Monday, 7 July 2008: conclude Racine, Phaedra; begin O'Neill, Desire Under the Elms

Text-objective discussion: Donna Shotwell

Text Objective Discussion: Phaedra and Desire under the Elms

Objective 3. To study Tragedy in the context of Western Civilization

3a. Cultures don't create tragedy because they're depressed but because they're confident enough to face failure.

3c. To acknowledge classical humanism's interfaces with revealed religion, especially Judeo-Christianity

Themes from text:

Free will vs. Fate, Judgment, guilt, repentance, and irony.

Reason and Modernization

Phaedra consciously talks herself into reason choosing free will over fate.

She takes her life into her own hands and out of the Gods.

The thinking process modernizes the play.

Page 41

Phaedra:

…She must be destroyed. Line 17

I will entreat him in my jealous rage. Line 21

What am I saying? Have I lost my senses?

Is Phaedra jealous, and will she implore Theseus for help?

My husband lives, and yet I burn. For whom?

…Guilt henceforth has passed

All bounds. Hypocrisy and incest breathe

At once through all. My murderous hands are ready

To spill the blood of guileless innocence.

Last stanza on 41.

Minos is judge of all the ghosts in hell.

Ah! How his awful shade will start and shudder

When he shall see his daughter brought before him,

3c. To acknowledge classical humanism's interfaces with revealed religion, especially Judeo-Christianity

?  Phaedra thinking about being judged by her father.

?  Judeo-Christianity, Judgment day and sins.

Question 1.

Do you think showing the thinking process modernizes the play and creates more sympathy for Phaedra?

The spectacle of Hippolyus’s death.

Hippolyus fighting a monster.

Page 49

Over jagged rocks they rush urged on by terror;’

Crash! Goes the axle-tree…

He falls himself, entangled in reins.

“The gods have robbed me of a guiltless life” Line 30.

The End: Guilt and repentance.

?  Hippolyus claims to have lived a life without guilt.

?  Phaedra feels guilty because she desires Hippolyus.

?  Theseus feels guilty for the death of Hippolyus.

?  Phaedra confesses and asks for forgiveness before she dies.

?  Theseus punishes himself with banishment.

Phaedra practicing Christian humanism.

3a. Cultures don't create tragedy because they're depressed but because they're confident enough to face failure.

Irony:

?  Looking at the play from a democratic approach.

?  Phaedra and Hippolyus are two regular people who think they have free will.

?  Theseus the King can use his power to destroy others if he wants. Theseus is similar to a government in that he can judge and choose what judgment to pass onto others even if he is wrong. People think they are free, but in reality they have to abide by the laws of men and god.

?   The failure of government.

Question 2:

2. Up to this point the God’s involvement in the play has been minimum. Why do you think Poseidon has a more active role in the play?

In Comparison to Desire under the Elms

?   Eben buys Peter and Simeon’s share of the farm thinking he has the right to own the land by birthright.

?  Hippolyus feels he has the right to be heard and claim his innocence because he has never committed a crime.

?  Cabot rules the farm.

?  Theseus rules Athens.

Page 24

Eben tells Abbie

- An’ the price he’s payin’ ye--this farm--was my Maw’s, damn ye!--an’ mine now!

Abbie-- Yewr’n? We’ll see ‘bout that! Waal--what if I did need a hum? What else’s I marry an old man like him fur?

?  Eben gives in to Abbie and the last we see Abbie is taking care of the house and Eben is doing what Cabot tells him to.

?  Peter and Simeon leave to be free and do what they want.

?  Eben remains under the rule of his father.

?  Hippolyus gives in to his father’s judgment.

Question 3:

Do you think that both plays accurately represent failure in a time of great periods of civilization?