AESCHYLUS

Potential ID's:

AESCHYLUS, PROMETHEUS, HESIOD, OCEANUS, IO, AGAMEMNON, CLYTEMNESTRA, CASSANDRA, ORESTES, ELECTRA, EUMENIDES,  SUPPLIANT MAIDENS, LAIUS, OEDIPUS

  I.  Introduction

      A.  Greatness of Greek theater
      B.  Attempts to imitate Greeks
      C.  What makes Greek tragedy "work"

 II.  Aeschylus' background

III.  Aeschylus' greatness as a poet
 
 IV.  Aeschylus' innovations in theater

  V.  Aeschylus' mastery of dramatic form

 VI.  Aeschylus' handling of important themes/issues

VII.  Example:  Prometheus Bound

      A.  Story behind play
      B.  Theme: resistance to tyranny
      C.  Theme: knowledge/ignorance

VIII. Example: The Oresteia

     A.  Story behind play
     B.  Theme: sin and atonement?
     C.  Agamemnon gets what he deserves
     D.  The plot thickens: The Libation Bearers
     E.  Final resolution: The Eumenides

IX.  More comments on Aeschylus
        --Suppliant Maidens
        --Theban trilogy: Laius/Oedipus/Seven Against Thebes