LSO375 - Introduction to World Drama

1. Over the entrance to the temple at Delphi are inscribed the words, “Know Thyself.”  Defend the statement that Oedipus is the classic example of a man whose central problem is that he does not know himself.  Use details from the play to support your answer
 
2. Lies and deceit play a central role in Othello. Analyze how Iago in Othello uses lies to achieve his goals. Are his lies or motivations purely evil? Why or why not?

3. Arnold Hauser states that modern drama thinks of man as “a part and function of his environment and depicts him as a being who, instead of controlling concrete reality, as in classical tragedy, is himself absorbed and controlled by it.” Analyze the ways in which characters are represented as products of their environment in Hedda Gabler. Pay close attention to language, setting and props.

4. Analyze the role of women in Lysistrata, Othello, OR Hedda Gabler. Do the women demonstrate any power or agency, or are they entirely submissive to the men in the play? Pay close attention to the dialogues between the women in the play. How do the male characters view and/or treat the women?

5. Choose your own topic. Your topic must focus on one of the texts on our course. Also, if you choose your own topic, you must inform me of your intended topic via email at least one week before the essay is due