Collin Simpson
June 21, 2016
Greek Final Part Two
Professor M. Demos
When a book is adapted into a film, it usually goes one of two ways. The first is that the film closely follows the source material, with a few minor variations. The second option is that the film takes a far different route from the book, with sometimes so many changes that it is almost unrecognizable from the original source material. The tragic Greek play, Iphigenia in Aulis, written by the playwright Euripides, when compared with the 1977 Greek film Iphigenia, are similar in plot, characterization, and dramatic action, however, differ in the ending, character roles, and tragic chorus. Iphigenia in Aulis takes place in Aulis, just before the Trojan War. The play starts …show more content…
One such character is Odysseus. In the play, he doesn’t appear, but is mentioned in the beginning by Agamemnon as one of the only four people who knows that Iphigenia must be sacrificed to Artemis to get the winds blowing again. He is mentioned again during the argument between Agamemnon and Menelaus, where Agamemnon states that if he doesn’t sacrifice her, Odysseus, who knows the truth, will reveal the truth to the bloodthirsty Greek army, and then kill both him and Menelaus as well as sacrifice Iphigenia. Agamemnon then states that even if he did escape, Odysseus and the army would storm Argos and raze the city to the ground. In the play, Odysseus has a far larger role. When the generals learn what they must do, Odysseus threatens to inform the army of the exact nature of the sacrifice if Agamemnon does not follow through on the oracle's demand. Later on in the film, Odysseus forces the situation when he tells the army who is to be the sacrificial victim. He then sends out his soldiers to recapture Iphigenia and bring her back to Agamemnon. He then leads the Greek Army to Agamemnon’s hut to take Iphigenia and drag her to the alter to be sacrificed. Essentially, Odysseus’ role in the film is to keep the plot moving, as he forces key characters to make decisions that advance the plot, such as forcing Agamemnon to send the message to bring Iphigenia to Laius, and he once again forces Agamemnon’s hand when he informs the Greek army of the truth. Calchas also plays a larger role in the films than the play as well. In the play, Agamemnon only mentions Calchas at the beginning, when Agamemnon talks about how Calchas pronounced the prophecy that Iphigenia must be sacrificed to get the winds blowing again. In the film, Calchas sends an oracle to deliver the prophecy to Agamemnon. Later on in the film, he oversees
June 21, 2016
Greek Final Part Two
Professor M. Demos
When a book is adapted into a film, it usually goes one of two ways. The first is that the film closely follows the source material, with a few minor variations. The second option is that the film takes a far different route from the book, with sometimes so many changes that it is almost unrecognizable from the original source material. The tragic Greek play, Iphigenia in Aulis, written by the playwright Euripides, when compared with the 1977 Greek film Iphigenia, are similar in plot, characterization, and dramatic action, however, differ in the ending, character roles, and tragic chorus. Iphigenia in Aulis takes place in Aulis, just before the Trojan War. The play starts …show more content…
One such character is Odysseus. In the play, he doesn’t appear, but is mentioned in the beginning by Agamemnon as one of the only four people who knows that Iphigenia must be sacrificed to Artemis to get the winds blowing again. He is mentioned again during the argument between Agamemnon and Menelaus, where Agamemnon states that if he doesn’t sacrifice her, Odysseus, who knows the truth, will reveal the truth to the bloodthirsty Greek army, and then kill both him and Menelaus as well as sacrifice Iphigenia. Agamemnon then states that even if he did escape, Odysseus and the army would storm Argos and raze the city to the ground. In the play, Odysseus has a far larger role. When the generals learn what they must do, Odysseus threatens to inform the army of the exact nature of the sacrifice if Agamemnon does not follow through on the oracle's demand. Later on in the film, Odysseus forces the situation when he tells the army who is to be the sacrificial victim. He then sends out his soldiers to recapture Iphigenia and bring her back to Agamemnon. He then leads the Greek Army to Agamemnon’s hut to take Iphigenia and drag her to the alter to be sacrificed. Essentially, Odysseus’ role in the film is to keep the plot moving, as he forces key characters to make decisions that advance the plot, such as forcing Agamemnon to send the message to bring Iphigenia to Laius, and he once again forces Agamemnon’s hand when he informs the Greek army of the truth. Calchas also plays a larger role in the films than the play as well. In the play, Agamemnon only mentions Calchas at the beginning, when Agamemnon talks about how Calchas pronounced the prophecy that Iphigenia must be sacrificed to get the winds blowing again. In the film, Calchas sends an oracle to deliver the prophecy to Agamemnon. Later on in the film, he oversees