| Lesson Plan | ||||
| Topic: | Aristotle and Tragedy | DAY TEN | ||
| Objective: | 1. Students will be able to apply the purpose
of tragedy to Oedipus the King. 2. Students will be able to identify the characteristics of an effective tragedy according to Aristotle. 3. Students will be able to apply Aristotle’s elements of a successful tragedy to Oedipus the King. *Competency Goal 5.01 – Learners will read Aristotle’s "On Tragedy" as a means to understand the importance of cultural and historical impact of Oedipus the King. |
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| Activities | Description of activity | Time | Materials | |
| Focus Activity | After reading Oedipus the King, Aristotle's "On Tragedy," and discussing the elements of plot, do you agree that plot is the most important part f tragedy? Take five minutes to write your response and explain why or why not based on your reading. | 5 min | prompt on board | |
| Objective | Last night you read Aristotle's opinion on the tragedy. First, we will define tragedy, discuss how Oedipus the King is a tragedy, and then look specifically at how it fulfills the requirements outlined by Sophocles. | 1 min | outline on board | |
| Instructional Input/ Modeling | Tragedy: - type of drama that shows the destruction of a noble, outstanding person What does tragedy do? - shows the difficulty of realizing individuality - accepts the double nature of enlightenment - price and reward of man's struggle with his limitations "On Tragedy" - Aristotle, The Poetics - examines the elements that he believes are necessary to achieve a successful tragedy - Have someone read each paragraph and discuss. Focus on specific examples from Oedipus the King. Also, point out examples that relate to students. |
35 min | board markers, Aristotle handout | |
| 1. Tragedy is presented in the form of dramatic
action Catharsis - purgation of emotions, pity and fear drained → felt by audience 2. Reversal - peripeteia, winning the lottery 3. Discovery - epiphany. Discuss Oedipus' epiphany and how he lashes out at Jocasta first. Also discuss Jocasta's epiphany. Epiphany + Peripeteia = Catharsis 4. can be more than one epiphany 5. Calamity - action of destructive or painful nature, excessive suffering Q: Where do we see this in Oedipus 6. Pity is awakened by complex structures - where there is undeserved misfortune or we can identify with the character - discuss sympathy with friends...antipathy towards those who suffer deservedly 7. Tragic hero |
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| Guided Practice | Class
Discussion Q: Why does Sophocles believe Oedipus the King is the premier example of a tragedy? Focus on catharsis. Recall pathos, ethos, and logos...specifically pathos. Also, emphasize the combination of epiphany and peripeteia. Q: How do the plot and tragedy elements support the theme? To get things started, discuss how the introduction of Oedipus as a noble man trying to help his people emphasizes the idea of human limitations. |
13 min | ||
| Independent Practice | Homework: You are writing the Oedipus unit test: create three questions: multiple choice, short answer, or essay. Write the questions and the answers. | 1 min | homework on board |
