Oedipus In-class writing

A block question: What constitutes Oedipus’ hamartia, or tragic mistake/error?

E block question: What is Jocasta's specific role in shaping Oedipus' future and behavior? Use two examples from the play to discuss the nature of her influence upon her husband and son.

How to proceed
1. Get a school laptop
2. Login via TEST mode --> username TEST --> password TEST
3. Open WORD or PAGES and write .... you have the entire block

File name:
A block: Oedipus_A_name.pdf

E block: Oedipus _ E _ name.pdf

Resources:
1. Use your green packet of awesome. Refer to the SPA handout (you can also find that structure on the right side of the blog -->).

2. Book

3. Homework/warm-up writing

You may not use any other outside resources.

Handing the essay in:

1. Save the document as a PDF.
1. Word users: FILE --> SAVE AS --> PDF (make sure to unclick the "hide extension" box)
2. Pages users: FILE --> EXPORT --> PDF (make sure to unclick the "hide extension" box)
3. Google users: FILE --> DOWNLOAD AS --> PDF
2. Go to dropitto.me/mcollie to send paper to Mary.
3. Password: EnglishRocks
4. As time permits, start on other homework. Look good. Relax. High-5 yourself. Day dream about fun things you'll do this weekend.

Vocab quiz & SPA prep

1. Take vocab quiz!
2. Review and work on green packet of awesomeness!!!
3. Review homework expectations.

Oedipus 59-end

Discussion
1. Why does the Herdsman want to protect the truth? Is it for selfish or selfless reasons? Look closely at the language and tone created in his short lines.
2.  Look at the chorus' speech on p. 64-65 (1188-1223). Does the chorus show pity or sympathy or empathy for Oedipus? Why or why not? What does this tell us about how we the audience are supposed to think about him.
3. Review second messenger speech (1238-1297)
4. Looking at the last ten pages of the text (specifically Oedipus' lines), answer the following questions: how does Oedipus show remorse for his actions? How does he take ownership of his exile?
5. What is the closing tone of the play? What are we to take away?

Oedipus: 48-59

1. Present tableaus

2. Today we're doing to practice some fast analytical thinking and writing. We're going to write, discuss, write, discuss, write, discuss and be done. Best day of your life. Right here!

Each writing/discussion unit will be divided into 25 minutes. You will have 12 minutes to write alone and 8 minutes to discuss as a large group.

Topic 1: pg. 48, lines 884-896
What complex moral issue is the chorus struggling with and how does it relate to the major action of the play?

Topic 2. pgs. 56-57, lines 1056-1073
Is Jocasta selfish? Why or why not?

Topic 3. pg. 58, lines 1077-1086
Does Oedipus demonstrate hubris or ignorance? Support your with the text.

Oedipus 32-47: The drama!

1. 10 minutes to finish up T&O conversation. 3 groups present (10 mins).
2. I'll check books and vocab while you're working

Dramatic Exercise

Drama: The play is constructed as an investigation of the past. All irrational things have been completed and they are unalterable. This construct intensifies the inevitability of it all and the looming sense of fate. Therefore, the drama of the play is not about the act of killing the king but rather the process of Oedipus' self-realization.

Power: drama is all about power, about someone winning, someone gaining something over the other person. Think about power on a few levels: personal, social, supernatural.

Hamartia: mistake or error in the hero that leads to his downfall

Working in groups, you must select the FIVE most important lines/sentences from the text. For each line you must create a tableau (a frozen physical representation of what the line shows -- remember power and status and changing levels). One group member is the narrator and the other group members are involved in the tableau. Each group will present its five lines to the class and the narrator will narrate the tableau.

Questions to think about: What story of Oedipus did each group tell? Who won each scene? How has power in each scene?

A Block
1. Mia, Felix, Adam, Alexia
2. Nathan, Caroline, Cate, Delaney
3. Ryan, Nick, Lizzie, Duncan, Zoe

E Block
1. Maggie, Julia, Sierra, Sam
2. Grace, Danielle, Elly, Andy, Lane
3. Coco, Macie, Jack, Lauren, Emma
4. Joe, Justin, Nadav, Mackenzie

Oedipus 11-32 ... one more time

1. More insights into Oedipus' character --> how does he demonstrate his power thus far?
2. What's going on between Oedipus & Teiresias. Write your own version of the exchange.
3. What's up with the chorus? What are they telling us?

Oedipus 11-32

Group discussion questions:

1. How can your destiny be predicted? (tarot cards, fortune tellers, atrology, fortune cookie, etc)
How did ancient people prophesize the future? (animals, oracles, etc)
Do any of you believe in prophesies?
Do you think you would if you lived almost 2500 years ago?

--switch gears --

Intro the idea of Hubris!!! What is hubris? Can you think of any literary examples of hubris?

Now we're ready to start our study of Oedipus ...

A little bit of history, some characters and locations, that pesky Sphinx.

Group work: break down the priest's speech. What is the priest saying in each section? What imagery is employed? Who is mentioned? What's the story of the sphinx? What is the priest asking of Oedipus?

1. 14-24
2. 25-34
3. 35-45
4. 46-57

Imagery: sickness and pollution, ship of the state, blindness vs sight, light vs dark and then the text ...

Oedipus Begins ....

The goal: make a Google presentation that does the following:

Investigate a politician/celebrity who has made a mistake that cost him/her his/her job.

Assign one to each group

1. Richard Nixon
2. Marion Barry
3. Ray Rice
4. Tom DeLay
5. Martha Stewart
6. Donald Sterling

Slide 1: Who is this person? Short bio. Image required.

Slide 2: What mistake(s) did this person make? Be specific.

Slide 3: What motivated this person to make the mistake?

Slide 4: How did this mistake/these mistakes cost this person his/her job?

Slide 5: Your thoughts … Why do people in power often times make such big mistakes?

**All slides need citations (this can be in the form of urls).

**You need to have at least three sources.

**You will share your findings with the class in 2-3 minute presentations.

Work time: 45 minutes

Presentation time: 15-20 minutes

4. As time permits, engage the students in conversation about destiny. Can it be predicted?
5. Brainstorm ideas on board:

• How is it predicted (tarot cards, fortune tellers, astrology, fortune cookies, etc)?
• What is a prophecy?
• How did ancient people prophesize the future? (animals, oracles, weather, etc)
• Who in this room believes in prophesies?
• Do you think you would believe in prophesies if you lived almost 2500 years ago?

Oedipus Questions from class