lecture, and post to Google+.
Summarize "The Satire of Trades" in one pithy sentence and be ready to read it in class.
Quiz:
1. Who is Dionysus dressed up as?
2. Why has Dionysus come down into the Underworld?
3. In what way is Xanthias a parody of the New Comedy archetypes?
4. What is funny about Heracles’ initial suggestions on how Dionysus can get to the Underworld?
5. What are the four locations Heracles informs Dionysus he will encounter on his journey to Pluto’s palace?
6. To whom are the initiates singing their hymns and why is this fitting and ironic?
7. Whose voice does the chorus of initiates have in The Frogs?
8. Whom do you think the frogs represent?
9. What subgenres of Greek comedy did Aristophanes write?
10. What does the chorus leader tell the audience the chorus will do at the end of act one?
11. What does the chorus lament at the end of act one?
12. How many non-chorus actors did Sophocles use in his plays?
If you are reading from the AP reader, this selection starts on p. 547. If you are looking at the link above, scroll down to the beginning of The Birth of Tragedy and read the first four sections, down to "Antigone and Cassandra."
This is not an easy read. In A World of Ideas, the introduction to this piece will be extremely helpful. Failing that, go ahead and read the Wikipedia article "Apollonian and Dionysian," particularly the section about German philosophy.
Creative Assignment:
Building on the "My Struggle" list you started in class, create a visual illustration, in the style of Molly Crabapple's illustration of Dali's list. You can use different font styles, small drawings, or colors, or whatever helps you bring your list to life.
OR
For those who were not in class and did not do a "My Struggle" list, please explore the concepts of Apollonianism and Dionysianism by creating characters that illustrate these two worldviews. You can write about them or draw them. If you draw then, they can be anime, cartoons, realistic, animals, or whatever you like, but add details and show us how these philosophies would manifest themselves in a personality. If you write about them, write at least 300 words total.
Writing Assignment:
As we discussed in class, your assignment is to write a personal essay about your "My Struggle" list. You should reference at least a few of the pairs you described, but don't let your essay become just another list. You might talk about the process of making the list, if it was easy or difficult for you, if you see the world in these terms, or if you reject the idea altogether. Your lists in class were really interesting and I look forward to reading more.
OR
If you are in the AP class, your assignment is to write the three essays in the practice exam that I emailed out. We have already read the prompts, outlined some ideas, and discussed strategies, but time yourself according to what you see on the test, and give yourself a chance to look back over the materials and carefully read the prompts again. You will be submitting two copies -- one for me to grade and one for peer editing. This time in peer editing we're focusing on the definitions of effective, adequate, and inadequate, so make sure you're convincing as well as clear.
OR
If you missed class and you're not in AP, respond to the following prompt from the 2017 practice AP Lang exam, written by the College Board:
In a 2011 essay in The Atlantic, author and journalist Lori Gottlieb writes: "Nowadays, it’s not enough to be happy—if you can be even happier. The American Dream and the pursuit of happiness have morphed from a quest for general contentment to the idea that you must be happy at all times and in every way." Gottlieb then cites Barry Schwartz, a professor of social theory: “Happiness as a byproduct of living your life is a great thing . . . [b]ut happiness as a goal is a recipe for disaster.”
In a well-developed essay, take a position on the claim that pursuing happiness as a goal has detrimental effects. Support your argument with appropriate evidence from your experience, observations, or reading.
Quiz:
For ten points, after reading the Nietzsche, give me five examples of Apollonian people and five examples of Dionysian people. They can be fictional, historical, or currently alive, famous or local. You must give a brief explanation with each one.
Excerpt from "Medea in Athens," a long poem by Augusta Webster, 1879.
Man, man,
Wilt thou accuse my guilt? Whose is my guilt?
Mine or thine, Jason? Oh, soul of my crimes,
How shall I pardon thee for what I am?
Never. And if, with the poor womanish heart
That for the loving's sake will still love on,
I could let such a past wane as a dream
And turn to thee at waking – turn to thee!
I, put aside like some slight purchased slave
Who pleased thee and then tired thee, turn to thee!
Yet never, not if thou and I could live
Thousands of years, and all thy years were pain
And all my years were to behold thy pain,
Never could I forgive thee for my boys;
Never could I look on this hand of mine
That slew them and not hate thee. Childless, thou,
What is thy childlessness to mine? Go, go,
Thou foolish angry ghost, what wrongs hast thou?
Would I could wrong thee more. Come thou sometimes
And see me happy.
Dost thou mock at me
With thy cold smiling? Aye, can I not love?
What then? am I not folded round with love,
With a life's whole of love? There doth no thought
Come near to Aegeus save what is of me:
Am I no happy wife? And I go proud,
And treasure him for noblest of the world:
Am I no happy wife?
Dost mock me still?
My children, is it? Are the dead so wise?
Why, who told thee my transport of despair
When from the Sun, who willed me not to die
Nor creep away, sudden and too late came
The winged swift car that could have saved them, mine,
From thee and from all foes? Tush, 'twas best so.
If they had lived, sometimes thou hadst had hope:
For thou wouldst still have said 'I have two sons'
And dreamed perchance they'd bring thee use at last
And build thy greatness higher: but, now, now,
Thou has died shamed and childess, none to keep
Thy name and memory fresh upon the earth,
None to make boast of thee, 'My father did it.'
Yes, 'twas best so: my sons, we are avenged.
Thou, mock me not. What if I have ill dreams,
Seeing them loathe me, fly from me in dread,
When I would feed my hungry mouth with kisses?
What if I moan in tossing fever-thirsts,
Crying for them whom I shall have no more,
Here nor among the dead, who never more,
Here nor among the dead, will smile to me
With young lips prattling 'Mother, mother dear'?
What if I turn sick when the women pass
That lead their boys; and hate a child's young face?
What if —
Go, go; thou mind'st me of our sons;
And then I hate thee worse; go to thy grave
By which none weeps. I have forgotten thee.
Creative Assignments:
After reading the except above, and in the spirit of Valentine's Day, write a love poem from Medea to Jason. Then, in honor of Singles Appreciation Day, write another one that takes place after their divorce (but not necessarily after her flight into exile). Make it bitter or make it pleading; make it deadly in its sweetness or blunt in its outrage and indignation. The poems together must total at least 28 lines. This is not meant to be a satire or parody, but it would be appropriate to employ the wit that Medea often uses.
OR
Consider our upcoming marathon read event. Using whatever artistic medium you choose, design a concept image for our flier and for a banner to be used in the Livestream. Your art will involve choosing which colors to use for the event in all design elements, what font to use, and a general "feel" for the visuals we display. If you would like to create a full flier, go ahead! If you're making it digitally, make sure you keep your layers so that it can possibly be edited as the group collaborates on a name and the wording.
Writing Assignments:
As we discussed in class, spectators at Medea were shocked by the feminist message. However, some took his villainous depiction of Medea (and other female characters) to be an attack on the female gender. In a organized essay of 300 words, illustrate the duality of Medea - how do we reconcile the amazingly ahead-of-its-time message of Medea's earlier monologues with the play's villainous depiction of the tragic heroine? Was Euripedes a protofeminist or was he putting these words in Medea's mouth only to set her up for a fall?
OR
Write a press release for our upcoming marathon read event. Take a look at this article, How to Write a Press Release With Examples from CBS News, or recall the lessons of last year's guest speaker. The press release will need a tagline; information about the venue, time, and place; instructions on how to participate; a description of what will be happening; a message about the reason for and purpose of the event; and anything else you feel will attract media attention to our project. Remember that the purpose is to invite contact, and make sure to include information on us and how to get in contact with us. Write at least 300 words, being aware that it's better to write more material than needed and edit it down.
Quiz
The quiz will take place orally in class on Tuesday, closed book. It will test your reading comprehension of the text of the play Medea, and also these videos:
Read the first half of Medea (lines 1-762, when Aegeus exits). Creative Assignments:
Sketch or paint a family picture of Jason, Medea, and their two sons before they were separated, in the style of a Victorian family portrait. A quick search of "Victorian family painting" will give you an idea of the style. Here's one of the most famous instances, depicting Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and the royal family in 1846. While your picture may seem cozy and wholesome from the outside, on the inside all is not well. Perhaps Jason is already beginning to regret his marriage to Medea. Try to signify this, whether through cleverly placed symbolism, facial expressions, or other artistic methods. As an (albeit not very subtle) example of this sort of subtext, study and read about the painting in this article. Now, imagine that it is five minutes before the events depicted in the above painting - a seemingly pure and familial gathering, soon to be irreparably wrecked forever.
OR
During the course of the play, Medea never gets to meet Jason's new princess bride face-to-face. Write a monologue from the point of view of Medea in which she addresses the princess upon seeing her for the first time. Imagine that this is the first thing either has said to the other in the play. The monologue must have at least twenty lines, with ten syllables in each line. If you want to go hardcore, make it iambic pentameter.
Writing Assignment:
Throughout the first half of the play, Medea delivers lengthy monologues to the chorus (215-271), Jason (467-519), Creon (292-323), and Aegeus (707-718). In an essay of at least 500 words, analyze the different tones she adopts in each of these. In addition, identify her objective in each monologue and explain what is revealed about her character in each successive monologue. How are her speeches meant to affect those to whom they are directed? Do they succeed in doing so? How are they meant to affect us, the readers and audience? Do NOT merely summarize her speeches. Dig deep. Read them out loud to yourselves - it is a play after all. Go into your room, where nobody will judge you, and read them. Play with the lines. Imagine you yourself are Medea - what do you hope to accomplish by this? When you reference a specific line with a quote (and you should do so), use an in-text citation thus: (540-541).
AP Students:
IN ADDITION TO your writing assignment for this week, write a second essay in which you examine Jason’s monologue in lines 522-576. Then, using the techniques you have learned in class, analyze Jason’s rhetorical style and strategies, identifying as many as you can. Do not express an opinion on whether or not he is justified or right (because we all know he’s not). The essay must be at least 250 words. When you reference a specific line with a quote (and you should do so), use an in-text citation thus: (540-541).
Quiz:
1. Why is Medea upset?
2. Who are the first characters with speaking roles we see in Medea? How are they different from almost all the other characters we studied last semester in Oedipus the King and Antigone? (Hint: Consider their rank and social status, and how many lines they get)
3. Medea rants about three cultural issues affecting women, specifically married women. What are these issues?
4. What trait does Medea possess that, due to the inequalities and injustices of her culture, brand her a troublemaker?
5. On which three people does Medea swear vengeance?
6. In line 160, to which two goddesses does Medea pray? Why does she pray to them specifically?
7. Why does Creon, King of Corinth, want to exile Medea?
8. Why has Jason come to speak to Medea?
9. What four favors does Medea list that she has performed for Jason?
10. Medea was, of course, written by Euripides. Therefore, how many (non-chorus) actors could we have expected to see when it was first performed?
11. What connection does the chorus have with Medea that makes them sympathize with her?
12. What does Medea offer Aegeus?
Send your quiz directly to Nathan for grading.
Design and illustrate what you imagine the frog costumes for the chorus would look like. Feel free to look at other productions and descriptions of comic costumes from the era for inspiration. You can use whatever medium you like, but it has to be chromatic (colored pencils, watercolors, acrylics, etc.).
