[AntisthenesDogger]

(Original post by toronto353)
The chorus may not have been on stage during the opening scene though. The chorus may have entered after the 'prologue' (as much as I hate using the act division it comes in useful here) so your last point may not be entirely relevant.

That's a good point, I forgot about the act division of the prologue. I still find the most annoying aspect of Sophocles and Euripides their inclination on including the parodos. Much preffered Aeschylus' acerbic style.

[toronto353]

(Original post by AntisthenesDogger)
That's a good point, I forgot about the act division of the prologue. I still find the most annoying aspect of Sophocles and Euripides their inclination on including the parodos. Much preffered Aeschylus' acerbic style.

I'm not a fan of Aeschylus overall. I like Prometheus, but after a while those speeches drag on and are fairly similar to one another.

[JPKC]

(Original post by toronto353)
You're welcome. Antigone is a great play. What are you studying then?

The course is limited to Antigone, Hippolytus, Oedipus (the King) and Medea. They're all brilliant.

(Original post by AntisthenesDogger)
Any ideas? It basically tells you.

Integrity of self virtue in the face of execution (Something promoted by philosophers of the day, especially Aristotle)

Adherence to the notion of the "Social contract" which is in motion with Antigone's rebuke of the law against burying the slain brother.

Apathetic nature of the "chorus" whom watch Antigone, knowing she begs only the wrath of Creon.

Just read the opening scene?

Yep. Have. Got it. Need to stop now before I start actually using The Student Room for student advice.

[toronto353]

(Original post by JPKC)
The course is limited to Antigone, Hippolytus, Oedipus (the King) and Medea. They're all brilliant.

They are, but I'm not a fan of Hippolytus. It's too rushed for me and the plot isn't allowed to develop properly. Medea is an amazing play. Oedipus Rex is good. At least it's not Oedipus at Colonus. What course is that then?

Yep. Have. Got it. Need to stop now before I start actually using The Student Room for student advice.

Perish the thought

[obi_adorno_kenobi]

(Original post by toronto353)
It is a shame that classics isn't more accessible. While there are translations, the language barrier is still a problem for some. Modern history is interesting as well, but I respect your opinion of the classical world even though I think that it is completely wrong.

Well the language barrier is a problem for most rather than some. Being taught Latin or ancient Greek is the preserve of the privately educated (or selectively state-educated) and so it has positioned itself within a very select group. Besides which, the modern world (that is, 1800-1991) is simply far more interesting and very much more accessible to the layman. I suppose modern history is the venacular whereas classics is almost like church Slavonic.

[toronto353]

(Original post by obi_adorno_kenobi)
Well the language barrier is a problem for most rather than some. Being taught Latin or ancient Greek is the preserve of the privately educated (or selectively state-educated) and so it has positioned itself within a very select group. Besides which, the modern world (that is, 1800-1991) is simply far more interesting and very much more accessible to the layman. I suppose modern history is the venacular whereas classics is almost like church Slavonic.

I mean for those that want to know what the original said after reading the translation it's a problem. Many modern translations are beginning to make the field more accessible. It has become more exclusive, but some state schools are now beginning to teach it which is good.

[AntisthenesDogger]

(Original post by JPKC)
The course is limited to Antigone, Hippolytus, Oedipus (the King) and Medea. They're all brilliant.



Yep. Have. Got it. Need to stop now before I start actually using The Student Room for student advice.

Hah, It's not a bad thing I guess if you get the information. But it's probably more beneficial to study yourself :P

[toronto353]

(Original post by AntisthenesDogger)
Hah, It's not a bad thing I guess if you get the information. But it's probably more beneficial to study yourself :P

Yes I had a similar thing in the classics forum. Someone said 'can you provide me with information about these plays?' I typed up summaries to three out of the four and saw the neg on his comment and thought 'no you should do this yourself' so I basically posted what I had done and said 'if you write a summary for the last one, I'll look over it for you'. He's not been seen since so clearly he wanted the work done for him.

[obi_adorno_kenobi]

(Original post by toronto353)
I mean for those that want to know what the original said after reading the translation it's a problem. Many modern translations are beginning to make the field more accessible. It has become more exclusive, but some state schools are now beginning to teach it which is good.

Hehe. Well, the child's version of the Odyssey that my parents gave me as an eight-year-old still stands in my head. But I suppose you're right on that front. I'm not sure I agree on the bold point, however. The teaching of classics is really ... "out there" when it comes to knowledge and completely superfluous to the national curriculum. It doesn't bother me that only private schools teach it, but we should simply recognise that and not hold the learning of Latin and ancient Greek to be some kind of intellectual class. I'd be entirely happy for state schools not to teach either language and get on with teaching useful things for the modern age - Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, or something else.

[toronto353]

(Original post by obi_adorno_kenobi)
Hehe. Well, the child's version of the Odyssey that my parents gave me as an eight-year-old still stands in my head. But I suppose you're right on that front. I'm not sure I agree on the bold point, however. The teaching of classics is really ... "out there" when it comes to knowledge and completely superfluous to the national curriculum. It doesn't bother me that only private schools teach it, but we should simply recognise that and not hold the learning of Latin and ancient Greek to be some kind of intellectual class. I'd be entirely happy for state schools not to teach either language and get on with teaching useful things for the modern age - Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, or something else.

Yes there's a few child's versions of the Odyssey about. It's a good text, but not all of the book is about his journey and so people's thoughts about it and the use of the word in English differs from the reality. There are state schools which teach it and it is taken by many as an extra GCSE. That said, there's still only 100 people a year who take A level Greek so it's not broken through into the mainstream yet and I don't think that it will do.

[AntisthenesDogger]

(Original post by toronto353)
Yes there's a few child's versions of the Odyssey about. It's a good text, but not all of the book is about his journey and so people's thoughts about it and the use of the word in English differs from the reality. There are state schools which teach it and it is taken by many as an extra GCSE. That said, there's still only 100 people a year who take A level Greek so it's not broken through into the mainstream yet and I don't think that it will do.

It also doesn't help, that in my experience, the level of study books relating to Attic Greek, aren't helpful in the slightest. That and the phonology of it is very difficult.

And It's still amusing when people read James Joyce's "Ulysses" and never realize that was the Romanised name of Odysseus .

[obi_adorno_kenobi]

(Original post by toronto353)
Yes there's a few child's versions of the Odyssey about. It's a good text, but not all of the book is about his journey and so people's thoughts about it and the use of the word in English differs from the reality.

I've read it - the T.E. Lawrence translation in fact - as an adult, so am aware of that. When I say I find classics and the classical world incredibly dull, doesn't mean I've not read things in order to justify such a statement!

[toronto353]

(Original post by obi_adorno_kenobi)
I've read it - the T.E. Lawrence translation in fact - as an adult, so am aware of that. When I say I find classics and the classical world incredibly dull, doesn't mean I've not read things in order to justify such a statement!

That wasn't directed at you, but it was just something I thought about when you posted your bit.

(Original post by AntisthenesDogger)
It also doesn't help, that in my experience, the level of study books relating to Attic Greek, aren't helpful in the slightest. That and the phonology of it is very difficult.

And It's still amusing when people read James Joyce's "Ulysses" and never realize that was the Romanised name of Odysseus .

Yes that annoys me too. There's a lot of books which are either too simplistic or too complex and there doesn't seem to be a middle ground - there's a niche there for someone!

[Thunder and Jazz]

Vodka on the rocks my good man.

[obi_adorno_kenobi]

(Original post by toronto353)
That wasn't directed at you, but it was just something I thought about when you posted your bit.

Heh, that's alright. Keep thinking I'm in D&D.

[toronto353]

(Original post by obi_adorno_kenobi)
Heh, that's alright. Keep thinking I'm in D&D.

I daren't venture into that forum. Well I took one look at the topics and went 'nah you're alright. I'll stick to the HoC'.

[obi_adorno_kenobi]

(Original post by toronto353)
I daren't venture into that forum. Well I took one look at the topics and went 'nah you're alright. I'll stick to the HoC'.

It's what we have come to know as the Thunder and Jazz gambit.

[toronto353]

(Original post by obi_adorno_kenobi)
It's what we have come to know as the Thunder and Jazz gambit.

Why?

[obi_adorno_kenobi]

(Original post by toronto353)
Why?

Many books have been written on that subject. Many books. By Enid Blyton.

[toronto353]

(Original post by obi_adorno_kenobi)
Many books have been written on that subject. Many books. By Enid Blyton.

I'm not sure that they'll class as classical literature so I'm sure you'll forgive me if I don't read them