Thursday, October 2, 2008

Objectives:
After this class, students will be able to:
1. define and analyze Aristotle's meaning of tragic hero.
2. defend opinions using evidence from the text.
3. analyze Oedipus from a psychological perspective.

Agenda:
1. Warm-Up: Students will answer the following questions in their notebooks: Did you enjoy the story of Oedipus and our reading out loud in class? Why or why not? What was the best part for you? What part did you dislike? Ms. Kingsbury will solicit answers from students.

2. Together as a class, we will read "On Tragic Character" by Aristotle (page 1379 - 1381). As we read, students will take Cornell notes on the main ideas and details of this essay. We will examine how Oepidus fits the criteria of a tragic character. Student opinions may vary but should be based on support and evidence from the text. Students may want to read these sites for more information on this topic:

http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/tragedy/aristotle.htm
http://tttc.org/projects/JZarro2/process2.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragic_hero
http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/dissertations/AAI9821711/

Students will then answer questions 1 & 3 on page 1381.

3. Students will also read Sigmund Freud's essay entitled "On the Oedipus Complex" on pages 1381-2 in their textbooks. Again, they will take 2-column notes on this essay, looking for main ideas and details. We will search for evidence in the play to determine whether Oedipus suffered from this complex or perhaps something else was amiss in his psyche. Students will then answer question 2 on page 1382.

ANY WORK NOT COMPLETED IN CLASS WILL BE DONE FOR HOMEWORK.