1 General Problems In Worksheet #1 I review the basic formalist questions and their literary aspect: plot character setting purpose motive method audience How might these relate specifically to drama?

2 A Few Special Terms ad lib auditorium backdrop backstage cue downstageflies footlights grouping intonation off-stage pace prompt set upstage wings

3 Character Physical traits Personality traits Psychological traitsGeneral role/impact

4 Physical Traits 1. Age, sex, race, weight, and height2. Type of speech (high, low, deep, fast, slow, impeded, etc.) 3. Way of walking (confident, meek, stylish, oafish, etc.) 4. Mannerisms (habitual actions) 5. Vitality level (very active to immobile)

5 Personal Traits 1. Family background (wealthy/aristocratic to poor/lower classes/subaltern) 2. Educational level (highly educated to none) 3. Occupation (How do social level and occupation go together?) 4. Social life (moves in society to no activity) 5. Style of dress (rich to poor; flamboyant; anachronistic) 6. Level of intelligence (highly intelligent to stupid)

6 Psychological Traits 1. What is the character’s environment like? (neutral, hostile, secure, etc.) 2. How does the character view himself or herself? (conceited to self-deprecatory) 3. What is the character’s outlook on life? (optimistic, resigned, pessimistic, etc.)

7 Character Role 1. How should the audience react to the character? (sympathetic or unsympathetic) 2. What is the genre of the play? 3. Where is the crisis of the play, particularly in regard to the character? 4. What changes take place in the character? 5. What is the character’s primary goal or motive? 6. What obstacles block the character from achieving this goal?

8 Sophocles ( BCE) Athenian Antigone (c. 442 BCE)

9 Other Extant Works Ajax (after 450 BCE) The Trichiniae (c. 450 BCE)Oedipus the King (c. 430 BCE) Electra (after 409 BCE) Philoctetes (409 BCE) Oedipus at Colonus (401 BCE) [posthumous production]

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12 Aspects of Greek Tragedytrilogy form mythic foundation of plots religious, later social, purpose cathartic purpose chorus conventions concerning actors and action genres: tragedy, comedy, farce, mime

13 Setting What limits does the staging create for the play?What in fact might this imply about the expectations on the play and the elements that are most valued?

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15 Stage Direction The stage directions are interpolated—that means that they have been added by the translator. Using his description, try to imagine what the set looks like. You might wish to sketch the stage space based on Robert Fagles’ description.

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17 Heroes (typology) A hero is a certain type of protagonist.What are some of the types we have encountered in other courses?

18 Possibilities the tragic hero the comic protagonist the epic herothe folk hero the popular hero (many subtypes) the Romantic hero the reluctant hero the anti-hero the picaresque hero

19 Statements and Questions1. How many of these statements seem to apply to literary heroes generally? 2. How many of these statements reflect what you understand to be the popular (including non-literary) idea of the hero? 3. Are there any larger groups or categories in the list? Can we reduce its size to a few criteria? 4. Which characteristics seem to apply to your understanding of the tragic hero?

20 Heroes… are figures who inspire good are bound by their timehave a variety of motivations are excluded from society are rare, noble, and extraordinary are capable of sacrifice command a following of people possess a strong moral sense are often determined by the attitudes of their society arouse admiration possess an outstanding sense of confidence

21 Heroes… are successful in completing something possess a strong willappear at the point when a task must be accomplished are loved and feared perform selfless acts are strongly possessed of love are strangers to evil or malice are intelligent, wise, knowledgeable, cunning are filled with (a) vision can be rejected or accepted by the community define a constant (morally or otherwise) which cannot be improved upon

22 Heroes… are immune to the lure of wealth or gloryare related to an ideal improve humanity face adversity and hardship achieve immortality through general recognition can be great independent of moral character have a definable goal and mission are courageous and fearless violate social norms can be pitiful figures find self-acceptance within themselves

23 Conflict Dramatic development commonly relies upon conflict.What is conflict in its everyday sense? What does it mean in drama? What range of conflicts can you name (as types)?

24 Types of Conflicts Note the centrality of character:character/character character/self character/institution/society/ideology character/extra-human force (gods, fate) ?

25 Character What are the characters in Antigone like, both in appearance and personality? What are their relations to each other?

26 Dramatis Personae Antigone Ismene leader of the chorus chorus Creonsentry Haemon

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30 Comparisons age social class level of importance in the playintelligence complexity power gender

31 Theme: Loyalities What commands your greatest loyalty? What is the basis of this feeling? What conflicts potentially could arise from divided loyalties? Try to make these concrete. Are these universal problems or in some way confined in space, time, and culture?

32 Theme: The State What is the State? Is it merely an abstraction?What duties and responsibilities does it expect from its citizenry? When do conflicts arise with the State and over what? Under what circumstances might it be advisable to resist the power of the State? Why do our attitudes probably differ from those in the past, especially for the Greeks?

33 Character Types and SympathyContrast the attitudes of Antigone and Ismene. Which character is more sympathetic for modern audiences? Of what are these two figures symbolic or emblematic? lines: 70-77

34 Reactions Are you prone to support one side or the other?Reflect on why we might be conditioned to think this way.

35 law and Law What is the difference between law and Law? Most of you have encountered this distinction in reading Kafka. This distinction may apply to this play. lines: 88-90,

36 Chorus What attitudes are expressed in the chorus?Are they admirable or reprehensible? Is it possible to treat the chorus as a neutral body which is merely commenting on events? What distinguishes the chorus from any actor on the stage?

37 Creon’s Values Creon’s speech (lines ) points towards a value system. What is your understanding and reaction to his values?

38 Modern Reactions Do Creon’s values deviate from modern expectations?We must understand Creon well in order to figure out the antagonism that arises between him and Antigone, the central conflict of Sophocles’ work, but this also informs our modern relation to the play.

39 Ancient Greek Political Formsmonarchy tyranny dictatorship aristocracy oligarchy democracy republicanism thalossocracy

40 Creon’s Impiety? Is Creon impious (lines 317-344)?If so, how does this impiety compare with that of Oedipus?

41 Choric Interludes The chorus (lines 376-415)What is the purpose of this section? What picture of the human being does it offer us? Note the sentry’s attitudes (lines 435, 486ff.) terms: strophe and antistrophe

42 State, Freedom, Duty Antigone (lines ) raises the question of responsibility to the state, and the notion, for us, of rights and responsibilities living in the state. Discuss the terms freedom, responsibility, and duty in a general way first; then reflect on these terms in light of the passage.

43 To Think About Can this play’s conflict be linked directly to contemporary events in Taiwan or elsewhere in the world?

44 Jean Anouilh/Bertolt Brecht

45 For Next Time Finish reading Sophocles.I will make some general remarks about Aristotle.