Themes and narrative analysis of HUMA 3103 readings

Question 1

What is the main theme of the theogony? What does it represent for Ancient Greece and how is it significant to childhood studies?

Answer 1

Intergenerational power conflict between sons and fathers. It shows social anxieties about fathers neglecting to give up power to their sons. Fathers may have deemed their sons as a threat

fathers prevented children to grow up

Question 2

How did Hesiod portray the relationship between the sons and fathers in the theogony?

Answer 2

Fathers would always want to maintain power and would oppress the sons that would overthrow them. The sons would strive to overthrow the fathers in order to save the family from their dads overbearingness.

Question 3

What does the act of Kronos castrating his father represent?

Answer 3

represents Kronos throwing away his fathers masculinity and power.

Question 4

What was the mothers role in the theogony?

Answer 4

The role of mothers was the welfare of the family. They would plot and scheme to overthrow the overbearing father. However, they never did the actions themselves and always relied on their sons.

Question 5

How does the theogony reflect the perspective of women within Ancient Greek society?

Answer 5

Women will plot behind your back instead of fighting you head on likes men.

Question 6

How does Zeus maintain his power forever?

Answer 6

Zeus consumes his wife, Metis, to eliminate the prophecy of Metis children overthrowing their father. In other words, Zeus’ removes the wife aspect so he won’t ever have kids to overthrow him.

Question 7

Why couldn’t Ancient Greek men eliminate the wife aspect to maintain their power?

Answer 7

Fathers who don’t have wives can’t have kids. Thus men cannot live in their old age as no one can support them.

Question 8

What is the importance of this hymn in regards to children studies?

Answer 8

Shows that the ancients cared about/for their children

shows childhood innocence too

Question 9

What is the importance of baby Hermes vs god Hermes?

Answer 9

When Hermes pretends to be a baby, it reveals the values of how the ancients viewed children. God Hermes represents how vastly superior gods were compared to humans

Question 10

How did the ancients value children using the story of Hermes?

Answer 10

that human children are purposeless, foolish , not knowing evils and cowers at their mothers threat but in need of care, feeding, bathing and swaddling. In other words, children were cared for and was cared by parents

Question 11

How does the hymn of Hermes represent family relations?

Answer 11

This story represents family fights and quarrels between brothers with the younger brother wanting the older brothers stuff. They settle the conflict by going to the father

Question 12

Why is Medea considered the antithesis of contemporary ancient Greek families?

Answer 12

She always targets the core of families which are children.

Question 13

What is ironic about Medea being the antithesis of greek families?

Answer 13

Its ironic because she herself is a mother.
Her, a mother, killing children and even her own, is meant to shock the audience, which shows that the ancients did care about the children and played a core role in families

Question 14

How can Medea be compared to Hektor and Achilles in the Iliad?

Answer 14

Medea is represented as a Homeric hero based on her dialogue. Ancient Greek heroes are very self-interested, determined and powerful. This is compared to Hektor, who fights for the sake of his family in battle and Achillies, who fights for vengeance.

Question 15

What trait does Achillies share with Medea?

Answer 15

These two share the philosophy of ‘Benefit your friends and harm your enemies’. This means to do your utmost to help them and utmost to harm your enemies. In both stories, Achillies and Medea are set on a quest for vengeance which causes them to do anything for it

Question 16

How does Medea’s quest for vengeance affect her children?

Answer 16

Medea was trying to exact revenge upon her ex-husband, Jason, who decided to marry the princess for wealth and power. In order to inflict the most amount of pain onto Jason, Medea destroys the royal line that Jason was marrying into and kills the children that they shared

Question 17

What is the relationship between Medea’s motherhood and heroism?

Answer 17

Medea gave up her heroism in order to be a wife and mother to Jason and her children. However, once Jason betrayed her, Medea choice the path of heroism and went on a quest of revenge. Heroism and parenthood are two things that cannot coexist in ancient Greece so on her quest, she sacrifices her motherhood (killing her kids) in order to inflict the most amount of pain onto her enemy

Question 18

Why did the ancient Greeks find Medea’s actions so shocking?

Answer 18

In contemporary ancient Greece, Medea, a woman, was not expected to be a hero in ancient Greece as mothers were only instigators on behalf of their children’s wellbeing. Medea violates this norm and takes the active role of killing those who wrong her. Most importantly, Medea, a mother, kills her kids to achieve revenge which is comparable to heresy in ancient Greece.

Question 19

What else is shocking about Medea killing children?

Answer 19

Despite the heretic nature of a mother killing her own children, another factor that is shocking of a parent killing their children is that the ancient Greek audience recognize the importance of the children in not only a greek family but to ancient Greek society.

Question 20

What is the main focus of the Medea story?

Answer 20

The main focus on the story is children and how important children are to families and to their parents.

Question 21

How can the importance of children be Medea as a character?

Answer 21

At a certain point in the story, Medea remains unwavering in her goal to kill her children to hurt Jason. However, once she sees the faces of her children, she argues with herself if she should go through with it because she deeply cares about her kids.

Question 22

What is the irony of Jason and Medea’s archetype in the story?

Answer 22

Medea gave up the hero role to care for her children but reclaimed the hero status to exact revenge
This contrasts with Jason’s role, who was supposed to be the hero but became the caring parent

Question 23

How does Medea eventually convince Creon to stay one more day in the city before the banishment?

Answer 23

When Medea’s pled to the king and to the Gods fail, she exploits Creon’s fatherly love for children.

Question 24

What does Medea riding off in Helio’s chariot represent?

Answer 24

The actions of Medea were so inconceivable that she transcended humanity and can be comparable to a god. Medea, a mortal mother whose role is to care for the children and be passive, personally murders her children in a calculated and thought-out manner

Question 25

How did Medea convince the King of Athens to use his city as a haven?

Answer 25

Aegeus, King of Athens, is convinced by Medea to have sanction in Athens because Medea promises to use a spell to give him children as he is childless. Again, this shows the importance of children to fathers

Question 26

What is the main theme of the Liberation Bearers play and why is it important to our course?

Answer 26

Generational conflict concerning the mother and her children. It is important because it shows that the ancients thought that girls/women should not be the kyrios or else their household will end in ruin. The Kyrios role is for men only.

Question 27

Why does Electra refer to her younger brother as “father”? in LB?

Answer 27

This is because Electra believes that Orestes is the proper Kyrios of the family now that their father is dead. She already submitted to him as the patriarch

Question 28

What does the nurses sorrowful speech regarding Orestes “death” (the one who raised Orestes) show?

Answer 28

It shows that the nurse cares deeply about him because she raised him. She views him as a son and it shows how much adults can care about children.

Question 29

What is the importance of Orestes hesitating to kill his mother once Clytemnestra convinces him that she raised/cared for him?

Answer 29

It shows how important the mother is too children.

Question 30

What is the main story of Hippolytus?

Answer 30

It is the story of a man refusing to grow up?

Question 31

How does Hippolytus prolong his childhood?

Answer 31

He refuses to get married and have sex with women. He spends all his time playing and does not take part in any civil affairs.

Question 32

Why is Hippolytus ultimately killed?

Answer 32

He was killed for being a virgin. He refused lust and sex with enraged Aphrodite. This led to his stepmother being cursed to lust after him and his downfall.

Question 33

Why did Hippolytus’ stepmom kill herself and write that she was raped by him?

Answer 33

She did this because she overheard Hippolytus’ hateful rant about women. His disgust of women appalled her so much that she took her own life and blamed him to teach him a lesson.

Question 34

What was the reason for Artemis, Hippolytus’ god, honoring his death with a new marriage tradition?

Answer 34

It was Artemis stating that Hipploytus’ asexuality and denouncement of marriage was foolish and idiotic as ancient Greece depended on children for their society to flourish.

Question 35

Why did Oedipus run away from his adoptive parents when he heard the prophecy?

Answer 35

He thought his adopted parents were the parents the oracle was talking about. If he ignored the oracle off, he could have avoided sleeping with Jocasta and continued on with his life

Question 36

Why does Oedipus fear the oracle?

Answer 36

He might have been attracted to older women, so he feared that his attraction will develop

Question 37

How is Oedipus Rex similar to the Theogony?

Answer 37

There is a generational conflict with fathers and sons. Oedipus father left him in exposure in fear of his son sleeping with his wife and killing him (according to the prophecy). However this happens due to the father leaving him to do and unintentionally, Oedipus kills his father and sleeps with his mother.

Question 38

What is the main theme of Antigone and how did this affect her?

Answer 38

The refusal to grow up into womanhood and being unable to let go of ur family. Antigone was of age to get married and had an arranged marriage but she threw to away in order to preserve her families honor by giving her disgraced brother a burial. However by doing this, she would be sentenced to death and have the opportunity of womanhood being taken from her

Question 39

How does the main theme of Antigone relate to CCY?

Answer 39

It shows how important it is for girls to transition from maidenhood into womanhood (marriage and child bearing). Girls are supposed to let go of their families at marriage because they now belong to the husbands family but if they cannot do this, they cannot grow up and become an adult. They become a detriment to society and in the case of Antigone, she paid with her life.

Question 40

Why was Creon scorned by the prophet, and how does it relate to childhood studies?

Answer 40

Creon was scorned for killing a young girl right before she was about to get married. This was deemed a sin unforgivable by the gods because marriage and childbearing were crucial to ancient Greece. He has not only taken away a groom from his son but took away a maidens womenhood

Question 41

What is the importance of Antigone wearing the wedding dress before her execution?

Answer 41

It represents Antigones stolen womenhood. Instead of getting married and having children, Antigone is metaphorically getting married to Hades as she will perish in the tomb. She refers to this seal as her bridal room and final resting place. Antigone expresses her sorrow for not getting married or having kids but she still values her family more than her womanhood which results in her death.

Question 42

Why did Haimon say that even the gods and society would condemn Creon’s action for killing Antigone?

Answer 42

Creon was taking away Haimon’s lover and future bride. Haimon and Antigone are also royalty so it is important for them to get married and create more offspring to continue the royal lineage. However, Creon is stealing away Antigones chance at womanhood to satisfy his sense of justice

Question 43

What is the theme of PHILOKTETES?

Answer 43

Philoktetes main theme is nature vs nature with NEOPTOLEMOS and how he deals with it

Question 44

How is the main theme of Philoktetes important to childhood studies?

Answer 44

The main theme fits with the idea of “nature” a show children take after their parents

Question 45

What is the importance between Neoptolemos and Philoktetes vs Neoptolemons and Odysseus

Answer 45

Neoptoplemos and his relationship with Philoktetes representing Neotpoplemos nature. This is because Philoktetes is a lot like Neoptolemon’s father, Achillies. Thus, Neo shares the same values with Philoktetes. This contrasts with Neo’s relationship with Odysseus who represents his nuture due to Odysseus being his mentor and teaching him

Question 46

What is Neoptolemos growth and what does it represent?

Answer 46

Neo’s growth shows how he deals with nature vs nurture. At the start of the story, Neo was dead set on following his nature as an honorable warrior who avoids dishonourable such as deciet. Neo denied his nuture as he would not lie to Philo in order to get his bow. This ios because Odysseus is someone of words instead of combat, his, words is his weapon. But, Neo listened to Odysseus and tried to decieve Philoktetes. Moreover, he almost succeeds but he cannot bring himself to deceive a man who is so much like his father. However at the end of the story, Neo combines both nature and nuture. He uses his words like Odysseus preaches but does it in an honorable way like his nature. This shows that children should combine both their parents nature and their future

Question 47

Why does Neo give back the bow to Philoktetes?

Answer 47

Neoptolemos gives the bow back because he does not agree with the methods he did so. He used lies and deceit to take it which goes against his nature. It is dishonorable to and him and literally, he would rather fight Odyessus and all of Greece then dishonorable Philoktetes who is so much like his father

Question 48

What is the main theme of the ‘The Brothers?”

Answer 48

The brothers main theme is “nature” vs nurture and parental styles.

Question 49

How is the main theme of the brothers important to childhood studies?

Answer 49

Demea is a hard working adult and raises his son Ctesipho like himself, a hard working person with discipline. However his other son, Aeschinus, was adapted by his brother, Micio. Despiite Aeschinus being Demea’s son, he is raised in a much more laxed manner and shares no semblance to Ctsesphio. This causes Demea to think that his son is being corrupted by Micio. He fears for his future because Aueschinus is going against his fathers nature and his nuture is a deteriment. However, both parents learn by the end that they both of their learning styles are not adaqeuent as Aeschinus and Cteshpiho still do things that deny their fathers wishes they are just more secertative about it. Therefore, they decide that both nature and nuture is the best way (laxed life style and hard work)

Question 50

What does micio parenting style say about the ancients perspective on boyhood?

Answer 50

Micio laxed style is motibiated by the ideal that boys will be ‘boys’ and make mistakes while they are young and more easier to be forgiven. Therefore, they will not make the same mistakes as adults when punishments will be more strict. Furthermore, Micio even says that he and Demea were simply too poor to enjoy this laxed life style as young boys.

Question 51

What did Cteshphilo and Aestchinus do that defied their parents wishes despite Demea’s and Micio’s parenting styles specifically made to counter these acts?

Answer 51

Cteshphilo sneaks out to see his lover despite Demena wishing that his parenting style would prevent dishonesty and insubordination and Aeschinus hides the fact that he raped a girl from Micio despite his wish for Aeschinus to not hide things from him. This shows that both of their parenting styles were flawed

Question 52

What is the importance of Demena’s trick on Micio at the end of the story?

Answer 52

The importance of this was Demena’s lesson to Micio about how his parenting style is just as flawed as his. Demea kept pushing his boundaries of laxness and at the end of the story, Micio realizes he has to put in boundaries, not just be a friend and be more strict. This ultimately shows the preferred parenting style in ancient Rome

Question 53

Why was Agamemnon using the reason that his daughter is being married for crying? Why did Clytemnestra share this sentiment?

Answer 53

This is because once a parent marries their daughter, the daughter will be removed from the family. Agamemnon used this as his excuse for crying which Clytemnestra argues too.

Question 54

Why did Agamemnon compare his daughter’s sacrifice to getting married to hades? What does this say about marriage in regards to a girl

Answer 54

Sacrifice is being compared to marriage and in ancient Greece, a daughter is basically dead to her family once she’s married off as she cannot interact with them. Iphigenia being killed is no different than getting married in terms of familial bonds

Question 55

Why was Clytemnestra so insistent on going to Iphigenia “marriage”?

Answer 55

This is because this will be the final time that she can see her daughter. Agamemnon is distressed that she would not leave because if she did leave, Clytemnestra would have no idea that her daughter was killed as she would not interact with her either way.

Question 56

What does this Iphigenia at Aulis say about the daughter’s power over her own life?

Answer 56

It reveals that daughters do not have many daughters on their own and that the fathers have all the power. Agamemnon was going to sacrifice her daughter without her consent or even her knowing. Even if he was going to actually marry her to Achillies, she would still have no say in it. When she arrived she did not express her accept or defiance of the marriage just passiveness. It took Achillies, another man, to interfere with the marriage and actually had the ability to do so. This is expanded upon as Clytemnestra even says that she was married to Agamemnon against her will

Question 57

What does Clytemnestra’s monologue to Agamemnon say about the ancients view on women and children?

Answer 57

It shows that women and girls were treated more like prizes than people. Agamenon forcibly married Clytemnestra after killing her husband. He won her like. a prize.

Clytemnestra also calls Agamemnon insane for even thinking about killing their child even if it s for the sake of his country. this shows the importance of childrenn

Question 58

Why did Iphigenia sacrifice resemble a wedding?

Answer 58

This is a metaphor for how marriage was a sacrifice for girls. Girls had to give up their entire families and, in some cases, consent to marry and continue the ancient civilization.

Question 59

What is the significance of Artemis the goddess chosen to accept the sacrifice of Iphigenia?

Answer 59

Iphigenia is being killed to appease Artemis, the goddess of hunt and virginity. In ancient Greece tradition, Artemis needs to be appeased by the soon-to-be bride by an offering before marriage. In this circumstance, the offering is switched with Iphigenia’s life and only her sacrifice will appease the goddess.

Question 60

What are Daphnis and Chloe mainly focusing on in terms of themes?

Answer 60

Growing up through romance, marriage and emotional awakening in the ancient world

Question 61

What does it take to be an adult woman in the ancient world in terms of romance and marriage?

Answer 61

Being able to get married the lose their virginity

Question 62

What does it take to be a man in terms of marriage and romance?

Answer 62

Knowing how to have sex, knowing what romance is, being competent and grown enough to do adult things and then getting married

Question 63

What constitutes as being a “child” or “innocent” in Daphnis and Chloe?

Answer 63

Being innocent and not understanding how love works. Kissing and embracing are seen as childlike in comparison to sex and marriage. Playing games is also viewed as a thing for children

Question 64

What is the significance of the “pipe” to Daphnis and Chloe

Answer 64

The pipe represents Daphnis’ maturity and growth. When he was “innocent”, he only used his smaller pipe and when he gives it to Philetas, he comments this is a pipe for a child. However, when Daphnis says he will play the pipe for Pan, a sex god, Philetas gifts his pipe to Daphnis which symbolizes his maturity