Writer’s Choice

Choose one scene from Aeschylus’ Oresteia, Suppliants or Seven Against Thebes. Examine this scene by using one or more of the elements of tragedy we have been exploring in class (Muthos, Dainoia (intentions/objectives), Ethos (character/mask), Eikos (decision making), Metabasis (surprise, innovation, change), Opsis (visual elements, staging, space) and Melos (Music, dance, movement).

Create a thesis for your chosen scene and then use your paper to defend your thesis. Use examples from the text, your own analysis, and support from any relevant scholarship.

Examples of such a thesis might be:

“Clytemnestra subverts the decision making of Agamemnon in the tapestry scene of Agamemnon in order to get him to agree to walk on the carpets”.

“The costume and masks of the chorus in Aeschylus Suppliants, along with their gender, age and marital status, marks them as a potential threat to the society of Argos”.

“The herald in Agamemnon first delivers the message given to him by Agamemnon but then speaks his own muthos, letting the audience know something of the life of the ordinary soldier at Troy”.

You should discuss your thesis with your recitation instructor.

When choosing your scene, think about a choral ode or moment in the play that has its own narrative arc. The length of the “scene” is immaterial in this respect. You can and should also use moments from the others plays to help substantiate your points.

Make sure you cite the play correctly, noting the translation or edition you are using and by citing the translator. Use the line numbering (not page numbering) from that cited edition. Try to also cite at least five other sources of scholarship (these can include the introductions to your translations if you use them). Use the bibliography in your Aeschylus translation, Google Scholar, JSTOR, and the Bobst Library journal search resources.

I’ve included the plays (if i missed anything you could prob. find it easily online). I’ve also included some relevant sources we went over in class.