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LITR 4370 Tragedy lecture notes Spring 2017 |
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Mourning Becomes Electra (1947 film)
The Furies (1950 film)
review assignment
"open to questions"--discuss difficulty of reading
not to make you feel dumb, though I'm always humbled, how little I remember (have to start over)
critical exercise, stretches your mind, does no harm
use glossary, my notes?
preview: this chapter on Apolline / Dionysiac in nature, how they naturally occur in human mind, perception, society
chapter 2 (Monday): the Apolline / Dionysiac in art (esp. Greek tragedy)
Question: What learning about Apolline & Dionysiac? Potential usefulness or attractiveness as learning?
How explain to someone else? What metaphors or analogies?
How does Apolline / Dionysiac appear in nature?
1a. What does the trilogy achieve in terms of civilization? If the Furies or Vengeful Ones are changed into Eumenides or Kindly Ones, what progress has been made?
Consider: revenge culture > peace and prosperity? [Ag 1772, 1803-4] civilization creates institutions & practices like courts that mitigate extremes, balances interests, compromise conflicting values, make restitution (revenge culture is Dionysiac? Judicial culture Apolline?)
4. Uses or repression of spectacle?
1580-90 screams, etc
1621 palace doors open
Ag 1620;
LB 1140+;
Eu 45, 1260
4. How may the initial appearance by the guard be potentially comical? (See comedy; wit & humor; comic theory)
l. 5 just like a dog.
l. 48 a great ox stands on my tongue
Libation Bearers
Justify Electra Complex > Homecoming, 1930s Freud popular
Recognitions scene [preview Oedipus]
you have to honor the gods, but revelation can be interpreted
plot as soul of tragedy; plot as ceremony / sacrifice / ritual [narrative]
280 + recognition scene
340 commanded by gods, Orestes becomes inhuman; cf. Agamemnon and Iphigenia Agamemnon line 254
1080
1107
[The palace doors open to reveal the dead body of Aegisthus with Orestes
standing over it. Pylades
(Orestes’s friend)
is beside Orestes]
CLYTAEMNESTRA:
No, not Aegisthus,
not
my love, my power . . . dead. 1110
ORESTES: You loved this man?
1214
[The palace doors are thrown open, revealing Orestes
standing above the bodies of Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra. Pylades stands
beside Orestes. With them are attendants holding the bloodstained robes of Agamemnon]
1223
CHORUS:
Alas for this horrific act,
the monstrous way she died.
But woe on the survivor, too—
1334
do I call him our saviour or our doom?
When will all this cease? When will murder,
its fury spent, rest at last in sleep?
Eumenides notes
opening tribute to Athens--drama as civic ritual, support for city; cf. Broadway & Houston
31 Dionysus
33 Pentheus
43 Pythia sees Orestes
52-3 a man the gods despise
55 sword and olive branch
60 groups of women sleeping
77 where does this end? . . . Apollo's work
Apollo enters, stands near Orestes [contrast Dionysus]
99 reach Athena's city
101-4 speech, find a way
118 Ghost of Clytaemnestra
122 ghosts of those I killed revile me
wakes up furies
312-13 Orestes embracing statue
wants a trial
350 [Athens] will win allies
371 enter Athena
508 new property (Achaea > Troy]
525 one's neighbor who's done no wrong
538 he thought it right to kill his mother
540 two sides to dispute
Areopagus
Athena, heral, 10 citizens, jury
733 Apollo purified Orestes
advocate: I share the blame [compare to sharing honor]
753 the orders of this god . . . my witness
761 she was guilty of two crimes
869 first trial for murder
now and forever this court
880 reverence and terror . . . rulers of citizens
887 avoid both anarchy and tyranny
936 no mother gave me birth
954 votes equal, acquitted
967 [give justice, receive justice] [cf. 1080]
990+ disease will grow--that's justice
citizens make fun of us
1008 you'll have your place
1066 a place of honor . . . more respect
1080 do good things, receive good things in honor [cf. 967]
1125 a blessing on this land
1127 x-brutal victories, only blessings
1197 struggle for justice > victorious forever
group of citizens
1254 scarlet robes on Furies
1275 worked together for this ending
singing and dancing [like comedy]
