I. General:

Writing is a process that takes time. You should not expect to write a perfect draft of the essay in one go; rather you should budget enough time to be able to write multiple drafts of your essay and to work with the WIP TA to improve your essay before handing it in to be evaluated. Generally speaking, the more drafts you complete, the better your final product will be.

The final draft of the essay should be 5-7 pages long, typed, double-spaced, free of grammatical or typographical errors, and in a style appropriate for a formal essay.

This is not a research paper; therefore do not consult any secondary sources. I am not interested in what established scholars have to say about any of these topics; I am interested in your opinion. This does not mean, however, that you can simply sit down and “write from the heart,” telling me what you think/feel is true. Rather, you need to have a fully developed thesis and you must present it in a logical way, citing evidence from the text to prove your case. Avoid sweeping generalizations and, since this is a formal essay, do not use the first person pronoun, “I.”

Proof read your essay and consult the Writing Assignments section of this web site for complete formatting instructions. Papers which do not follow the specified format will be marked down. You may also find it useful to consult the Writing Tips section of this web site, especially the section on drafts.

II. Topics:

If you do not like any of these topics, you may craft your own topic in consultation with me. If you need any help, please see me or Sarah Frederick. Good luck with your essay. I look forward to reading it.

1. Several modern scholars have suggested that the Furies in Aeschylus’ “Eumenides” are symbols for Clytaimestra and for the female in general. Evaluate this view against the portrayal of women in other works of literature you have read this semester.

2. How would you stage any two of the Greek tragedies we have read this term? Why?

3. How does the Greek literature you have read this semester define the hero and the heroic ideal?

4. Discuss the connection between wisdom and suffering in at least two Greek authors and in the Iliad.

5. Compare the presentation and function of the gods in Hesiod and two other authors we have read this term.

6. Discuss the importance of rhetoric in the heroic world depicted by the epic and consider to what extent (if any) Greek notions of aidos (“shame”) affect it.

7. Discuss the development of dikê in Greek literature. (It might be interesting to contrast literary development against the historical development of Athenian democracy and its accompanying legal system.)

8. Compare the heroism of Achilleus with that of Jason. How is heroism defined by Homer and Apollonius? How do their views of heroism compare with those of other Greek authors we have read this quarter? Why do they differ?