The mythological character of Oedipus, whom Sophocles represents so memorably in Oedipus Tyrannous (Oedipus the King/Oedipus Rex) and Oedipus at Colon’s, can be viewed as a heroic figure. Compare Oedipus as a hero to these other heroes in Greek myth; Herakles, Perseus, Theseus, Jason, Achilles and Odysseus. What elements of Oedipus’s narrative overlap with a traditional heroic narrative? How does Sophocles vary, expand upon, and challenge more traditional versions of a hero’s journey or life? Is Oedipus even a hero? The most successful responses to this question will incorporate both an accurate and detailed rehearsal of Oedipus’s narrative and also a thoughtful analysis of this narrative within the context of Greek myth and culture.
Women, in some crucial ways, drive the narrative of the Iliad and the Trojan War. Please comment on how literature and myth represent pivotal female figures such as, Helen, Chryseis, Briseis, Andromache, Polyxena, and Cassandra. Be sure to contextualize your answers, in other words, only the Iliad provides detailed characterisations of Chryseis and Briseis, so their representations form important elements of the Iliad’s own narrative, while also participating in wider concepts of the female. Do certain concepts unite the representations of these women? Does one stand out as slightly different, and why might that be? The most successful responses to this question will incorporate evidence of knowledge of the basic narratives of the various figures, and also a thoughtful analysis of the female within the context of Greek myth and culture.
All of the heroes in ancient Greek myth encounter “the other” (generally this might mean non-Greeks, monsters, and women, combinations; there may be other variants) as part of their narratives. Please discuss the various representations of “the other” in the myths of Herakles, Perseus, Theseus, Jason, and Odysseus. Does Achilles meet an “other”? What happens in these interactions? What do the representations of “the other” tell us about Greek culture? The most successful responses to this question will incorporate evidence of knowledge of the basic narratives of the various figures, and also a thoughtful analysis of “the other” within the context of Greek myth and culture. 