The Collective

The other gods follow Zeus' orders not because they want to, but because they would be punished if they didn't. Throughout the tragedy, we see text that describes how Zeus has power over the other gods and how they fear being punished for disobeying the almighty god. In lines 290-340, Oceanus talks about how he respects Prometheus and wishes to free him from this chains. Oceanus is going to talk to Zeus and ask him to grant him this favor. This is evidence that the gods don't follow Zeus out of their own will. In the beginning of the tragedy, it was revealed that Hephaestus also disliked obeying Zeus' will and assist in punishing Prometheus. Zeus, as the new ruler, feels that he is able to do anything because he is the all powerful being.

In Antigone, a tragedy written by Sophocles, we are introduced to a determined and passionate individual, Antigone who risk her life for the sake of others. Antigone and Ismene are the sisters of Polyneices and Eteocles. Prior to the beginning of the play, we learned after their father’s passing, Eteocles and Polyneices battled each other in the war over their father’s throne and tragically killed each other in the midst of it. Despite this, Antigone have a very traumatic family, where their father, Oedipus killed his own father and married the mother and had Antigone, Ismene, Eteocles and Polyneices. After Eteocles and Polyneices’ death, Creon took over the Thebes and had decided that Eteocles will be honored and buried, while Polyneices will be left unburied and unmourned. Creon also claims that anyone who tries to bury Polyneices will be punished with serious consequences. This situation left Antigone in frustration and determination to give make sure both of her brothers get the ri...

Summary of Hermes’ speech lines 944-951 Hermes comes in and calls Prometheus a sinner, and that he did wrong by the other immortals. He tells him that he honors humans, which may imply that he has a false god, or that in doing so, his devotion to Zeus is discounted. And in calling Prometheus a “thief of fire” also suggests that the power wasn’t Prometheus’ to begin with. Therefore, the power must belong solely to Zeus and was being gifted to him this whole time. Hermes then goes on to tell him that he was sent by Zeus who has demanded to know how he is supposedly going to lose power. No tricky business, give it to me straight. The fact that Hermes says that Zeus thinks Prometheus is bragging about this prophesy suggests an image of acting like a small child throwing a tantrum. Hermes is intense about getting a serious response from Prometheus because he doesn’t want to be sent back to Zeus empty-handed because if so, Zeus will probably react with great rage. Summary of Prometheu...

            The connection of pain and pleasure with sympathy is shown throughout the poem. These acts are seen with the Chorus specifically. It is not seen in the beginning as an act of pleasure but more of pain with sympathy. For example, when the Chorus knows what has happened to Prometheus they regardless ask why he was punished. It first seems like they are genially concerned by then it seems as though they get a pleasure for hearing his punishment. The Chorus exclaims, “Revel it all to us: tell us the story of what the charge was on which Zeus caught you and punished you so cruelly with such dishonor” (line 193-195). The Chorus already knows what has happened yet they include, “Tell us, if telling will not injure you” (line 196). They Chorus adds this to secretly in a way to assure Prometheus that they care. But do they truly care? I believe that like some humans, the Chorus is expressing schadenfreude. Which is when someone enjoys pleasure from...

    The Trojan War is a famous ten year war between the Greeks and the Trojans.  It resulted in the Greeks winning, and sailing back to their respective cities with many prizes.  The main concern throughout the war was for the Greeks to return home safely. This was a concern both for the army and for everyone back home.  As time went on, the fear that the Greeks would lose grew among both army and home. When the Greeks sailed back home, the Herald was the first one off the boat.  His job is to relay important information to Clytaemestra, the wife of Agamemnon, as she had been left in charge while her husband was at war. However, the Herald seems distracted and tends to ramble.  Even when the Chorus presses him and warns him that there are still issues despite the war being over, he seems to brush it off. The Herald is traumatized from the war, and he uses denial as a defense mechanism at the suggestion of trouble at home.

I chose to analyze Herald's speech in Aeschylus' Agamemnon because in comparison to the Iliad and the other short epics we covered in class, I found this epic to be the most understandable to me. Instead of choosing a more popular paper topic to write on, I chose the one I felt most comfortable with since I also used Agamemnon for the snow day assignment. I will answer the questions first that the professor is asking of us as an outline, then I want to really look at the text closely for specific terms used, similes, metaphors and ask myself why the character  speaking chose this specific word or text. Speaking of the Chorus character in general, for some reason I think of them as intruders sometimes, or what I mean is a group of elders that never mind their business. They are always there in the background to give their feedback, which not in all cases is beneficial or necessary.  The Chorus does not always allow the characters to speak their mind fully when they always inte...