There were three great writers of tragedy with respect to Greek literature. They are Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. Sophocles had a firm belief in fate but he also considers free will. He did not stick only to fate like Aeschylus. “Fate is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. It is a concept based on the belief that there is a fixed natural order to the cosmos.” “Free Will is the freedom of humans to make…
Back to the Future II and the Jetsons,they both predicted some part of the future. The Jetson movie predicted robotic vacuum cleaners. Back to the Future II predicted big flat screen televisions, and video calling. In the novel, Fahrenheit 451, the author Ray Bradbury creates a dystopian society where the protagonist Montag realizes that society is obsessed with technology and he wants to change it. Bradbury’s purpose for creating Fahrenheit 451 is to say how society is becoming more dependent…
Athens achieved its greatest cultural and political heights: the construction of the Parthenon on the Acropolis; the full establishment of the democratic system of government under the Athenian citizen Pericles; the writings of the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides; and the origin of the philosophical schools of Plato and Socrates. The Romans have had almost every type of government there is. They've had a kingdom, a republic, a dictatorship, and an empire. Their democracy would be…
“Art completes what nature can not finish.”- Aristotle. Greek art influenced the entire ancient world and a little bit of our world today. Greek art is not only split up by form, but also by era: Classic, Classical, and Classicism. Ancient Greece began what is known as modern day literature, art, music, drama, and other kinds of arts. Greek literature was developed as a national expression with little influence until the Hellenistic period and had a formative effect on succeeding European…
In Aeschylus’ Agamemnon and Homer’s The Iliad characters have trouble balancing familial obligations and obligations to the city-state and gods when they come into conflict. The choices the characters make in these conflicts reveals what the characters value the most, Agamemnon’s decision to sacrifice his daughter in order to be able to wage war shows that Agamemnon is serious about his role as a king, so much so that his obligation to his family takes a backseat to his role as a king.…
Aeschylus in his piece The Suppliants of 470 BC writes a tragic narrative regarding fifty maidens of Egyptian King Danaus who escaped from Africa to Greece. Their father accompanied them in the escape as they run to avoid marrying their fifty cousins, which would have been committing incest in the eyes of God. In the ancient Greek city-states asylum was granted to only those who took refuge in a temple or sacred place and called upon the gods for protection. The Suppliants therefore, had to be…
By writing this paper, I will illustrate the parallels between the famous Rockefeller family—specifically J.D. Rockefeller Jr.—and the mythic figure Prometheus of Greek mythology. I will also divulge on the parallels between both of their philanthropic actions for humanity, (although the Rockefellers have made more contributions to humans in New York City). For the conclusion, I will propose that Prometheus has been—and most likely will be—the most engaging model of philanthropy, which the…
Religion will, no matter what culture or environment, always be a sensitive topic brought up in conversation. Religion has been dated back before the birth of Jesus Christ which has been placed centuries before that. Religion was a big use and continues to be a use in telling stories or reaching out to specific audiences. We must ask ourselves, “What was Religion’s main use & significance in Theatre Culture?” I’ve chosen this topic because the subject is talked about briefly. We just know the…
The chapter by Scodel on Sophoclean Tragedy introduces the reader to the dynamic and catastrophic world (of what is left) of Sophocleans’ dramas. He introduces the writer, his tragedies, and all the elements that constitute the dramas. Scodel delves into the components Sophocles utilized to create the unique dramas and engaging characters. Scodel uses specific examples from various tragedies to convey the style, the tradition, and the portrayal of characters. Finally Scodel introduces Sophocles…
In the history of literature, some of the most famous works are those of Greek plays with their astonishing plots and cryptic motifs. From the tragic trilogy The Oresteia by Aeschylus to the comedic The Frogs by Aristophanes, Greek plays demonstrate tragedies and comedies that today’s society would deem beyond belief. Of these prominent theatrical works is the scandalous tragedy of Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. This drama combines incest and murder to attribute to the calamitous life of Oedipus Rex,…