Purposes: In order to prepare for the scene rewrites you’ll do at the end of the semester, you need to learn more about your character and begin to build empathy for characters who seek vengeance and who are victimized by the pursuit. Additional research into scholarly opinions about your character and/or play will deepen your own understanding of the genre of Greek tragedy and its story and character conventions. Method: Analysis and reflection on primary texts (plays) and secondary texts (scholarly articles). Desсrіption: Each student will be randomly assigned the identity of one of the characters in a Greek tragedy we will be reading. The student will re-read the play to reflect on the background, motivations, and mindsets of the character and their role in the conflict. They will then find two scholarly source (articles, chapters, books, commentaries) about the character or the play to deepen their understanding. Format Standard MLA heading 1-1.25 inch margins name and page number in top right corner of page double-spaced Times New Roman 12 font (or similar) at least three (3) but no more than five (5) pages long works cited page Content Reading your play and two scholarly sources closely, please write your paper describing the following about your character: His/her involvement in the current family/community crisis (actions taken) His/her motivations for involvement in current family/community crisis (mindset, perspective) The status of close familial/friendship relationships, and why they are important in the current crisis An overview of scholarly opinions about your character, your character’s role in the play, or your character’s role in the conflict Can you sympathize or empathize with your character’s feeling or actions? Do you agree with the scholarly interpretations? Why or why not? How to Cite Your Sources Your desсrіptions and analysis must include direction quotations and citations from the text of the play for support. A citation is the name of the play and the line numbers enclosed in parentheses that references lines that are quoted directly (in quotation marks) or lines that are paraphrased (no quotation marks). A citation looks like this: (Libation Bearers, 118-125). Note that the title of the play is italicized (as it should always be). When quoting lines directly, separate the lines of poetry with a backslash if you are quoting 3 lines of poetry or less, like this: “You women who keep our house in order,/now you’re here attending me in prayers,/in supplication, give me your advice” (Libation Bearers, 109-111). If the quote stretches on beyond three lines, create a block quote, without backslashes, like this: What should I say as I pour out these cups, my offering to grief? How frame my words to make my prayer a tribute to my father? Shall I say I bring these gifts with love, from doting wife to her beloved husband, from my mother? I have no strength for that. (Libation Bearers, 112-117) Note that block quotes are indented .5 inches and do NOT use quotation marks. They should still have citations after them. Scholarly quotations are handled the same way. It’s helpful to introduce each quote with a lead-in formula. You should also include parenthetical citations after the quote, like this: Leach argues that Medea is in the wrong, writing “Medea’s anger is not conducive to bilateral dialogue and immediately shuts down opportunities for creative problem-solving” (Leach, 84).
