Mythology Exam

Introduction

• Review of previous classes and announcements regarding paper rubrics and exams.
• Introduction to topics: the House of Atreus, generational strife, and themes of cannibalism.

Key Themes and Questions

• Purpose of myths: Are they educational, moral lessons, or purely for entertainment?
• Authors’ creative freedom: How does altering myths affect our understanding of their original forms?

Myth as a Medium

• Dramatic medium impacts the presentation and reception of myths.
  • Drama can make stories more vivid and memorable, akin to watching films vs. reading books.
• The interplay between myth and medium leads to a complex relationship that requires understanding of both.
• The context shapes how audiences perceive the lessons embedded in the myths.

Authorial License and Original Myths

• Example of Aeschylus altering the myth of Agamemnon's murder:
  • Odyssey states Aegisthus, but Aeschylus’ Oresteia attributes the murder to Clytemnestra.
  • Question of authenticity: Just because a myth is older does not make it an original version.
• Myths evolved through oral traditions, leading to differing interpretations and adaptations across time.

The Oresteia Trilogy

• Agamemnon: Agamemnon returns from Troy, is murdered by Clytemnestra as revenge for sacrificing their daughter.
• Libation Bearers: Orestes seeks to avenge his father’s death under the guidance of Apollo, complicating familial ties.
  • Orestes kills Aegisthus and is faced with the Furies’ revenge for killing his mother.
• Orestes’ conflict symbolizes deep moral dilemmas surrounding justice and family loyalty.

Trial of Orestes

• Athena's presiding role in the trial: Importance of human agency in justice vs. divine intervention.
• Arguments from both sides:
  • Furies (Prosecution):
    • Argue kinship is paramount, divine precedents mean Orestes deserves punishment, blood guilt cannot simply be washed away.
  • Apollo (Defense):
    • Claims of divine command absolving Orestes of guilt, political implications of murder, challenges the nature of familial bonds.
    • Controversial claim that a mother's role in childbirth is comparable to a field nurturing seeds, thus reducing maternal connection's significance.
• Outcome: A split verdict, with Athena casting the deciding vote in favor of Orestes, leading to tensions between gods and humanity.
  • Promises made to the Furies for worship and honors — indicating their importance despite the verdict.

Reflection on Justice and Morality

• Questions posed regarding divine justice, human responsibility, complexity of moral decisions in myth.
• Implicit commentary on societal norms, evolution of justice through cultural narratives.

Transition to Oedipus and the House of Cadmus

• Discussion of the rich and tragic lineage of Cadmus, the founder of Thebes.
• Focus on the cyclical nature of fate in Greek mythology—harrowing stories of love, betrayal, and prophecy.
• Introduction to Oedipus’s story arc: Prophesied to kill his father and marry his mother, exploring the tragic tension between fate and choice.