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English 240: Ancient Literature Questions on Seneca's Trojan Women / Thyestes Alfred J. Drake. Hours: Cyber Cafe Tu/Th. 12-1 | ajdrake@ajdrake.com The Trojan Women 1. From lines 1-159 the Trojan King Priam's widow Hecuba and the Chorus (women of fallen Troy) set the play's tone. What do they say about the suffering that has already been visited upon them? What philosophy or outlook does Hecuba derive from the fall of Troy? 2. From 160-368, after Talthybius announces the will of the shade Achilles that Polyxena and Astyanax must die, King Agamemnon and Achilles' son Pyrrhus assess the situation. What has the war supposedly taught Agamemnon and his peers in age? How does Pyrrhus respond to Agamemnon's advice? 3. From 369-402, Calchas delivers his opinion and the Chorus comment on what they have just heard from Agamemnon and Pyrrhus. What view does Calchas take of Achilles' demand? Why do you suppose the Chorus members are driven to discuss death at this point? What do such interludes accomplish in terms of the drama's progression or impact? 4. From 403-521, Andromache enters and converses with an old servant, her son by fallen Hector near them. How does Andromache assess the prospects for frustrating the hated Achilles' demands? What hopes does invest in her son Astyanax? 5. From 522-810, Andromache and Ulysses (Odysseus) argue over the fate of Astyanax. How does Ulysses position himself with respect to the demand he issues that the boy must be surrendered to the Greeks? How does Andromache counter Ulysses' demand and his counsel to her? Does she appear heroic at this point, or not? Explain. 6. From 811-1007, first the Chorus speak, and then Helen, entering to dress Polyxena and carry out the Greeks' designs, argues with Andromache and Hecuba. How does Helen cast her role in the Trojan War and its aftermath? How do the other two women interpret her actions? What view of human nature and affairs does Hecuba set forth? 7. From 1008-end, after the Chorus discuss the value of shared grief, the Messenger enters and , at Andromache's bidding, recounts the killing of Polyxena and Astyanax. To what extent does the Roman Seneca's Messenger call to mind the tragic heroism of Greek drama in his description of Astyanax and Polyxena's death? Do you think this play gives us heroes at all, or heroes of the same kind that we find in the Greeks? Explain. 8. A final question--Aristotle claims that Greek drama's representations of suffering and death have a cathartic effect--arousing and calming the passions, and possibly leading the audience towards intellectual clarity on matters of great importance. What do you think the intended effect of Senecan tragedy is? (One way to approach this question would be to consider what good, if any, it does Andromache to hear the Messenger's description.) Thyestes 9. From lines 1-120, the Ghost of Tantalus (grandfather of Atreus and Thyestes) resists the demands of the Fury. What attitude towards vengeance, suffering, and violence does this exchange set forth to guide us for the rest of the play? 10. From 121-75, the Chorus members discuss the situation before them. What is unusual about the subjects of this Chorus and perhaps about their treatment of the situation? Also examine briefly what they say from 337-403 about the upcoming meeting between Atreus and Thyestes--what does the play gain by their naive remarks? 11. From 176-336, Atreus and his Attendant argue. What does Atreus say has made him conceive a desire for revenge against his brother Thyestes? Why does this desire take the particular form it does? Why is he so sure that Thyestes will fall into the trap? 12. Also from 176-336, what does Atreus hope to achieve by carrying out his treacherous plot? What view of kingship does he set forth, and how does the Attendant counter that view? 13. From 404-545, Thyestes mulls over his hopes and apprehensions concerning his son young Tantalus, and then meets Atreus. Why is Thyestes willing to come back to Argos? What hopes does he still have, and how does Atreus feed them? 14. From 546-884, the Chorus listens to the Messenger's recounting of Atreus' fulfilment of his scheme. What is the point of offering such a lurid account? What lesson do the Chorus members derive from it? 15. From 885-1112 (end), Atreus delights in making Thyestes slowly learn the agonizing truth about his meal. What does Atreus apparently believe he has accomplished--has he "set things right"? 16. We discussed Senecan stoicism in class. What Stoic truth has this play brought home to us concerning the nature and consequences of inordinate passion? Is there any way in which we might see the play as cathartic or healthy for an audience? Explain. Edition: Seneca: The Tragedies. Vol 1. Eds. David R. Slavitt and Palmer Bovie. Trans. David R. Slavitt. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins, 1992.
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