| Lesson Plan | ||||
| Topic: | Philosophy in Oedipus the King | DAY SIX | ||
| Objective: | 1. Students will be able
to describe important philosophical questions from Sophocles’ time. 2. Students will be able to identify and explain Sophocles’ implementation of philosophical issues in Oedipus the King. 3. Students will begin to identify and discuss theme. *Competency Goal 1.02 – Learners will respond reflectively through class discussion to Oedipus the King by exhibiting an awareness of the culture in which text is set or in which text was written as well as by explaining how culture affects personal responses. *Competency Goal 5.01 – Learners will analyze the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts and make comparisons and connections between historical and contemporary issues. |
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| Activities | Description of activity | Time | Materials | |
| Anticipatory Set | Fortune cookies: As students walk in, hand them a fortune cookie. When we get fortunes we like, what do we do? (they must be true) When we get fortunes that we don't like, what do we do? (throw them away - they can't possibly relate to us). | 5 min | ||
| Objective | Go
over the homework for the next class.
Today, we will look at the philosophy of Greece during the time
that Sophocles wrote Oedipus the King. We will see
how our use of the fortune cookie relates to Oedipus' reliance on the
gods within his search of the truth. Collect Newspapers. |
2 min | ||
| Instructional Input | Philosophical background: - emphasis on human nature: sought to know the basic truth of human nature Q: How/Where do we see this in Oedipus the King? (assuming why the killer killed Laius, looking for self, etc) - efforts to understand themselves and the people around them - valued intellectualism and rational thought |
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DISCUSSION: In Oedipus the King, Sophocles illustrates this focus on human nature and rational thought. We follow Oedipus on a search for the truth (draw visual of Oedipus and the truth on the board). Why does Sophocles show human power in conflict with supernatural power and where do we see this? (O and J vs. gods and T, to show that human’s have limited power, but even more important, that when they ignore the gods and life’s obstacles, they are hindered even more) |
20 min | |||
| Based
on what you have read so far, what do you think the theme of the play
is? How does this emphasis on seeking the truth and human limitation relate to us? What can we take away from Oedipus the King? - Oedipus makes false assumptions based on his hubris (study abroad – government) - Facing problems vs. running away from problems Is he telling us that we can’t escape fate or is he telling us that we have a part in our own destiny? |
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| Guided Practice / Checking for understanding | Have students read specific portions of play and discuss how this part shows these philosophical ideas. Ask students to explain how each quote shows human limitations and/or the concept of destiny? Discuss plot: clarify any confusion. | 30 min | ||
| Independent Practice | homework: read 299 - 306. Where do you see foreshadowing? Motifs? Destiny/ Human power vs. supernatural power? |
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