Untitled Flashcards Set

Aristophanes – Frogs Dionysus – The god of theater and wine, he journeys to the Underworld to retrieve Euripides but ultimately chooses Aeschylus as the superior tragedian. Xanthias – Dionysus’ slave, who is funnier and wittier than his master. He often switches roles with Dionysus for comedic effect. Aeschylus – The older, more traditional tragedian who values heroic virtue and grand themes. He wins the competition. Euripides – A more modern tragedian who emphasizes cleverness, realism, and psychological depth but is criticized for weakening moral values. Charon – The ferryman of the Underworld, who refuses to let Xanthias row the boat. Pluto (Hades) – The ruler of the Underworld, who oversees the contest between Aeschylus and Euripides. 📜 Aeschylus – Oresteia Trilogy Agamemnon Agamemnon – The king of Argos, murdered by his wife Clytemnestra after returning from the Trojan War. Clytemnestra – His wife, who kills him to avenge Iphigenia, assert her power, and secure her affair with Aegisthus. Cassandra – A Trojan princess and prophetess, cursed so no one believes her visions. She foresees Agamemnon’s murder and her own death. Aegisthus – Agamemnon’s cousin and Clytemnestra’s lover. He supports her revenge but plays a weaker role in the action. Libation Bearers Orestes – Son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, who returns to avenge his father’s death. Electra – Orestes’ sister, who is deeply loyal to their father and prays for justice. Pylades – Orestes’ companion, who reminds him of his duty to avenge Agamemnon. Clytemnestra – Now ruling Argos, she tries to justify her actions before Orestes kills her. Eumenides The Furies (Erinyes) – Ancient deities of vengeance who pursue Orestes for killing his mother. They later become the Eumenides (“Kindly Ones”) after Athena persuades them to accept a new form of justice. Apollo – He commands Orestes to avenge Agamemnon but later defends him in court. Athena – The goddess of wisdom who establishes the first trial by jury, ending the cycle of blood vengeance. 📜 Sophocles – Oedipus the King Oedipus – The tragic hero who unknowingly kills his father (Laius) and marries his mother (Jocasta), fulfilling a prophecy he tried to avoid. Jocasta – Queen of Thebes, Oedipus’ wife and mother, who realizes the truth before he does and commits suicide. Creon – Jocasta’s brother, who becomes king after Oedipus’ downfall. He values order and stability. Tiresias – The blind prophet who tells Oedipus the truth, but Oedipus refuses to believe him. Laius – The former king of Thebes, murdered by Oedipus at a crossroads. Shepherd – The man who saved baby Oedipus and later confirms his true identity. 📜 Sophocles – Antigone Antigone – The heroine who defies Creon’s law and buries her brother Polynices, believing divine law is greater than human law. Creon – The new king of Thebes, who prioritizes political stability over family loyalty, leading to tragic consequences. Ismene – Antigone’s sister, who fears breaking the law and initially refuses to help. Haemon – Creon’s son and Antigone’s fiancé. He pleads for her life, and after her death, kills himself in despair. Eurydice – Creon’s wife, who commits suicide after Haemon’s death, cursing her husband. Tiresias – The blind prophet who warns Creon that his stubbornness will bring disaster. Oresteia (Aeschylus) → Justice, vengeance, transition from blood feud to legal system. Oedipus the King (Sophocles) → Fate vs. free will, blindness (physical & metaphorical). Antigone (Sophocles) → Divine law vs. human law, loyalty, consequences of pride. Frogs (Aristophanes) → Comedy, critique of tragedy, role of art in society. Here are important quotes from each play that could appear on your exam. Each quote is followed by its speaker, context, and significance (themes, motifs, and connections to other plays). --- ## 📜 Aristophanes – Frogs 1. “We poets are wise and make people better citizens.” - Speaker: Aeschylus - Context: Aeschylus argues that poetry has a moral function in shaping society. - Significance: Connects to the play’s debate on literature’s role—Aeschylus represents tradition and moral lessons, while Euripides represents modernity and realism. 2. “The audience should leave a tragedy better, not worse.” - Speaker: Aeschylus - Context: Aeschylus critiques Euripides for corrupting Athenian values through realism and clever rhetoric. - Significance: Highlights Frogs’ central argument: What is the purpose of tragedy? Art as moral education vs. entertainment. 3. “Shall I choose the one who writes clever lines or the one who uplifts souls?” - Speaker: Dionysus - Context: Dionysus must decide between Aeschylus (grand moral vision) and Euripides (witty, logical argumentation). - Significance: Reflects the play’s satire on art and politics, showing Dionysus' struggle to balance wisdom and entertainment. --- ## 📜 Aeschylus – Oresteia Trilogy ### Agamemnon 4. “Justice turns the balance scales, sees that we suffer and we suffer and we learn.” - Speaker: Chorus - Context: The Chorus comments on the theme of justice and suffering—mortals must learn through pain. - Significance: Foreshadows the cycle of vengeance that will play out in the trilogy. 5. “So you shall pay, blood for blood.” - Speaker: Clytemnestra - Context: After killing Agamemnon, she justifies her actions as revenge for Iphigenia’s death. - Significance: Shows the cycle of vengeance, linking personal revenge to the larger cosmic order. ### Libation Bearers 6. “Shall I be shamed to kill my mother?” - Speaker: Orestes - Context: Orestes hesitates before killing Clytemnestra, questioning whether justice demands this act. - Significance: Highlights moral conflict—he must choose between blood revenge and divine duty. ### Eumenides 7. “I will establish a court that will not be swayed by wealth or power.” - Speaker: Athena - Context: Athena creates the first trial system, ending the cycle of vengeance. - Significance: Marks the transition from blood justice to legal justice, the central theme of the Oresteia. --- ## 📜 Sophocles – Oedipus the King 8. “You are your own worst enemy.” - Speaker: Tiresias - Context: Tiresias tells Oedipus that he himself is the cause of Thebes' suffering. - Significance: Illustrates dramatic irony—Oedipus is blind to the truth while Tiresias, though blind, sees clearly. 9. “I stand revealed—born in shame, married in shame, a father and brother to my own children.” - Speaker: Oedipus - Context: Oedipus finally realizes his true identity after speaking to the shepherd. - Significance: This is his moment of anagnorisis (tragic realization)—fate cannot be escaped. 10. “Blind who now has eyes, beggar who now is rich.” - Speaker: Tiresias - Context: Tiresias foreshadows Oedipus’ fate. - Significance: Highlights the theme of sight vs. blindness, literal and metaphorical. --- ## 📜 Sophocles – Antigone 11. “I was born to join in love, not hate.” - Speaker: Antigone - Context: Antigone justifies burying her brother Polynices, despite Creon’s decree. - Significance: Contrasts divine law (family loyalty) with human law (state authority). 12. “The state is the king!” - Speaker: Creon - Context: Creon argues that his rule must be obeyed or Thebes will fall into chaos. - Significance: Represents tyranny and pride, which leads to his downfall. 13. “A city is no city that is of one man only.” - Speaker: Haemon - Context: Haemon warns Creon that a leader must listen to his people. - Significance: Challenges Creon’s absolutist rule, foreshadowing disaster. 14. “You have driven one life after another from your house.” - Speaker: Tiresias - Context: Tiresias warns Creon that his stubbornness will lead to tragedy. - Significance: Another example of ignored prophecy leading to doom. --- ### 💡 Themes in These Quotes: - Fate vs. Free Will (*Oedipus the King, Antigone*) - Justice & Revenge (*Oresteia*) - The Role of the Gods (*Oresteia, Oedipus the King*) - Blindness & Knowledge (*Oedipus the King*) - Power & Leadership (*Antigone, Frogs*) - The Role of Art & Tragedy (*Frogs*) --- Would you like flashcards for these quotes? Or do you want practice questions where you analyze them? Justice & Revenge (Oresteia, Antigone) Theme: The shift from personal revenge (blood justice) to legal justice (trial system). Key Plays: Agamemnon, Libation Bearers, Eumenides, Antigone Exam Question: How does the Oresteia explore the transition from vengeance to legal justice? Compare this to Creon’s approach to justice in Antigone. Key Quotes: “Justice turns the balance scales, sees that we suffer and we suffer and we learn.” (Oresteia) “I will establish a court that will not be swayed by wealth or power.” (Eumenides) “The state is the king!” (Antigone) 2. Fate vs. Free Will (Oedipus the King, Antigone) Theme: Can people escape their fate, or are they doomed by prophecy? Key Plays: Oedipus the King, Antigone Exam Question: In Oedipus the King, how does Sophocles portray fate as inescapable? How does Antigone’s defiance compare? Key Quotes: “Blind who now has eyes, beggar who now is rich.” (Oedipus the King) “I stand revealed—born in shame, married in shame, a father and brother to my own children.” (Oedipus the King) “I was born to join in love, not hate.” (Antigone) 3. Sight vs. Blindness (Knowledge & Ignorance) (Oedipus the King) Theme: Those who are physically blind (Tiresias) see the truth, while those with sight (Oedipus) are blind to reality. Key Play: Oedipus the King Exam Question: How does Sophocles use blindness as a metaphor for knowledge in Oedipus the King? Key Quotes: “You are your own worst enemy.” (Tiresias to Oedipus) “Blind who now has eyes, beggar who now is rich.” (Tiresias) 4. Power & Leadership (Frogs, Antigone) Theme: What makes a good leader? Can a leader rule without listening to the people? Key Plays: Frogs, Antigone Exam Question: Compare Creon’s leadership in Antigone to Dionysus’ role as judge in Frogs. What do these plays suggest about power? Key Quotes: “The state is the king!” (Creon, Antigone) “A city is no city that is of one man only.” (Haemon, Antigone) “Shall I choose the one who writes clever lines or the one who uplifts souls?” (Dionysus, Frogs) 5. The Role of Art & Tragedy (Frogs) Theme: Can art shape society? Should tragedy educate or entertain? Key Play: Frogs Exam Question: What argument does Frogs make about the role of art in society? How does this compare to the moral messages of tragedy? Key Quotes: “We poets are wise and make people better citizens.” (Aeschylus, Frogs) “The audience should leave a tragedy better, not worse.” (Aeschylus, Frogs) 6. Gender & Power (Oresteia, Antigone) Theme: How do women challenge or reinforce male authority? Key Plays: Agamemnon, Libation Bearers, Antigone Exam Question: How do Clytemnestra and Antigone challenge traditional gender roles? Are they successful? Key Quotes: “So you shall pay, blood for blood.” (Clytemnestra, Agamemnon) “I was born to join in love, not hate.” (Antigone) In Frogs, Dionysus disguises himself as _______ to enter the underworld. Oedipus the King was written by _______. The playwright who argues that tragedy should teach moral lessons in Frogs is _______. In Agamemnon, Clytemnestra kills Agamemnon using a _______. The ruler of the Underworld in Frogs is _______. In Antigone, Creon’s decree forbids the burial of _______. The three plays of the Oresteia are Agamemnon, Libation Bearers, and _______. The god who defends Orestes in his trial in Eumenides is _______. Oedipus the King takes place in the city of _______. The character in Frogs who serves as Dionysus’ slave and comic sidekick is _______. The playwright whom Dionysus ultimately chooses as the “better” tragedian in Frogs is _______. In Libation Bearers, Orestes returns to Argos to avenge the murder of _______. The chorus in Agamemnon consists of old men from the city of _______. The prophetess who is taken captive and later killed in Agamemnon is _______. Oedipus the King explores the theme of fate vs. _______. In Eumenides, the group of deities who demand vengeance for blood crimes are called the _______. Antigone is engaged to _______. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus first accuses _______ of conspiring against him with Tiresias. In Libation Bearers, Orestes is guided by the god _______ in his plan to kill his mother. In Frogs, Aeschylus and Euripides debate in the underworld to determine who is the best _______.