lithum study guide

8/9/2019 lithum study guide

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THE ULTIMATE LIT HUM STUDY GUIDECOMPILED BY RYAN MANDELBAUM

The Iliad

By Homer

(Books I XII)

Plot SummaryThe Iliad picks up at the end of the Trojan War a tenyear lon! "ar fou!ht #et"een the $chaeans (%reek) and the Trojans& 'hryses

the priest of $pollo pleads "ith the $chaeans to return to him his dau!hter "ho they captured in #attle& When the $chaeans refuse $pollo

pla!ues the $chaeans& $!amemnon leader of the $chaeans finally !i*es up the dau!hter in order to end the pla!ue #ut only after he is fairly

compensated #y takin! the !irl pre*iously !i*en to $chilles& $chilles the !reatest $chaean "arrior is dishonored and insulted #y the unfair

e+chan!e and resorts to "ithdra"in! from the "ar in order to punish the $chaeans& To further hinder the $chaeans in #attle $chilles alsoattempts to seek out help from ,eus #y askin! his o"n mother the !oddess named Thetis to persuade him& Without support from $chilles or

,eus the $chaeans face difficult challen!es a!ainst the po"erful Trojan army&

The $chaeans meet the Trojans and a duel #et"een -enelaus and Paris ensues to try and settle the "ar for !ood& The !ods inter*ene

and the duel is left unresol*ed& .i!htin! continues #ack and forth #et"een the t"o sides& Both sides a!ree to ha*e a day of peace to #ury their

dead and stren!then their defenses& $fter"ards the fi!htin! continues for a fe" days and the Trojans "ith the help of the !ods #e!in to take thelead in the "ar& The $chaeans unite and recall that Troy is destined to fall& $!amemnon fearin! the Trojans *ictory offers $chilles !reat "ealth

if he rejoins the "ar #ut $chilles refuses& The $chaeans send spies across the Trojan #order "ho encounter one of their enemies& They threaten

him to !ain information a#out the Trojans "hich they use to launch se*eral successful attacks& The ne+t day the Trojans attack the $chaeans

camp #reakin! throu!h the "alls of the camp and forcin! the troops all the "ay #ack to their ships&

-ajor Themes

Honor

$chilles is so dishonored "hen $!amemnon takes Briseis from him that he "ithdra"s from the "ar (Book I)& /ater "hen

$!amemnon attempts to "in $chilles #ack #y offerin! him !ifts $chilles denies claimin! that 0There "as no !ratitude !i*en forfi!htin! incessantly fore*er a!ainst your enemies& .ate is the same for the man "ho holds #ack the same if he fi!hts hard1 (Book IX2

345)& This sho"s $chilles de!lorifyin! "ar #ecause he chooses to stay home and li*e a lon! and happy life rather than return to the

#attlefield and die 0honora#ly&6

$s Paris and -enelaus !et ready to fi!ht Paris #e!ins to sho" si!ns of fear and co"ardice& His #rother Hector mocks him and Paris

is mo*ed to fi!ht #ut he soon escapes from the field& Paris is looked do"n upon in contrast "ith his #rother "ho is a !reat Trojan"arrior and a "ellrespected leader&

7estor upholds honor in "ar #y !i*in! upliftin! speeches to the $chaeans& In #ook 8II he preaches a#out the !lory of *ictory to his

troops con*incin! them to step for"ard and fi!ht Hector& $!ain in Book IX "hile $!amemnon has lost hope and is ready to head

#ack home 7estor #rin!s reassurance to the troops throu!h a sense of !lory and the troops spirits are a!ain raised&

The Shield The shield "hich Hephaestus "elds to!ether for $chilles is descri#ed in

!reat detail in Book 49 (you may "ant to look this chapter o*er)& The ela#orate desi!ns on shield depict not only the "ar #ut also life

outside of the "ar (ie dancin! children and har*est)& The shield emphasi:es #oth peacetime and "artime to sho" that life e+istsoutside of "ar and that "ar is not all "hich matters&

Burial Homer !i*es !reat importance to #urial rituals2- #oth armies en!a!e in a day of peace to #ury their dead (Book 8II)

- "hen Patroclus dies $chilles refuses to eat to morn his death and he is !i*en proper #urial (Book XIX and XXIII)

- "hen Hector dies Priam !oes to the $chaean camp to claim his #ody and !rant him proper #urial (Book XXI8)

Structure

- The Iliad is di*ided into three 9#ook units and each unit #e!in "ith a decision made #y $chilles and end "ith one made #y,eus&

- Book I mimics e*ents "hich occur in Book XXI8 Book II mimics Book XXIII and Book III mimics Book XXII etc etc&

- The Iliad is intended to #e an enormously lon! poem in order to reflect the ma!nitude of its !reatness&

Plot Summary

Book 13 With ,eus #ackin! the Trojans the $chaeans ha*e no" #een forced as far #ack as their ships& ,eus no" takes his attention a"ay from

the #attle and Poseidon takes ad*anta!e of this& In the form of 'alchas he rekindles the $chaeans spirit& 'onse;uently the $chaeans dri*e

Hector #ack #ut Hector "ounds Poseidons !randson and so Poseidon im#ues Idomeneus "ith super stren!th& Hector continues the assault #ut

ha*in! lost some of their soldiers the Trojans lose confidence& Polydamas persuades Hector to fall #ack and re!roup& Hector tries to do so #ut

most of his front line is dead& %reat $ja+ then insults Hector and he has an ea!le flyin! on his ri!ht a !ood omen for the $chaeans&

Book 14 The $chaeans analy:e their situation and a!ain $!amemnon su!!ests retreatin!&


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orders $pollo to help Trojans& Hector a!ain char!es and a!ain pro!resses all the "ay to $chaean ships& Teucer "ho had killed many Trojans that

day #reaks his #o" (#ecause of ,eus) and is stopped from killin! further&

Book 16 Patroclus #e!s $chilles to fi!ht or at least let him "ear his armor& $chilles still refuses to fi!ht #ut a!rees to let him "ear armor& With

Patroclus "earin! $chilles armor the #attle turns a!ain in fa*or of $chaeans& Patroclus !oes on a killin! spree and e*en kills ,eus son

Sarpedon& ,eus decides to kill Patroclus after he has slain the Trojans more& ,eus im#ues Hector "ith co"ardice and he leads the Trojan retreat&Patroclus chases the $chaeans up to the Trojan !ates& $pollo finally persuades Hector to stand up to Patroclus #ut Patroclus spears Hectors

charioteer thou!h and in the fren:y to !et the charioteers armor $pollo "ounds Patroclus #efore Hector finishes him off&

Book 17 $ fi!ht #reaks out o*er Patroclus #ody in order to take the armor& In the end it is Hector "ho !ets it& ,eus continues to support the

Trojans #ut not "holeheartedly& He allo"s the $chaeans to take a"ay Patroclus #ody&

Book 18 News of Patroclus eat! "a#es Ac!$lles ec$e to re%o$& war' He $s co&($&ce )* Ir$s to "a#e a&a++eara&ce o& t!e )attle,el' H$s "ere a++eara&ce "a#es t!e Tro%a&s retreat $& fear' T!at &$-!t.Hector ec$es fool!ar$l* to co&t$&ue w$t! t!e assault. es+$te a($ce fro" Pol*a"us' T!e ot!ersol$ers all a-ree w$t! Hector )ecause At!e&a !as ro))e t!e" of t!e$r w$ts' He+!aestus also "a#esAc!$lles a &ew ar"or' N$-!t falls for ,rst t$"e s$&ce )oo# /0 "ar#$&- Ac!$lles e&tr* $&to t!e war'

Book 19 $chilles upon !ettin! ne" armor rejoins the #attle& He reconciles "ith $!amemnon "ho returns Briseis& $chilles "ants to "aste no

time and "ishes to join the fi!ht immediately #ut he is persuaded to let the army eat& He ho"e*er *o"s to not eat until Hector is slain& ,eus

pities him and has $thena fill his stomach "ith food& $chilles then #lames the horses for lea*in! Patroclus #ody #ehind #ut horses respond #ytellin! him that there "as di*inity at "ork&

Book 20 ,eus fearin! that Troy "ill fall #efore its fated time allo"s the !ods to inter*ene& $t first the !ods hurry do"n #ut e*entually they

decide to let the soldiers fi!ht for themsel*es& $pollo encoura!es $eneas to fi!ht $chilles& They #e!in duelin! and as $chilles is a#out to kill

$eneas Poseidon sa*es him& Hector then also "ants a piece of $chilles #ut is told to "ait #y $pollo until $chilles comes to him& Ho"e*er

Hector is too an+ious and challen!es $chilles& He fi!hts poorly and $pollo sa*es him from defeat&Book 21 $chilles continues to slau!hter the Trojans and each time he kills someone he tosses the #ody into the ri*er Xanthus& The ri*er !od

protests #ecause the #odies are clo!!in! up the ri*er so $chilles a!rees to stop thro"in! them into the ri*er #ut he does not slo" up on the killin!&

The >i*er !od "itnessin! the onslau!ht pities the Trojans and asks $pollo to help them& $chilles hears the plea and attacks the !od& The >i*er

%od takes him do"nstream and almost kills him #ut from Hephaestus sa*es him #y settin! fire to a near#y floodplain and #oilin! the ri*er& The

!ods no" #e!in to ar!ue& $thena defeats $res and $phrodite "hile Poseidon challen!es $pollo& $pollo refuses to fi!ht o*er mere mortals and

"hen $rtemis tries to encoura!e $pollo to fi!ht Hera o*erhears her and pounces on her&

Book 22 Priam sees the carna!e and opens the city !ates so soldiers can come in& Hector remains only soldier left outside& =espite Priamspleadin! Hector refuses to come inside as he feels ashamed of !i*in! the order to char!e the $chaeans& $s a result Hector and $chilles finally

meet& Hector flees at first& ,eus considers sa*in! him #ut Hera persuades him not to& She claims Hectors time has come& $thena appears in

front of Hector as one of his allies and con*inces him to fi!ht $chilles& They e+chan!e spear thro"s #ut #oth miss& When Hector turns to his

ally his ally has disappeared and he reali:es he has #een tricked& In a final desperate #id for !lory he char!es $chilles& Hector is "earin!

$chilles old armor and $chilles kno"in! its "eak points times a spear thro" that !oes throu!h Hectors neck& While dyin! Hector pleads to#e returned to the Trojans #ut $chilles lets him !et ra*a!ed #y do!s and #irds&

Book 23 $chilles holds Patroclus funeral the ne+t day and then holds some ceremonious !ames in his honor& Ho"e*er a chariot race "hich

=iomedes "ins "ith the help of $thena spurs trou#le& $chilles "ants to !i*e $ntilochus ? ndplace pri:e to the last place finisher #ecause $thena

has ro##ed him& The men !et into a hu!e ar!ument #ut they e*entually reconcile&Book 24 $chilles continues to a#use Hectors #ody thou!h $pollo pre*ents it from #ein! dama!ed and sta*es of do!s and #irds from feedin!off it& $pollo persuades ,eus that $chilles must let Hectors #ody #e ransomed& Priam !oes into the $chaean camp and #e!s for Hectors #ody&

$chilles finally a!rees and takes the treasures offered #y Priam in e+chan!e& Priam lea*es "ith Hectors #ody and a funeral is held& $chilles

finally reali:es that he is soon to die and that his father "ill soon suffer the pain #ein! suffered #y Priam& This finally melts his ra!e&

Character Analysis

Achaeans

Achilles Hero of $chaean army #ut to modern reader he is not so heroic& His refusal to fi!ht is initially "arranted #ut after $!amemmnons

plea his refusal is childish and stu##orn& In a certain "ay he is the *illain #ecause many $chaeans die due to his refusal to fi!ht& His supremacy

as a "arrior is unchallen!ed despite his stron! di*ine #ackin!& $n!er and Pride are his "eaknesses& He prays $chaeans lose #ecause of insult

deli*ered #y $!amemnon& =espite these ? fla"s he is other"ise a !reat !entleman as sho"n #y the "ay he treats his friends "hen they come to

persuade him to rejoin the "ar&

Agamemnon /eader also short tempered like $chilles& He insults $chilles and orders him to !i*e up Briseis& He takes the least risks in #attle

#ut e+pects the !reatest share of the loot& He is cunnin! and untrustin! as sho"n "hen he tests his armys loyalty in Book ?& $fter reconcilin!

"ith $chilles he does not admit to his o"n fault #ut #lames it on fate and the !ods& His ra!e is #ased on selfishness and thus the reader does notfeel sympathy for him in the same "ay they do for $chilles& He lacks certain kin!ly ;ualities& He panics "hen faced "ith confusion and t"ice he

su!!ests fleein!&


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Aias %reatest "arrior after $chilles& $l"ays fi!hts unaided #y !ods& Best soldier especially "hen on defense&

Diomedes The youn!est of the $chaean commanders =iomedes is #old and sometimes pro*es impetuous& $fter $chilles "ithdra"s from

com#at $thena inspires =iomedes "ith such coura!e that he actually "ounds t"o !ods $phrodite and $res&

GreaA!a" $n $chaean commander %reat $ja+ is the second mi!htiest $chaean "arrior after $chilles& His e+traordinary si:e and stren!th

help him to "ound Hector t"ice #y hittin! him "ith #oulders& He often fi!hts alon!side /ittle $ja+ and the pair is fre;uently referred to as the1$eantes&1

#esor @in! of Pylos and the oldest $chaean commander& $lthou!h a!e has taken much of 7estorAs physical stren!th he still has left a !reat

deal of "isdom& He often acts as an ad*isor to the military commanders especially $!amemnon& 7estor and


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The


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*he ikoniansinha#it the first island that

and the !iants are #eastly #ecause they do not "elcome him& $s his journey pro!resses he has to learn to jud!e more carefully if for

no other reason #ut his o"n safety&?& Sujet.a#ula

The order "e e+perience


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In peace you can #e clean and #e concerned "ith #athin! #eddin! !ames and also craftsmanship& eadin! (C&CC5C 94 J?)

This is the introduction of


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&erse)hone The dau!hter of =emeter she is associated "ith #eauty se+ual allure and lushness& She is often compared to a #lossomin! flo"er

and indeed Hades kidnaps her from a !arden full of flo"ers& Persephone is the o#ject of desire in the te+t& Both =emeter and Hades desire

Persephone and the plot of the story is #ased on this conflict&

Persephones character is full of am#i!uities& It is not certain for e+ample if Persephone "as forced to eat the pome!ranate offered

#y Hades as she tells her mother or if she did so "illin!ly and indul!ently as the te+t also alludes to&


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&oins o/ 'onac

1.) Platos Symposium: In $ristophanes speech he recounts the tale of humans tryin! to o*erthro" the !ods& The !ods thinkin! of "ays

to su#due the stren!th of humans consider "ipin! out the "hole race& Ho"e*er just like inHymn to Demeter the !ods need humans

for !lorification& They therefore cannot kill humans #ecause they are dependent on them just like the !ods cannot allo" all thehumans to die at the hands of =emeter #ecause all the !ods are dependent on them&

2.) Lysistrata, $ristophanes2 In an attempt to end "ar the "omen inLysistrata "ithhold se+ as a means of po"er& This "ithholdin! of

action as a means of po"er is similarly found inHymn to Demeter "here =emeter "ithholds !ro"th and fertility as a "ay to !et #ack

Persephone&

.) The !edea, Euripides2 -edea "ithdra"s from society o*er the dis!race #efallen on her #y her hus#and& By separatin! oneself from

society -edea like =emeter sets up #arriers&".) #gamemnon, $eschylus2 The po"er of the spoken "ord is emphasi:ed in this te+t "hen $!amemnon puts a #it in his dau!hters

mouth so she cannot utter a curse "hen he is sacrificin! her& Similarly inHymn to Demeter Persephones initial cry for help is not

heard #ecause she doesnt ha*e the stren!th and po"er of *oice yet& In each te+t po"er is e;uated "ith "ord&

#aaliya Bochukoa : The Historiesy %erodous

elecion ; 1 < Book 1= 'ha)ers 1:140> Book 2 chs 1:5>chs 33:51= chs112:120> Book3 chs17:3?

&lo ummary

Herodotus starts his story "ith 'andaules the kin! of /ydia "ho "as so proud of his "ifes #eauty that he made his #ody!uard

%y!es hide in his #edroom so that he can see his "ife naked& The ;ueen sa" %y!es and made him kill the kin! and sei:e the throne in order to

re*en!e the impropriety of the act& Thats ho" %y!es #ecame the kin! of /ydia and a prophecy #y the oracle "as made that the murder "ould #ere*en!ed in %y!es fifth !eneration& Then Herodotus !oes on to tell some memora#le achie*ements of $rdys Sadyattes and $lyattes "hich are

the heirs of %y!es& 'roesus (the fifth !eneration) o*errun the $iatic %reeks and esta#lished the /ydian empire& This is "hen the $thenian

philosopher Solon *isited him& When 'roesus asks him "ho is the happiest person Solon kno"s (thinkin! he "ill say 'roesus) Solon tells him

that a truly happy person must ha*e a happy death and only then can he #e considered truly happy since life is a chance and happiness istemporary& $fter that 'roesus accepts in his home and cleanses $drastus "ho later !oes on to kill 'roesus son $tys #y accident makin! 'roesus

prophetic dream come true& /ater on 'roesus is mislead #y an oracle messa!e and he !oes on to attack 'yrus and the Persians& 'yrus mana!es to

"in the "ar and takes 'roesus prisoner& In this "ay the killin! of 'andaules "as re*en!ed in the fifth !eneration& Then Herodotus !oes on to

e+plainin! ho" 'yrus came to po"er& His !randfather $stya!es had a dream that his dau!hter urinated that it s"amped the "hole $sia& Thus he

decided to kill her son 'yrus& Throu!h some accidents the child "as not killed and later on this "as found out so $stya!es sent 'yrus to Persia&When he !re" up he con;uered $stya!es and -edes fulfillin! the dream& $fter finishin! 'yrus story Herodotus !oes on to descri#e the Persian

customs& 'yrus "as succeeded #y 'am#yses "ho attacked E!ypt and Ethiopia& The Herodotus descri#es E!yptian customs ("ho do e*erythin!

opposite to the %reeks) and Ethiopian customs& 'am#yses sent spies to Ethiopia and later on he #ecomes a mad man and starts the e+pedition to

Ethipia&


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in the same "ay as %reeks& Herodotus is different than


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him #ecause the "ar has lasted for such a lon! time and so many youn! men ha*e died& When $!amemnon returns to $r!os he #rin!s

'assandra the dau!hter of Priam home "ith him&

$!amemnon is a character "ith immense hu#ris and he displays this hu#ris "hen he "alks on the purple ro#es that 'lytaemestra laid

do"n for him (535)& This hu#ris is one of the reasons "hy $!amemnons death must occur& $nother reason for $!amemnons death is fate

#ecause his death is completin! the #lood cycle that #e!an "hen his father fed Thyestes his sons& His death also is re*en!e for his sacrifice of hiso"n dau!hter Iphi!eneia&

'lyaemesra 'lytaemestra is the "ife of $!amemnon and Queen of $r!os& When the play opens she seems to #e a "ife *ery concerned

a#out her hus#ands "ell #ein! and his safe return home& While he has #een fi!htin! ho"e*er she has found a ne" lo*er $e!isthus&'lytaemestra is portrayed "ith stron! male ;ualities #ecause she has had to rule $r!os for the last ten years& Her manliness is also present "henshe murders $!amemnon instead of $e!isthus& She is consumed "ith an!er at $!amemnon for his sacrifice of Iphi!enia& She *ie"s her murder

of him as an act of fate that had to #e fulfilled&

Aegishus The lo*er of 'lytaemestra& He "ants re*en!e on $!amemnon for the murder of his t"o #rothers& Ho"e*er a "eakness of character

is apparent "hen it is 'lytaemestra that performs the killin! instead of he&

'assandra 'assandra is a "oman #rou!ht to $r!os from the "ar #y $!amemnon& $pollo has !i*en her the po"er to foretell prophecy

ho"e*er she is cursed for no one can understand her prophecies& When 'lytaemestra takes $!amemnon into the house and kills him 'assandra

speaks of his death as "ell as of the cycle of re*en!e that is present& Ho"e*er her "arnin!s are unreco!ni:a#le and are not understood&'lytaemestra then murders her as "ell&

'horus /romAgamemnon The chorus is composed of $r!i*e elders& They are critical of $!amemnon for the len!thy "ar and hi!h death toll&

'onse;uently they are not completely sympathetic to him& Ho"e*er they disappro*e of the murder of $!amemnon and cry for their actions to

#e punished&

Oreses


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The Pythia $pollos priestess cannot #ear the si!ht of


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'lytaemestra has just committed the murder of $!amemnon and is e+plainin! to the chorus ho" she killed the kin!& She relates that it "as

not an act that "as ne" in her mind #ut "as 0pondered deep in time6 (43K9)& She is like a hunter in this passa!e and is descri#in! ho" she

cau!ht her prey& It is this feature of hunter that !i*es 'lytaemestra masculine ;ualities throu!hout the play& She shares 0Mas fishermencast their hu!e circlin! nets I spread deadly a#undance of rich ro#es and cau!ht him fast6 (439?3)& There is a pre*alent ima!e of pain and

death in the passa!e #ut the picture is #lurred "hen the scatterin! of #lood accounts for a !ro"th and rene"al of life& Within death

'lytaemestra is !lad 0as !arden stand amon! the sho"ers of %od in !lory at the #irthtime of the #uds6 (43J4?)& The passa!e is important

#ecause it helps to e+plain the *icious nature of 'lytaemestra and her masculine description& The pre*alent net ima!ery is also used to #ind

$!amemnon& The same nets or ro#es that he ironically stepped upon in !lory are the "eapons for his destruction&

/ines 4KJK43 (The &umenides)

In this passa!e $pollo is commandin! the .uries to lea*e his sanctuary& This is "here the stru!!le #et"een the t"o types of !ods #e!ins&

The *ery !raphic descriptions of #odily punishment and harm depict the focus of the .uries& There is also a focus on #lood in this passa!e&These numerous mentions of #lood point to the importance of the #loodline #lood cycles and the literal #lood from mother to son& In this

passa!e the idea of pollution of the #lood is introduced& This "as the %reeks feelin! a#out culpa#ility&

'om)arisons o Oher *e"s

Hus#and"ife relationship2

'lytaemestra and $!amemnon are in*ol*ed in a "e# of infidelity and end up destroyin! each other in the end&

Penelope and


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(ocasta2 The sister of 'reon "ife and mother of


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ther prophesies a$o#t the danger posed $y amily mem$ers%

In The Histories fears a#out the dan!er posed #y children come not from oracles #ut from dreams& $stya!es dreamt first that his

dau!hter -andane urinated so much that it s"amped $sia and then that *ines !re" from her !enitals and spread all o*er $sia& $n interpreterdecided that this "as indicati*e of a threat posed to $stya!es #y -andanes child 'yrus and $stya!es ordered the death of his !randson& /ike in

Oedipus the compassion of stran!ers #otches this and 'yrus did indeed li*e to fulfill the prophesy (pa!es JCO)&

7ick Wise

4?9O3

Medeay +uri)ides

&lo ummary

!edeaopens "ith a speech #y the nurse "ho e+plains the #ackstory of the play& In order to help Gason o#tain the %olden .leece-edea killed her #rother and a#andoned her homeland& -edea and Gason then settled in Iolchus "here for Gasons political #enefit -edea

contri*ed the death of his uncle& The couple fled from Iolchus and adopted 'orinth as their homeland& Here Gason rejected -edea and married a

'orinthian princess&

$fter the nurse reminds the audience of -edeas misad*entures and current situation -edea enters and e+presses hatred to"ards her

children her hus#and and herself& 'reon the kin! of 'orinth enters and !i*es -edea one day to lea*e the city& $fter 'reon lea*es -edea *o"sto kill Gason 'reon and the princess #ut reco!ni:es that no city "ill recei*e her after she commits this act& =isa*o"in! any responsi#ility for

-edeas impendin! e+ile Gason enters and asserts that his ne" marria!e "ill protect himself and his children a!ainst e+ile&

In contrast to 'reon and Gasons rejection of -edea $e!eus the kin! of $thens a!rees to offer -edea unconditional refu!e in his

city& @no"in! that she can flee to $thens -edea resol*es to kill her children after destroyin! Gasons ne" marria!e& To carry out the first half of

her plans -edea sends her children to the palace "ith a poisoned ro#e for Gasons ne" "ife& The ro#e kills #oth the princess and 'reon "hotouches the dress "hile tryin! to sa*e his dau!hter& $ messen!er "arns -edea that a search party has #een sent to apprehend her for this crime&

In response -edea ;uickly slays her children& Gason reaches -edeas home and finds her in a ma!ical chariot "ith the childrens #odies& -edea

refuses to !i*e the #odies to Gason and flies a"ay presuma#ly to $thens&

'haracers

$edea

-edea is a sorceress "ith di*ine connections& She comes from the 0opposite shore of the %reeks6 and is therefore considered a#ar#arian (?4O)& -edeas cle*erness coupled "ith eastern ma!ic poses a threat to the %reeks that they cannot fully understand& 'reon #anishes

-edea #ecause she is a 0cle*er "oman *ersed in e*il arts $nd&&&an!ry at ha*in! lost her hus#and6 (59)& 'reon o*ersimplifies -edeas

character fearin! her "ithout fully !raspin! her mindset or moti*es& 'reon and others assume that -edea is a dan!erous and e+otic mystery&

-edea contradicts this mystification of her character& She facetiously claims that her 0cle*erness Is6 actually 0not so much6 (p! 5J)& -edea

portrays her "ays as #ein! simple #ut tra!ically misconstrued&Both 'reon and -edeas characteri:ations are o*ersimplified& She is neither cra:ed and conni*in! nor transparent and !uileless&

-edeas many reasons for murder re*eal the comple+ reality of her character2

asons roken marriage oah2 0Indeed I cannot tell Whether you think the !ods "hose names you s"ore #y then

Ha*e ceased to rule and ne" standards are set up6 (J3)& -edea has fulfilled her o#li!ation to Gason in marria!e& She

left her homeland #ore children and assisted Gason in his *oya!e home from 'olchis& -edea #elie*es that Gason has no!rounds for remarryin!&

$edeas re/ugee saus2 0&&&I am deserted a refu!ee thou!ht nothin! of #y my hus#andsomethin! he "on in a forei!n

land6 (?CC5) -edea has uprooted herself for her hus#and #ut cannot remarry and tie herself into a ne" household as

Gason did&

'hildrens re/ugee saus2 0-y children there is none "ho can !i*e them safety&6 (KJ3) -edea finds it unaccepta#le to

lea*e her children "ith her hus#and or #rin! them $thens ("here she #elie*es they "ill #e su#ject to ridicule)&

(eci)rociy2 0To pay my hus#and #ack for "hat he has done to me6 (?54) Gason has destroyed -edeas family home&

By murderin! Gasons ne" family and old children -edea "ill strip him of any familial ties&

,oe&assionAnger2 0When once a "oman is "ron!ed in the matter of lo*e 7o other soul can hold so many

thou!hts of #lood6 (?5C5)

&ride2 0/et no one think me a "eak one fee#lespirited $ stay at home #ut rather just the opposite&&&.or the li*es of

such persons are most remem#ered6 (9OKJ)

Thou!h -edea is ne*er apprehensi*e a#out killin! 'reon and his dau!hter she has se*eral second thou!hts concernin! the murder of her

children& She contemplates takin! them to $thens to a*oid personal sufferin!&

ason

Gason is -edeas e+hus#and& He has replaced -edea "ith the 'orinthian princess& When Gason discusses his ne" "ife (55?C) he

seeks to distance himself from all accusations of lust& He claims that the ne" marria!e is desi!ned to protect himself his children and -edea

from e+ile& Gason is so disinterested in se+ that he #elie*es 0life "ould #e !ood6 if men could ase+ually reproduce (CKC)& Det it is reproduction

"ith the princess that remedies Gasons refu!ee status& Throu!h the prospect of creatin! a 0royal pro!eny6 "ith the princess Gason incorporateshimself into 'orinthian society (CJ5)& %reek marria!e roles are re*ersed in this situation& Wi*es are usually uprooted from their homelands

dependin! their hus#ands and children for social sta#ility (as "as the case "ith -edea)& Here Gason takes on the "ifelike role& Gason "ho has

#een remo*ed from his homeland in Iolchus finds security in his ne" "ifes social ties to 'orinth& -oreo*er he feels that ha*in! children "ith

the princess "ill firmly esta#lish himself in the city&


15/32

Gason depends on his ne" "ife for security in the same "ay -edea once depended on Gason& Ho"e*er Gason does not see this

similarity& He #elie*es that -edea is upset o*er losin! the se+ life she once enjoyed "ith him (CKOC)& He does not reco!ni:e that "ithout a

hus#and and a homeland -edea has #ecome a refu!ee "ith only her children to clin! to&

'horus o/ 'orinhian omen

The chorus interacts mainly "ith -edea;uestionin! critici:in! or empathetically ela#oratin! on her feelin!s& The chorus reactions

to -edea chan!e throu!hout the play& The chorus mem#ers2

console -edea on her lost hus#and and ur!e her not to commit suicide (494CJ)

/earthat -edea mi!ht harm her children (49O)

agree that -edea should seek re*en!e for her hus#ands actions #ut do not respond to her claims of ine;uality #et"een

hus#ands and "i*es& (?59?KO)

emoan -edeas forced e+ile from 'orinth (3C9353)

/renCiedly decry the deceitfulness of men role of "omen in literature and -edeas refu!ee status (4OC)

commenon the an!er #et"een -edea and Gason (C?O4)

eakly scoldGason for lea*in! -edea (CK59)

discuss lo*e and homeland in a !eneral manner and "ish to e+perience none of -edeas hardships (5?K55?)

adise -edea a!ainst murderin! 'reon and his dau!hter (9443)

egE -edea to not 0#e the murderess of her #a#es6 (9CC)

cry o*er -edeas murder plans (JJ5K)

mournthe fate of the princess Gason and -edea (JK54OO4)

declarethat those "ithout children are fortunate (4O9444C)

eg the Sun and Earth to pre*ent -edea from murderin! her children (4?C4KO)

shar)ly chasise -edea for killin! her children (4?KJJ?)

unemoionally commen on the deus e+ machina endin! (44CJ)&

The chorus mem#ers are most supporti*e "hen discussin! issues unspecific to -edeas situation& They stron!ly sympathi:e "ith theloss of homeland or "omens unjust depiction in literature& Det "hen speakin! a#out the specifics of -edeas situation particularly her plans for

murder they #ecome much less supporti*e& They critici:e -edeas plans for murder and sympathi:e "ith those she plans to kill& The chorus

role is some"hat hypocriticalthey call for the 0"orlds !reat order to #e re*ersed6 #ut they critici:e -edeas #loody means for re*ersin!

Gasons fortune (44)&

$ particularly interestin! choral response is the unemotional reaction to the deus e+ machina (44CJ)& Perhaps Euripides iscommentin! on this hackneyed element of drama& If so "hat is he tryin! to say throu!h the chorus indifferent response

'reon F Aegeus

'reon the kin! of 'orinth and $e!eus the kin! of $thens can #e *ie"ed as foils& 'reon #anishes -edea from 'orinth "hile$e!eus "elcomes -edea into $thens& -oreo*er 'reon fears -edea mi!ht hurt his dau!hter "hereas $e!eus trusts -edea to help him concei*e

a child& This sharp contrast #et"een t"o political leaders mi!ht ha*e ser*ed propa!andistic aims& Euripides "rote for an $thenian audience that

"ould ha*e appreciated $e!euss depiction as a #ene*olent $thenian leader& Euripides praises $thens li#erality throu!h its acceptance -edea

"ho acts a hyper#olic representation of an outsider& $thens is so acceptin! that it e*en "elcomes misunderstood #ar#arian sorceresses "ho kill

their children&

igni/ican *hemes

-nered roles

!edea: arrior . !other

-edea takes on "arrior characteristics like those e+hi#ited in the Iliad. She has concern for her childrens honor "orryin! that they

"ill #e su#jected to ridicule #y her enemies in 'orinth and $thens& -oreo*er -edea is *ery concerned "ith her o"n le!acy& She thinks a#out

ho" she "ill #e remem#ered #y future !enerations if she does not act #oldly and a*en!e the "ron!s inflicted on her& This idea of re*en!e andreciprocity is another "arriorlike philosophy that -edea adopts&

The chorus re*eals that -edeas actions are a strikin! a#erration from "hat they consider motherly& They ;uestion ho" -edea can

0kill6 the 0fruit of her o"n "om#6 remarkin! that only one other "omen in history has killed her children (4?9O4)& This "oman Ino "as

dri*en out of her home #y ,eus "ho 0made her "ander6 (4?9C)& Hus#ands deny -edea and Ino their roles as "i*es and mothers& There

therefore the t"o "omen destroy the product of marria!e and motherhoodchildren&

(ason: Hus$and . i*e

In his marria!e to the 'orinthian princess Gason takes on a more "ifelike role& He depends on his "ife for social ties in the same

"ay he once pro*ided social ties for -edea& See the character analysis of Gason a#o*e for more details&

(eersal o/ @oruneaus

-edeas murders act as the clima+ of the play and the a+is a#out "hich Gason and -edeas fortunesare in*erted&


16/32

$edea Be/ore he $urders

4) spouseless

?) refu!ee

3) #ar#arian

) no prospect ha*in! more children

C) unclear "hether she or Gason "ill keep their

children

ason Be/ore he $urders

4) has a ne" "ife

?) esta#lished in 'orinth

3) %reek

) prospect of ha*in! more children

"ith his ne" "ifeC) unclear "hether he or -edea "ill keep their

children

$edea A/er he $urders

4) spouseless #ut close friends "ith $e!eus?) #ecomes citi:en of $thens

3) #ar#arian

) opportunity to create children for

$e!eus and his "ife

C) reclaims her children thou!h dead

ason A/er he $urders

4) spouseless?) refu!ee

3) %reek

) no opportunity to create more children

C) not e*en allo"ed to touch the #odies of hisdead children

Without a hus#and and homeland -edeas is tied to society only throu!h her children& By murderin! her children -edea #reaks this

last tie to society and declares her total refu!ee status& Parado+ically this e+treme #reak ena#les -edea to #e ultimately reinte!rated into society&

She returns to $thens "ith the #odies of her children the prospect of helpin! $e!eus and his "ife concei*e a child& With a "elcomin! adopted

homeland ties to the royal family and the opportunity to produce ne" children -edea has e*erythin! (thou!h in imperfect forms) that Gasonenjoyed in 'orinth& Her *oya!e #ack to $thens a city from an earlier time in her life su!!ests a cyclical rene"al for -edea in "hich ne" ties to

society are re!enerated out of the destruction she caused in 'orinth&

-edeas murder of 'reon and the princess #rin!s Gason do"n to her o"n le*ela refu!ee "ithout a homeland or family ties& When

-edea murders their children it destroys Gasons last tie to any sort of society (as "ell as her last tie to any sort of society)&


17/32

The chorus critici:es the treatment of "omen in literature particularly stories of "omens 0unfaithfulness6 (??)& The chorus does not

directly critici:e the 0ancient sin!ers6 "ho "ere apparently all men (?4)& >ather they implore the sin!ers 0muses6 to 0cease6 tellin! tales of

female 0unfaithfulness6 (?4?)& Perhaps these muses represent archetypes of female #eha*ior perpetuated in literature&


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treated& $lso that if they "ait too lon! to punish that feelin!s of an!er "ill lessen and they "ill not recei*e proper punishment&

Second speaker #e!ins #y attackin! the first speaker personally& He also says that actin! in haste and an!er "ill only #rin! ruin to

$thens #ecause they "ill ha*e to follo" the precedent and it "ill #e e+tremely costly to put kill re#els #ecause they "ill hold out for

as lon! as possi#le& $#stract2 =e#ate& >eally sho"s ho" a"ful $thens can #e to its allies (althou!h second speaker "on and so a

second mission "as sent to stop the first "hich "as ordered to kill e*eryone)&

The -elian =ialo!ue (& 9C44) -elos "as a colony of Sparta& $thens made an e+pedition to the island and instead of destroyin!

it immediately representati*es "ent and spoke& Instead of #ein! allo"ed to speak in front of the people they had to speak #efore a

small !o*ernin! !roup& $thens "ants -elos to follo" $thens selfinterest #ut it "as not to -elos self interest& -elos did not !i*e in&

$thens #lockaded them in completely& $#stract2 This is the end of the do"nfall of speeches as it is not a speech at all it is a dialo!ueto the point that it is "ritten as a play& It is this point that represents the do"nfall of $thens&

'lose >eadin!

Pericles .uneral e*ersal of .ortune2 connections to


19/32

ummary

/ysistrata !athers the "omen of $thens and Sparta in the front of the $kropolis for the purpose of formulatin! a plan to help stop the

"ar #et"een $thens and Sparta& /ysistrata asks the "omen if they "ould like their hus#ands to return to them from the "ar and the "omen at

first claim that they "ould do just a#out anythin! to !et their hus#ands #ack& Then /ysistrata proposes her plan to stop se+ual acti*ity "ith

their hus#ands& The "omen after hearin! this #ack do"n and hesitate to concur to such an act e+cept /ampito& Soon ho"e*er "ith the help of/ysistratas persuasi*e ar!uments the "omen consent to her plan& /ysistrata has arran!ed the sei:ure of the $kropolis the $thenian treasury so

no money "ill !o to"ard the "ar effort& @leonike proposes that the "omen s"ear on a cup of "ine that they 0"ontMdilute it "ith "ater6 and

the "omen a!ree to s"ear to the plan (355)& $fter all the "omen s"ear the "omen enter the $kropolis& The elder $thenian men march to the

$kropolis carryin! firepots "ith the purpose of #urnin! do"n the !ates of the sei:ed #uildin!& The elder "omen encounter the @oryphaios of-en at the !ates and the "omen pour "ater all o*er the men puttin! out their fire& $t this moment the 'ommissioner of Pu#lic Safety arri*es totry to settle the dispute& Before the 'ommissioner and the other men are a#le to #reak open the !ates "ith a cro"#ar /ysistrata comes out of the

$kropolis& $rchers attempt to arrest /ysistrata #ut all four of the archers that the 'ommissioner sent forth fail "ith the help of the other "omen&

$fter the archers are scared off /ysistrata #e!ins to tell the 'ommissioner that the "omen "ill stop the "ar& Then /ysistrata places her *eil on

the 'ommissioners head and the other "omen help dress him up as a "oman and then #eat him off the sta!e& Then the 'horus of Women and

the 'horus of -en display a se+ual #attle "hich results in #oth the men and "omen naked& The "omen soon #ecome filled "ith desire for se+and make e+cuses to /ysistrata as to "hy they ha*e to lea*e& Then @inesias "ith his son arri*es at the $kropolis !ates 0in erection and

considera#le plain6 (4J)& He tries to "oo his "ife -yrrhine into returnin! home to her #elo*ed son "ho needs her care& -yrrhine pretends

she "ill ha*e se+ "ith her hus#and "ho insists on do on the !round outside the $kropolis& -yrrhine all the "hile delays intercourse makin!

@inesias *ery frustrated& Then she lea*es her hus#and on the !round for !ood since he "ould not a!ree to *ote for peace as she "ished& $

Spartan herald arri*es #rin!in! ne"s of the Spartans sufferin! due to the "omens refusal of se+& He and the 'ommissioner a!ree to settle atreaty for the "ar #rin!in! their respecti*e dele!ations to the scene& /ysistrata emer!es from the $kropolis "ith a naked !irl Peace "hose #ody

"ould #e used to map out the portions of the land each side recei*ed in the treaty& $fter the $thenians and Spartans a!ree to the terms order is

restored in %reece and the poepel resume se+ual acti*ity&

$a!or 'haracers

,ysisraa2 She is the $thenian "ho formulated the plan to sei:e the $kropolis and to th"art the se+ual acti*ity #et"een the "omen and theirhus#ands in order to stop the "ar& Her actions portray her as *ery manly as she controls most of the action in the play&

leonikeThe nei!h#or of /ysistrata she acts *ery feminine unlike /ysistrata&

-yrrhine2 She is the "ife of @inesias& /ater in the play @inesias comes to the $kropolis "ith their son& -yrrhine leads her hus#and on as shea!rees to ha*e se+ "ith him #ut she finally denies him& This scene hi!hli!hts her stren!th in this play #ein! a#le to stand up to her hus#and and

command him&

,am)ioShe is the #eautiful "oman from Sparta "ho is first to a!ree "ith /ysistrata scheme& Her actions alon! "ith /ysistratas depict her

as a feminist&

'ommissioner$lthou!h he is supposed to #e a stron! enforcer accordin! to his title he and the other policemen are *ery co"ardly "hen theytried to arrest /ysistrata and the other "omen& This "omanlike characteristic that he displays is only hi!hli!hted "hen /ysistrata dresses him up

as a "oman&

ineisas2 He is the hus#and of -yrrhine& In attempt to !et his "ife #ack he !oes to the $kropolis sufferin! from the pain of an erection&

&eaceShe is the #eautiful handmaid of /ysistrata "hose naked #ody the men use at the end of the play to di*ide the land "hen formulatin! ana!reement to end the "ar&

'enral *o)ics*hemesuesions

Po"er

The "omen inLysistrataha*e po"er at home "ith control o*er the se+ and household money /ysistrata2 0We #ud!et thehousehold accounts6 (3J4) and sei:e control o*er the state as they detained the $kropolis in at tempt to "ithhold the money from the

"ar effort&

=omestic Political Se+ual

do do "ithhold

force no force female male

Purpose of

=omains2 maintenance e+pansion

(The "omen "ant to stop e+pansion

and !o #ack to maintenance of the home) family state indi*idualcouple

Se+ 2

Importance of se+ is for social order& When the "omen a#stain from se+ there is chaos in the society& When they #e!inha*in! se+ a!ain the men are #ack at home the "ar ends and the chaos stops&

The "omen "ant their hus#ands home from the "ar so they can ha*e se+ "ith them #ut at the same time they are

practicin! a#stinence so their hus#ands "ill stop the "ar& This is *ery inconsistent&

Heterose+uality

Throu!hout the play there is a free floatin! erotic ener!y until the end of the play "hen the only se+ual connections are

shared #et"een hus#and and "ife&

>eunification


20/32

What should #e kept to!ether is separated #y "ar in this play& Hus#and and "ife are separated as the men ha*e to fi!ht in

the "ar& The di*ision in %reece #et"een its t"o major cities $thens and Sparta is only ele*ated #y the "ar& The marital

#ed #ecomes the reunification of %reece as peace is restored after the males are denied se+&

'onnecions o oher e"s

Se+2

In this te+t the purpose of se+ is pleasure "hich is unlike other te+ts& In other te+ts such asHymn to Demeter and +enesis thepurpose of se+ "as for reproduction& Ho"e*er in Symposium se+ is also for pleasure&

Se+uality2

This te+t can #e *ie"ed as a te+t a#out heterose+uality "hereas Symposiumfocuses a lot on homose+uality as the men e+press their

lo*e for each other& $lci#iades e+pressed his lo*e for Socrates in his speech

Po"er2

Symposiumhas the same theme that lo*e or se+ is po"er or rather the "ithholdin! is po"er o*er those "ho "ant it& Socrates is like

the "omen in /ysistrata as he "ithheld lo*e from those "ho "anted it&

Gust as in The %accae the a man is dresses up like a "oman& In The %accae Pentheus dis!uises himself as a "oman in order to spy on theactions of the drunken "omen& InLysistrata /ysistrata drapes her *eil on the commissioner makin! him look like a "oman&

$s in The Iliad a "arrior sees his "ife and son& In The Iliad Hektor has a moment outside #attle "ith his "ife and his son& The difference

#et"een this and the encounter #et"een -yrrhine and her hus#and and son is that the "arrior #rin!s the son as #ait to dra" his "ife out of the

$kropolis to ha*e se+ "ith him&

'lose (eading

/ysistrata2

0But "hen the s"allo"s in fli!ht from thehoopoes ha*e flocked to a hole

on hi!h and stoutly esche" their

accustomed perch on the pole

yea then shall Thunderer ,eus to

their suffrin! esta#lish a stop#y makin! the lo"er the upperM

But should these s"allo"s indul!in! their

lust for the perch lose heart

dissol*e their flocks in "in!ed dissensionand sin!ly depart

the sacred stron!hold #reakin! the

#ands that #ind them to!ether

then kno" them as le"d the per*ertedest

#irds that e*er "ore feather&6 (4)

This is the prophecy of the "ars fate that /ysistrata read to "omen& This in*ersion is like "hat Gesus had done consistently inLu/e as he made

the poor rich and the #lind see& means that the "omen "ho "ere thou!ht to #e #elo" men in the society "ould #e raised a#o*e men "hen they

sei:ed the $kropolis (4)& This in*ersion is like "hat Gesus had done consistently inLu/e as he made the poor rich and the #lind see& The

s"allo"s here represent the "omen of %reece&


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Symposium Study Guide

'ha)er ummary

Introductory Dialogue

The Symposium opens "ith an unnamed man askin! $pollodorus to recount the story of the symposium too him& $pollodorus a!rees

#ut e+plains that he is tellin! the story "hich in turn he "as told #y $ristodemus "ho attended the party& $pollodorus then tells ho" the dinnerproceeded and ho" after the eatin! "as done the men decided to send a"ay the flute!irl and ha*e a discussion on the su#ject of lo*e&

$pollodorus also apolo!i:es #ecause he cannot remem#er all the speeches and cannot e*en remem#er all that $ristodemus told him&

This idea that the story "e are a#out to recei*e is much remo*ed from the ori!inal source is some"hat related to the Theory of .orms

in that there are se*eral le*els #et"een the present discussion and the truth& The a#sence of the flute!irl "hich mi!ht carry some se+ual

connotation makes the room no" completely male and thus increases the focus on homose+ual lo*e in the follo"in! speeches&

The Speech o* 0haedrus

Phaedrus speech depicts /o*e as an ancient !od #orn out of 'haos& He e+plains 0I cannot say "hat !reater !ood there is for a youn!

#oy than a !entle lo*er or for a lo*er than a #oy to lo*e& There is a certain !uidance each person needs for his "hole life if he is to li*e "ell andnothin! imparts this !uidance not hi!h kinship not pu#lic honor not "ealth nothin! imparts this !uidance as "ell as /o*e6 (4K9'=)& This

passa!e captures the essence of Phaedrus speech& He #elie*es that /o*e is a !reat teacher it educates the youth and promotes *irtue amon! men&

Phaedrus #ases his ar!ument in Homeric myth and literature& He cites se*eral "ell kno"n stories and e+tracts his points from there& It is

important to reali:e that this speech does not address /o*e so much as it addresses the effects of /o*e& Phaedrus concludes his speech 0/o*e isM

the most po"erful in helpin! men !ain *irtue and #lessedness6 (49OB)&

The Speech o* 0ausanias

Pausanias #e!ins his speech #y dra"in! a distinction #et"een Hea*enly /o*e and 'ommon /o*e& Pausanias #elie*es that 'ommon

/o*e is the lesser of the t"o forms #ecause it is e;ually directed at "omen and #oys and #ecause it pertains more to the physical #ody and not tothe mind& Hea*enly lo*e is a #ond #et"een a man and an adolescent #oy and as Pausanias descri#es it 0/o*es *alue to the city as a "hole and

to the citi:ens is immeasura#le for he compels the lo*er and his lo*ed one alike to make *irtue their central concern6 (49CB')& Pausanias is just

like Phaedrus in that he e+plains the effects of lo*e and more specifically focuses on ho" lo*e relates to *irtue& Ho"e*er "here Phaedrus

!rounded his ar!ument in literature Pausanias !rounds his ar!ument in his kno"led!e of %reek culture and social e+pectations&

The Speech o* &ryimachus

Ery+imachus opens his speech #y continuin! to de*elop the idea of a dichotomy in lo*e& Ery+imachus takes it in another direction and

tries to e+pand the idea to account for the harmony "hich e+ists in nature #et"een asymmetrical o#jects& Ery+imachus e+plains that lo*e comesfrom the music of t"o !ods and acts like !ra*ity as a constant force in this "orld& Ery+imachus speech is different from the first t"o #ecause hetries to #roaden the scope of "hat lo*e is responsi#le for& He states 0Such is the po"er of /o*e so *aried and !reat that in all cases it mi!ht #e

called a#solute& Det e*en so it is far !reater "hen /o*e is directed in temperance and justice to"ard the !ood "hether in hea*en or on earth2

happiness and !ood fortune the #onds of human society concord "ith the !ods a#o*e all these are amon! his !ifts6 (499=)& Ery+imachus

scope is "ide and he constantly chan!es his metaphors in order to appear con*incin! so that in the end his comes off as pompus and distinctly

uncon*incin!&

The Speech o* #ristophanes

With $ristophanes speech there e+ists a clear departure from the first three speeches& $ristophanes tells a myth a#out three species of

human that inha#ited the earth and then "ere di*ided #y ,eus to #ecome the humans "hich inha#it the "orld today& This myth introduces the

'omparison #et"een Homer (The Iliad), Herodotus and Thucydides&

Homer Herodotus Thucydides

>eason for "ritin!2 -emoriali:in! !lory of

indi*idual "arriors (to pleasereaders)

-emoriali:in! collecti*e

cultural !lory (to pleasereaders)

$naly:in! the causes of

"ar (not memoriali:in!)(not to please)

What he is doin!2 >eco!ni:in! ine*ita#ility

(possi#ly a criticism ofine;uality)

Social criticism Social criticism

.ocus2 Indi*idualsculture (no

distinction)

'ultures Political Systems of the

cultures

-ethod2 In*ention Gournalism(Stories to entertain)

$cademic criticism(Instruction information)

Blame2


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ori!ins of lo*e and ackno"led!es the idea of lo*e as desire& $ristophanes intention is to descri#e human nature& $lthou!h his myth is fictional his

description is insi!htful& $ristophanes says 07o" since their natural form had #een cut in t"o each one lon!ed for its o"n other half6 (4J4$)&

This is "here $ristophanes places the moment in "hich Nlon!in! or Ndesire "as #orn& Because of the split humans no lon!er ha*e their other

half and they no" desire somethin! "hich they are missin!& Socrates returns to this idea of desirin! "hat you do not ha*e "hen he ;uestions

$!athon& $ristophanes then !oes on to conclude his speech #y e+poundin! malemale relationships as the ideal relationship&

The Speech o* #gathon

$!athons speech stands in contrast to e*ery speech precedin! it #ut is a useful foil for Socrates speech "hich "ill follo"& $!athondeclares that he is not !oin! to discuss the effects of lo*e #ut instead focus on the character of the !od himself& He !rants e*ery possi#le accoladeto lo*e and his speech #ecomes !rossly e+a!!erated and unfounded in lo!ic& His speech is hi!hly rhetorical and so it seems fittin! that it should

#e the play"ri!ht "ho composes a speech that is so dramatic& He does not contri#ute much to the definition of lo*e&

Socrates uestions #gathon

Socrates accuses $!athon of sophistry in his speech a#out lo*e& 7ot only says Socrates does he talk a#out the o#jects of lo*e rather

than lo*e itself he attri#utes #eautiful characteristics to lo*e "ith no re!ard for the truth of his assertions& Socrates for his speech #e!ins #y

;uestionin! $!athon and thus #e!ins constructin! an ar!ument& Socrates leads $!athon to the initial conclusion that one must lo*e somethin!

specifically somethin! that one does not already ha*e somethin! "hich one desires& To lo*e "hat one has in terms of Socrates ar!ument is to

desire "hat one has in the present to #e "hat one has in the future& Socrates concludes the ar!ument #y refutin! $!athons point that lo*e is#eautiful if it is true that lo*e desires "hat it does not ha*e #ut that one lo*es #eauty then lo*e itself cannot #e #eautiful&

Diotima uestions Socrates 3 the Speech o* Diotima

=iotimas ;uestionin! of Socrates as told #y Socrates complicates the su#jecti*ity of the story #y a third de!ree ($pollodorusSocrates=iotima) it is also the most philosophically important speech in the #ook& While $!athon had descri#ed the o#jects of lo*e Socrates

(=iotimas) speech is concerned "ith descri#in! lo*e itself& =iotima claims that lo*e is not a !reat immortal !od nor a mortal lo*e is a spirit

that e+ists in #et"een these e+tremes one that dies and is re#orn intermittently&

The theme of lo*e as a medium is further de*eloped as the chapter pro!resses lo*e is ne*er "ithout resources nor is he rich he is in#et"een u!liness and #eauty and he is neither i!norant nor "ise& /o*e desires "hat it does not ha*e as such lo*e desires #eauty and "isdom&

=iotima !oes on to state that the lo*er of !ood and #eautiful thin!s lo*es them #ecause he "ishes them to #ecome his o"n this pro!ression from

one opposite to another constitutes 0happiness&6

>eproduction in this passa!e functions as the method #y "hich lo*ers can attain immortality the method #y "hich they can keep the

thin!s they lo*e in the future& There are t"o types of reproduction thou!h2 pre!nancy of the #ody and pre!nancy of the soul yieldin! offsprin!and creati*e "orks respecti*ely& Those that are pre!nant in #ody are those that lo*e "omen #ut those that are pre!nant in soul look for a

different immortal #eauty&

#lci$iades &ntrance

Socrates speech comes to a conclusion "ith a drunken cro"d of re*elers knockin! on the door& $lci#iades drunk shouts up to the

!roup and he is let in& $lci#iades "ears a cro"n of i*y and *iolets on his head& He intends to !i*e to the cro"n to $!athon #ut it #linds him as

he enters possi#ly sym#oli:in! ho" $lci#iades a politician is #linded #y his prominent social position& When $lci#iades reali:es that Socratesis there he is surprised and taken #ack& E*entually $lci#iades is roped into !i*in! a speech of his o"n a#out lo*e&

The Speech o* #lci$iades

$lci#iades speaks in praise of Socrates& He #e!ins #y descri#in! Socrates as a man "ho could care less a#out physical #eauty or

riches #ut a man "ho has incredi#le riches inside& $lci#iades !oes on to descri#e his relationship "ith Socrates he had thou!ht that Socrates

"anted to #e his lo*er "hich "as accepta#le to him #ecause althou!h Socrates "as u!ly $lci#iades kne" he "ould learn a lot from such a

relationship&


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The Theory o* the -orm:

The Socrates=iotima speeches hint at the form Beauty as the ultimate desire of the lo*er pre!nant in soul& The idea of the .orm

separates the "orld into the realm of the physical and the realm of the ideal the imperfect and perfect correspondin!ly& To attain Beauty one

must first lo*e imperfect thin!s such as a sin!le #oy and a#stract further from there from many #oys to all #oys to all #odies and on& In this

"ay lo*e "orks in the Socrates=iotima speech as a pro!ression #et"een opposites& The lo*er mo*es from mortality to immortality u!liness to#eauty and i!norance to "isdom& The !oal of this pro!ression is the .orm as =iotima says lo*e is desirin! "hat one does not ha*e&

Socrates:

Socrates is the em#odiment of =iotimas lo*er& /o*e is descri#ed as ne*er ha*in! anythin! himself neither "isdom nor #eauty&Socrates descri#ed u!ly in the te+t also ne*er claims to #e "ise in this "ay Socrates matches the description& .urthermore Socrates desires"hat he does not ha*e de*otin! his life to the attainment of "isdom and #eauty& $lci#iades speech in praise of Socrates is also consistent "ith

this description&

Genesis Study Guide

*or Literature Humanities: 0ro*essor 'lay$augh

I. Chapter-by-Chapter Pot Summary!

1=2'reation $ and B3$dam and E*e eat from the Tree of @no"led!e& %od e*icts them from Eden e*en thou!h he said he "ould kill them&

4 'ain and $#el are #orn& 'ain kills his #rother and %od curses him& E*e !i*es #irth to Seth&

6 The /ord re!rets creatin! man #ecause of mans *iolence and corruption& He *o"s to destroy all humanity #ut to spare 7oah&

7:?7oah enters the ark& The flood comes and !oes in forty days& 7oah #uilds an altar to !od&

9%od #lesses 7oah for!es a co*enant "ith 7oah sym#oli:ed #y the rain#o"& While 7oah !ets drunk and is seen #y his son Ham "ho he later

curses&11 People attempt to #uild the To"er of Ba#el&

12 $#ram lea*es his homeland at the #e;uest of %od "ho for!es a co*enant "ith him&

13 $#ram lea*es E!ypt& He and /ot split up and $#ram mo*es to He#ron&

14:15 /ot is taken capti*e and $#ram sa*es him& %od promises $#ram an heir&16 Ha!ar Sarais maid !i*es #irth to Ishmael $#rams first son&

17 %od forms another co*enant "ith $#ram and chan!es his name to $#raham& Sarais name is chan!ed to Sarah& The #irth of Isaac is

promised& $#raham circumcises himself and his household&

1?The #irth of Isaac is predicted #y three men (an!els) "ho are on the "ay to destroy Sodom&

19$ mo# surrounds /ots house "here the an!els are stayin!& The an!els sa*e /ot and Sodom is destroyed& /ots "ife is turned into a pillar ofsalt and he sleeps "ith his dau!hters&

20 While in %erar Sarah is taken #y the @in!& He is punished #ut !i*es !ifts to $#raham&

21 Isaac is #orn& Sarah kicks out Ha!ar and Ishmael& $#raham for!es a co*enant "ith $#imelech&

22 $#raham is tested #y %od "ho asks him to sacrifice Isaac&

23Sarah dies& $#raham chooses to #uy a ca*e for her #urial rather than recei*e it as a !ift&

24 $#raham sends his ser*ant to find Isaac a "ife from $#rahams o"n people >e#ekah is chosen&

25$#rahams second "ife his death& Ishmaels children and his death& Gaco# and Esau are #orn&

26Isaac mo*es to the land of @in! $#imelech& He has pro#lems "ith locals o*er "ells and lea*es&

27Gaco# decei*es Isaac "ith the help of his mother and takes Esaus #lessin!&2?Gaco# lea*es for /a#ans house& He dreams a#out the ladder&

29Gaco# marries /eah and >achel& He only "ants >achel& /eah has four sons& >achel is #arren&

30/eah #ears more children& .inally >achel !i*es #irth to Goseph& Gaco# "ishes to return home&

31/a#an chases Gaco#& Gaco# curses the thief of /a#ans idols (>achel) the men form a co*enant&

32Esau and a party of four hundred people come to !reet Gaco# "ho has split his party into t"o camps out of fear of his #rother& Gaco# "restles"ith the an!els and his name is chan!ed to Israel&

33Gaco# and Esau reunite "armly&

34=inah is taken and raped #y a local prince& His father tries to ne!otiate a marria!e "ith Gaco#& Simeon and /e*i destroy the entire city&

35%od mo*es Gaco# to BethEl& Isaac dies as does >achel&

36Esau and Gaco# cannot inha#it the same land& Esau mo*es a"ay "ith his lar!e family&37Goseph is in constant conflict "ith his #rothers "ho are annoyed "ith his dreams and attitude& When a"ay from their home they thro" him

into a pit and later sell him to a #and of Ishmaelites&

3? The story of Gudahs sons and Tamar and of Gudah and Tamar

39:45 The stories of Goseph in E!ypt& He is thro"n into jail #y his master and then #ecomes the *iceroy of E!ypt after interpretin! Pharaohs

dreams& He makes peace "ith his #rothers and his entire family comes do"n to li*e in E!ypt& Gaco# dies&II. Ma"or Chara#ters!

Adam2 The first #ein!& His name and the "ord Nman are used interchan!ea#ly in the te+t #ecause they are the same in He#re"& He eats from the

Tree of @no"led!e #ecause of his "ife and is fore*er e+pelled from the %arden of Eden&

+e2 The first "oman2 created from the flesh of $dam& She is manipulated #y the serpent into eatin! from the tree& This story "hich in*ol*es a

tremendous act of Hu#ris can #e compared to the moment "hen 'lytaemnestra tells $!amemnon to step on the crimson ro#es2 #oth "omen areresponsi#le for the do"nfall of their hus#ands and they are #oth si!nificantly manipulated #y an outside male fi!ure&

#oah2 The only Nri!hteous man in his !eneration& He is commanded to #uild and ark and is sa*ed from the flood& $fter"ards !od promises him

that he "ill ne*er a!ain flood the earth formin! a co*enant that is sym#oli:ed #y the rain#o"&

Araham(also kno"n as#$ram)2 Is constantly #ein! tested #y !od "ho forms many co*enants "ith him& $s ,oe mentioned in class it causes

one to "onder "hy !od seems to #e N!oin! #ack on his "ord a!ain and a!ain #y constantly repromisin! the land to $#raham and hisdescendants&


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,o2 $#rahams nephe" and a fre;uent Nthorninhisside& He is sa*ed from the destruction of Sodom& /ot "hile drunk sleeps "ith his

dau!hters&

-saac2 $#rahams son and heir throu!h Sarah& Hus#and of >e#ekah and father of Gaco# and Esau& -istakenly #lesses Gaco# "ith Esaus

#lessin!&

aco(also kno"n asIsrael)2 Isaacs second son& He steals the #irthri!ht from his #rother and also takes his #lessin!& His name is chan!edt"ice2 first #y the an!el "ho he "restles "ith #efore encounterin! Esau and second #y the /ord&

ose)h2 Gaco#s fa*orite son& He is sold into sla*ery #y his #rothers #ut e*entually #ecomes the *iceroy of E!ypt& He is *ery skilled at

interpretin! dreams&

III. Minor Chara#ters!

arah(also kno"n as Sarai)2 $#rahams first "ife and mother of Isaac&

%agar2 Sarahs maid !i*en to $#raham as a "ife& -other of Ishamel&

(eekah2 Isaacs "ife& -other of Gaco# and Esau& She helps Gaco# o#tain Esaus ri!htful #lessin!&

+sau2 .irst#orn son of Isaac& Is tricked out of his #irthri!ht #ut e*entually for!i*es his #rother&

,aan2 .ather of >achel and /eah Gaco#s employer for a lon! time deals dishonestly "ith him&(achel2 Gaco#s fa*orite "ife& -other of Goseph and Benjamin&

,eah2 Gaco#s first "ife& -other of si+ of his children&

Dinah2 Gaco#s only dau!hter& She is capture #y a local prince and raped&

imeonand ,ei2 T"o of Gaco#s sons& They destroy the city of the prince "ho raped their sister&

$. Important Con#epts

'oenans'o*enants play an e+tremely si!nificant role in +enesis& People use co*enants to for!e alliances and %od uses them to make

promises andor to appease ner*ous follo"ers& 'o*enants take t"o forms2 the *er#al "hich is merely a promise (usually #y !od) and the

physical "hich can #e anythin! from a monument erected from stones to a circumcision& Gaco# and /a#an make a co*enant for the sake of peace

(34)& %od makes a co*enant "ith 7oah and sym#oli:es it "ith a rain#o"& >epeated co*enants #et"een !od and $#raham make $#rahams people

the chosen people& Isaac is promised a !reat nation& %od uses co*enants to test 7oah (flood) $#raham (sacrificin! Isaac) and Gaco# (mo*in! hisfamily to #uild a tri#ute)& The really uni;ue importance of co*enants can #est #e understood throu!h the story of =inah (3)&

e"ualiy In +enesis se+uality is somethin! to #e ashamed of& %ainin! kno"led!e is e;uated "ith !ainin! se+ual humility "hen $dam and E*e

#ecome ashamed of their nakedness&

e"ual +hics Se+ is appropriate and !oes unpunished #y !od and the community "hen families of those in*ol*ed ha*e formally appro*ed it or"hen those ha*in! se+ are doin! so "ith the intent of carryin! on a family line& The rape of =inah sho"s that +enesisis not tolerant of se+ual

acts that do not ha*e formal and communal consent& Schehem is also punished #ecause he isnt circumcised& The markin! of circumcision is only

seen "hen a man is a#out to ha*e se+ "hich sho"s that a persons mem#ership and association "ith a particular !roup is important e*en in the

most intimate times& In contrast Tamar is not punished #ecause she deser*ed impre!nation and /ots dau!hters are not punished #ecause they

only seduced him in order to carry on the family line and& achel Barren& %od !a*e /eah three sons to compel Gaco#to need /eah& $fter the sisters maids #ore Gaco# children and /eah had more children %od finally opens >achels "om#& >achel has a second

son and dies after the hard la#or&

$I. Comparisons %ith &ther Te'ts

+aing /rui $dam E*e and Persephone all #ecome a"are of their se+uality from eatin! fruit& The fruit also marks a separation #et"een parentand child "here %od is the parent fi!ure in +enesis& With the attainment of se+ual kno"led!e the characters from #oth te+ts step into adulthood&

They remo*e responsi#ility for their actions from themsel*es& E*e attri#utes responsi#ility to the serpent and Persephone #lames Hades& This

"ay their deeds "ere reactions to a temptation and not premeditated intentions& Persephone is tied to Hades #y eatin! #ut $dam and E*e are

e+iled&

DreamsIn theIliad $!amemnon is sent a dream of *ictory #ut he loses&=reams in the #i#le are portents of truth& Gosephs t"o dreams a#out #ushels of "heat #o"in! to him and stars and the moon #o"in! to him are

si!ns that his #rothers "ill #e su#ordinate to him& The pharaohs dreams a#out se*en skinny co"s and se*en fat co"s and se*en ears of full corn

and se*en ears of thin corn correctly predicted dreams that his #rothers #ushels of "heat #o" do"n e*en years of plenty follo"ed #y se*en

years of famine&

&unishmens The entire city of The#es suffers #ecause


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.amily Tree

Adam (E*e)

444444444444444444444'aineh#$el

(-any !enerations)

#oah

444444444444444444444

Hamhem(apheth

(-any !enerations)

Aram:(Sarai)444444444444444444444

Ishmael -saac: (>e#ekah)

&sauaco:(/eah and >achel2 /a#ans dau!hter

Bilhah ,ilpah2 maids&)

5eu$en, Simeon, Lei, (udah, Issachar, 6e$ulon,

Dan, 7a*tali, +ad, #sher, (oseph, %en8amin, andDinah.Bold indicaes he husand o/ he omen in h

)arenhesis and he /aher o/ he children lise

in he ne" generaion

the dashed lines separate !enerations&

4& The first creation story has a hi!h le*el of !enerality& %od starts #y creatin! *ery a#stract cate!ories and mo*es to more specific cate!ories&

(li!htday and ni!htli*in! creaturesman) 'reation $ illustrates the imposition of order on chaos& The process follo"s a certain order& The

most #asic units are esta#lished first and then #uilt upon to make hi!her and more complicated units& The #eauty of the order of creation is

cele#rated&?& The replicated use of parallel structures makes any de*iation from the parallel structure stand out& .or e+ample the use of 0and it "as !ood6

*erses 0and it "as so&6 Each ne" day starts "ith 0$nd then %od said6 until the para!raph "here !od creates man "hich starts 0Then !od said&6

$fter %od created man the te+t returns to usin! 0$nd then %od said&6

3& $n emphasis is placed on the fertility of humans and ho" they should #e fruitful and multiply&

'reaion B

4& Starts en medias res

?& The repeated use of Nand causes hori:ontal mo*ement& 7othin! is su#ordinate to anythin! else& 0the /= %od formed man of dust from the

!roundM$nd out of the !round the /= %od made to !ro" e*ery tree&6 The creation of man and plants are e+plained in *ery similar terms

"here man is not e+plicitly superior to plants&3& The t"o adjecti*es used in the main section detailin! creation (?2C4O) are 0pleasant6 and 0!ood&6 0The /= %od made to !ro" e*ery tree

that is pleasant to the si!ht and !ood for food&6 $esthetics are mentioned #efore food "hich is essential for sur*i*al #ut $dam and E*e #ecome

a"are of their #odies as *isual spectacles after they eat the fruit&

& Since "oman is created as a companion for man the emotional ties #et"een men and "omen are e+plained&

'reation $ *s& 'reation B

Plural %od Sin!ular %od

0%od6 0the /= %od6

-an made last& E*erythin! made for man -an created first&

'reated in 5 days 'reated in one daySpeech acts then rests %ro"in! and makin!

%od is distant and all po"erful %od is humanlike$ll thin!s come from %ods speech acts& $ll thin!s come from the earth&

Women and men e;ual& Women are su#ordinate to man&

Go# Study %uide

Summary of Te+t

There are t"o stories in Go# the framin! story "hich is ?&C chapters lon! and the interior story "hich is "ritten in poetry and is O

#ooks lon!& The #e!innin! prose introduces Go# as a N#lameless and upri!ht man "ho "as *ery prosperous& %od con*erses "ith Satan and #ra!s

a#out Go#s !oodness& Satan then challen!es %od to test Go#& %od does indeed test Go# and in one day four messen!ers come to Go# reportin! that

his fields li*estock ser*ants and children ha*e all #een #urned or perished& In response to this Go# still praises %od "hich causes Satan to

re;uest another test& This time %od afflicts Go# himself& Go#s friends Elipha: Bildad and ,ophar come to mourn "ith him and the poetrysection of the te+t #e!ins& Go# #e!ins to speak after se*en days and a situation similar to that in The Symposiumensues "ith each of the men

speakin! se*eral times on the su#ject of sufferin! (chapter 334)& The men tell stories and Go# ;uestions %od and the reasons for sufferin!& Go#

"ho has faith in the le!al system speaks of meetin! "ith %od and puttin! him on trial& ,ophar lea*es #efore the third round of speeches and is

replaced #y Elihu "ho is *ery youn!& Go# pays no attention to the speech that Elihu makes& Go# rests his case in chapter 34 and the Theophany or

seein! of %od takes place from 39?& Go# ;uestions %od althou!h differently than he had practiced earlier and %od ;uestions Go# to pro*e thatGo# kno"s nothin!& Go# admits to %ods unlimited po"er and Nrepents in dust and ashes6 (?25)& The prose then returns for the last half of chapter

? "hen He returnes to Go# his health and t"o fold his pre*ious fortune

Historical #ack!round


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The #i#le deals "ith kno"led!e of sufferin! and %ods role& 7ot much is kno" a#out Go# e+cept that is "as "ritten #et"een the Jthand

44thcenturies B&'& The authors are not kno"n ho"e*er it is thou!ht that the prose "as "ritten "ell #efore the poetry& .or one of the first time the

su#ject of indi*idual responsi#ility is #rou!ht into ;uestion as opposed to the !roup responsi#ility that "as assumed earlier&

$nalysis of -ain characters

Go# Go# is a %od fearin! man "ho %od #lessed "ith !ood fortune #ecause of his !oodness& Go# remains faithful durin! the first course of

punishments and then starts to ;uestion sufferin! as the te+t pro!resses& Throu!h the con*ersations Go# "ants to put %od on trial #ecause Go# has

faith in the le!al system and "ants a reason for "hy he is sufferin!&Go# is a representation of mankind in totality here as he suffers e*en after #elie*in! in %od& Humans as Go# does "ant to ha*e

reasons for their sufferin! and pain& Det throu!h this search for understandin! in the end the only thin! Go# understands is the po"er of %od and

that there is no justification for his actions&

%od In this te+t %od tends to #e condescendin! especially compared to %enesis& He asks Go# "ho he is to ;uestion his po"er& %od tests Go#

only to appease Satan and "ill pro*ide no e+planation to Go# as to "hy he made him suffer& Instead %od is sarcastic and put Go# #ack in his place&When Go# ;uestions %od and essentially put him on trial %od pro*es that he is a#o*e the le!al process and a#o*e anythin! human& Because of

his po"er and a#soluteness he does not need to ans"er ;uestions from a human&

Elipha: Bildad and ,ophar Go#s three friends ser*e as a forum for sufferin! and %ods "ays to #e discussed& Elipha: kno" from e+perience

and tries to !i*e ad*ice *ia that path"ay "hereas ,ophar kno"s #ecause of the di*ine& $nd so a #alance is #ein! stuck as they lament o*er "hy%od "ould make them suffer& Their stories #ecome increasin!ly more unreasona#le as the te+t pro!resses&

Satan Satan is not #ad as "e think of him to #e #ad #ut rather the representation of the opposite of %od& Satan is also a hea*enly #ein! and

therefore can talk to %od& Satan persuades %od to test Go# and to see if Go# is !ood #ecause he actually #elie*es in %od or #ecause he has #een

prosperous&

$a!or *hemes

Lnderstandin! Sufferin!

Humans ha*e trou#le understandin! "hy the %od that lo*es them and created them allo"s them to suffer& The mo*e to indi*idualresponsi#ility comes into play in this te+t and Go# ;uestions "hy he "ho is a faithful man is #ein! punished "hile his nei!h#or "ho is a sinful

man is #ein! re"arded& Go# thinks that the le!al system is the ans"er to his pro#lems #ecause the le!al system is a "ay of ;uestionin! the party

"ho has done "ron! and findin! out "hy they did this thin!& Ho"e*er %od appears and Go# does not follo" throu!h "ith his plans of

interro!atin! %od& Instead %od interro!ates Go# and sho"s Go# that not e*erythin! is suppose to make sense& Some thin!s such as %od are a#o*e

reason and do not need reason to perform carry out a task and he e*en says that his po"er is #eyond di*ine justice and humans should not e+pectjustification&

This tension is amplified for the reader as he kno"s that %od is only punishin! Go# #ecause Satan challen!ed him&

424 Go# #elie*es #lindly and is faithful

3 Go# curses the day that he "as #orn

J Go# "as to contend "ith %od and #rin! him to trial

4O Go# is dissatisfied "ith %od and ;uestions "hy humans "ere made

334 the four men ;uestion "hy sufferin! e+ists and "hy %od inflicts it %od comes and uses rhetorical ;uestions to pro*e that Go# and humans are not "orthy of ;uestionin! %od

%od emphasi:es that he is far a#o*e courts of la" and he does not ha*e to justify "hat he does to humans

%od does say that "hile humans are nothin! compared to him they are still important to him&

Human Shortcomin!s

$nother main theme and one that ties in closely "ith the pre*ious one is that of human shortcomin!s& Be!innin! "ith Go# prayin! for

the sin of his children it is kno"n that humans are not perfect and they do not "orship perfectly& Go# then falls #y cursin! his o"n #irth and then"hen %od comes further alon! Go# reali:es that speech is an imperfect "ay of #elie*in! e*en thou!h %od had to sho" himself and speak to Go#

for Go#s faith to #e restored& Si!ht is a much more po"erful "ay of kno"in! and seein! %od is to reali:e all that you dont kno"& Go# has this

epiphany and reali:es the complete a"esomeness of %od in comparison to himself "hile Elipha: Bildad and ,ophar are stuck on the physical

ma!nitude of %od& Go# understands that #ecause he is human he cannot fully comprehend all that is %od and all that %od does&

'lose >eadin!

'hapter ?934 This speech of ;uestionin! deli*ered #y Go# is central to the humans confusion concernin! %od& Go# compares humans to !ems

and metals that are remo*ed from the earth and darkness or unkno"in! in the case of the humans to #e polished into #ri!ht sil*er or kno"in! ofthe !lory of %od& He sho"s all that man can do and kno" in comparison to animals in ?92K44& Go# kno"s that man can accomplish much on his

o"n and is a#le to kno" much&

In ?924? Go# addresses "hat he does not kno"& He asks the source of "isdom and ho" it unlike sil*er cannot #e found just #y

lookin!& The *alue of "isdom is that a#o*e any earthly product and Go# says that %od is the only one "ho kno"s ho" to o#tain it& The fear of the

lord is "isdom& Go# !oes on to e+plain that he had the fear of %od and that e*erythin! he did "as for the /ord #ut no" he is made fun of and has#een hum#led #y %od&

This speech hi!hli!hts "hy Go# and men in !eneral are #affled #y the act of %od and are confused a#out the "ay to "isdom& Go# "as

innocent al"ays fearin! %od and yet %od turned on him and struck him do"n& This #eha*ior is trou#lin! to the humans "ho do not understand

ho" the /ord "orks& The main ar!ument of Go# lies in this speech and the unrest of humans is found in his "ords& %od speaks in response to this

speech sayin! that Go# has no ri!ht to ha*e any of these ;uestions&


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'onnecions o oher e"s

/ike The Symposium this is a discussion of somethin! a#stract #y se*eral people "ith differin! opinions&

Odyssey Go# has had #ad and !ood so he kno"s "hat !ood is& This is a more e+treme e+ample than the one found in the Odyssey

4&44 related to +enesisand the co*enant that $#raham has "ith %od& The conflict #et"een e+chan!e *ersus !i*in! and ho" since $dame*erythin! is an e+chan!e rather than a !ift& $lso e+chan!e inHymn to Demeter

*he Gos)els o/

,uke and ohn

$s E+plained #y2 %a#y $*ilaBront $le+ Epstein and %eo @arapetyan

Plot Summary

Lu#e

The $rchan!el %a#riel *isits ,echariah "ho "as a priest "hile he "as ser*in! and tells him that his old "ife Eli:a#eth is to !i*e

#irth to a son "hose name is to #e Gohn "ho "ould #e filled "ith the Holy Spirit and prepare the nation for the /ord& Det due to his

lack of faith %a#riel makes ,echariah mute until the #irth of Gohn& Si+ months later the an!el !oes to a *ir!in named -ary "ho is

en!a!ed to a man named Goseph and tells her that the Holy Spirit "ould impre!nate her "ith a son "hom she "ould call Gesus "ho"ould #e the Son of the -ost Hi!h and ha*e an e*erlastin! kin!dom& In Bethlehem Gesus is #orn in a man!er and an!els tell

shepherds of His #irth&

When Gesus is t"el*e his family tra*els to Gerusalem for Passo*er& When they lea*e -ary and Goseph think that Gesus is "ith theirrelati*es #ut they cannot find him& They return to Gerusalem and find him in the Temple& -any years later Gohn #e!ins teachin! and

#apti:in! and tellin! of He "ho is to come ('hrist)& E*entually Gesus is #apti:ed and his linea!e is t raced #ack to $dam& Gesus then

!oes into the "ilderness and eats nothin! for forty days and is tempted #y the de*il "ho mocks and taunts him for #ein! the Son of

%od&

Gesus then #e!ins to collect disciples to follo" him e*entually findin! t"el*e main me and later se*enty others& =urin! Gesusministries he heals many illnesses includin! #lindness leprosy and "ithered hands and he cures people filled "ith demons&

-oreo*er he resurrects numerous indi*iduals and also pardons the sins of many& $ll of this is done throu!h faith& The Pharisees

ho"e*er constantly try to find fla"s in Gesus actions yet Gesus al"ays finds a "ay out of their traps&

Gesus tells numerous para#les throu!hout the te+t some of the major ones include2 the para#le of the #rides "aitin! for the#ride!room the para#le of a man "ho thro"s a party and in*ites poor people to it the para#le of the lost sheep of the prodi!al son

and the one of a man "ho plants a *ine in his home and is killed #y the ser*ants "ho tend it year after year&

Some major e*ents and interactions durin! Gesus ministry include2

Gesus 'hrist is in a #oat "ith his disciples and falls asleep "hile there is a storm and He reassures the disciples that no#ody

"ould perish #ecause of their faith& He feeds the multitudes #y multiplyin! the t"o fish and fi*e loa*es of #read that a youn! #oy supplies him "ith&

$ rich man asks Gesus 'hrist "hat he has to do to achie*e eternal life and Gesus 'hrist tells him to o#ey the commandments and

!i*e a"ay all of his fortune "hich the man admits that he cannot do& To this Gesus 'hrist says that it is easier for a camel to"alk throu!h the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter hea*en&

He tells the citi:ens to !i*e 'aesar "hate*er #elon!s to him (ta+es)

Lpon entry into Gerusalem Gesus 'hrist prophesi:es the end of the "orld "here one "ould see Gerusalem surrounded #y armies and

for those "ho ha*e faith not to lose it #ecause they "ill #e sa*ed& He then eats for the last time "ith his disciples2 he !i*es themunlea*ened #read and "ine and "ashes their feet to sho" them #rotherly lo*e&

That ni!ht Gesus 'hrist is arrested and put on trial #y his enemies the reli!ious leaders of Israel& He is turned in #y his astray

follo"er Gudas "ho sells the secret of his location& Pontius Pilate the >oman !o*ernor of the area finds Gesus not !uilty #ut Pilate

kno"s that he must crucify him in order to keep peace amon!st the nation of Israel& Gesus is crucified and #uried and then isresurrected on the third day follo"in! his death& He appears to his disciples a fe" days later&

John

(ohn#e!ins "ith a e+planation of the ori!in of Gesus 'hrist "ith respect to %od (0In the #e!innin! "as the Word and the Word "as

"ith %od6)& $ description of the #irth of Gohn the Baptist is pro*ided as "ell& The te+t then skips some thirty odd years to the main

part of Gesus ministry&

The first thin! Gesus does in the te+t is to turn "ater into "ine at a "eddin! upon the re;uest of his mother& /ater he scolds the

"orshippers at the Temple #ecause they are sellin! in the House of %od& He heals many indi*iduals throu!h faith some e+amples

include2 curin! #lindness and the resurrection of /a:arus&


28/32

Gesus is follo"ed #y people #ecause they ate to their fill "ith him #ut he tells them not to seek perisha#le #read #ut e*erlastin! #read

from his .ather& $lso on numerous occasions Gesus tells his disciples that he "ill #e lea*in! soon and that one of them "ould #etray

him ho"e*er they can ne*er understand "hat he means #y this& E*entually "hile teachin! in the Temple some ask him to stop

speakin! in riddles and tell them "ho he truly is&


29/32

Pilate The roman %o*ernor at the time of Gesus death& $lthou!h he declares Gesus innocent of any crime he is pressured into allo"in! the

crucifi+ion sentencin! 'hrist to death&

-ary -a!dalene


30/32

3) 4K2J Gesus prays to %od2 0I am not prayin! for the "orld #ut for those "hom thou hast !i*en me&6 By not

prayin!speakin! for the "orld and those associated "ith it Gesus e+cludes them from the possi#ility of a #lessed

afterlife&

Det then the ;uestion remains as to ho" does one actually lea*e the "orld #ecome fa*ored #y Gesus and li*e fruitfully in the

afterlife& Gesus speaks of "orship (2???3) faith #y follo"in! (924?) and o#edience in the form of lo*e (42?3) as the keys to a#lessed eternal life&

?) StasisThe Essence of E+istence

(ohnis a te+t that is *ery stationary in terms of synta+& >ather than incorporatin! *er#s of action and descri#in! the pro!ress ofe*ents ideas and indi*iduals are descri#ed only in the conte+t that is rele*ant to the te+t& .or e+ample the narrati*e #e!ins #ydescri#in! the creation of the "orld and incorporatin! Gesus into the creation (somethin! +enesisdoes not do)& The te+t then skips

directly to the start of Gesus ministry skippin! thirty years in his life to the part that is of main interest& Therefore there is no idea of

0#ecomin!6 in(ohn only e+istence in the present is *alued&

$lso as "as pre*iously discussed in class the openin! lines of the te+t (424C) reflect the stasis nature of the te+t2 *er# usa!e is

limited to stationary "ords such as 0"as6 and 0has&6 This is rather odd for a te+t that is descri#in! the creation of the entire "orld"hich should theoretically #e full of action and mo*in! e*ents& Instead the te+t e+presses this creation "ith minimal action2 0In the

#e!innin! "as the Word and the Word "as "ith %od and the Word "as %od& $ll thin!s came into #ein! throu!h himM6 (4243)&

ick 'otes o Comparison $et(een the )ospels

4) Para#le *& -etaphor

/uke relies more hea*ily on the para#le style (Gesus tells a story that is related his mission on earth) to con*ey his messa!e to the

pu#lic "hereas Gohn uses the metaphor (Gesus is 0the Word6 424 0the #read of life6 523C the 0!ood shepherd6 4O24 and 0thetrue *ine6 4C24 throu!hout the te+t&)&

?) Presence of Gesus

Gesus is fre;uently present inLu/e "hile in(ohnGesus is constantly !oin! a"ay form the masses and spendin! time alone& .or

e+ample in Gohn K24O Gesus lea*es his disciples and 0!oes up not pu#licly #ut in pri*ate&6 $lso in(ohn Gesus speaks much less

fre;

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