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Welcome to Tragedy. . . an exploration of ancient darkness.

Greek Tragedy . . . explorations of Sophocles' Antigone and Euripides' Medea
Before we begin our adventures, here is some context for our unit of study:

Here are the digital texts for both plays:
Antigone 
Medea

Annotating for both plays. . . 
So, it seems that the nature of annotating has changed with the birth of the digital text.  Here are my thoughts: We still annotate, but we will annotate in our notes and in a different way than perhaps you have been taught previously.  When I think of annotating, I think of taking notes in the margins of my text or adding numerious post-its, with my commentary, questions, or perhaps definitions. 

Ideas or concepts that you might want to track for this play are: 
  • The role of kingship
  • famiy versus state conflicts
  • the two sister's perspectives/ the juxtaposition of sisters
  • marriage
  • the role of burial in Greek culture
  • the function of the chorus. 
Articles about Antigone for your reading pleasure:
reed_-_bringing_antigone_home.pdf
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Here is a great link to explain the basics of annotating: http://www.dsisd.txed.net/DocumentCenter/Home/View/14072

If you're not inspired to take notes while we read this play, then perhaps you will be persuaded by this video on the data connected to notetaking:
Music and Creativity in Ancient Greece:                The origens of Greek Theatre:                               Below is a BBC Video explaining  Medea:

Medea Resources:

  • Here's a wonderful summary of the background to our next play, Medea: http://homepage.usask.ca/~jrp638/CourseNotes/MedBckgnd.html
  • Here's a biography on our writer, Euripides: http://www.classics.upenn.edu/myth/php/tragedy/index.php?page=euripide
  • A wonderful background and analysis of the play.
  • Another summer of the play and analysis through LitCharts
Word Hunt:  Before we read our play, Medea, you need to have a word hunt and define the following terms.  Use your phones, ipads, computers and research what is essential to know about each of the following terms.  Some of them are cities, rivers, goddesses, etc. Remember to capture in your notes, the essential information.  What is important about this location?  term? story?  Have this near you as your read and annotate the play.  Yes, it will make for a better play reading experience.  : ) 

Here are the words: Take your time.  Explore the terms.  Unearth cool information. 
Colchis, Symplegades, Peirene, Corinth, Themis, Artemis, PIttheus, Sisyphus, Euxine Sea, Helios, Hellas, the Golden Fleece, Aegeus, Aphrodite, Cephissus, Hermes, Pelops, Hermione, The nine muses.
The compare and contrast essay resources are here:

Here is the summary of what we will be doing. . . 

1.       Make two columns and begin by brainstorming.  Look for nuance. 

2.       Give your comparison a point.   Rank the information you have, and then ask yourself the question: “So what?”

3.       List revealing similarities and differences, then ask “So what?”

4.       Focus on one key comparison.  Rank the importance of your items.

5.       Each side must not be given equal space.  Use one comparison primarily to illuminate the other.

6.       Focus on unexpected similarities and differences.

7.       Consider how you want to organize your essay:
                       a.  Subject A then Subject B
                       b. Organize by topic and talk about each: A1B1, A2B2, C1C2, etc.
                       c.  A then B then A1B1, A2B2, etc.

Here are some great resources:

  • This is a great handout on how to approach writing your essay from Santa Barbara City College: https://www.sbcc.edu/clrc/files/wl/downloads/WritingaCompareContrastEssay.pdf
  • UNC's writing guidelines are helpful as well: http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/comparing-and-contrasting/

Thesis Statements
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Introductions & More
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Thoughts about essays
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Patterns in Literature
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Shakespearean Tragedy

OUR TEXT AND RESOURCES:
  • Here is the link to our text: http://www.folgerdigitaltexts.org/html/Rom.html
  • This is another resource that offers summaries of each chapter before you read: http://www.shakespeare-navigators.com/romeo/SceneTextIndex.html
  • William Shakespeare biographical information.

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