You are patrons at the Festival for Dionysus and will be witnessing the first public performance of Oedipus Rex. In groups you will record your findings on the festival itself, the components of Greek theater, and how Oedipus Rex fit well into the classic definition of tragedy.
TASK
Your group will have three tasks to complete during this webquest:
1. The Festival of Dionysus -You will travel to the below links and find information on the Festival of Dionysus. Take notes on your findings and specifically find the answers to these questions:
A. Who was/is Dionysus? B. Why is there a festival in his honor? C. What is another name for the festival? D. When does the festival take place? E. What activities are associated with the festival? F. Why would Oedipus Rex be presented at this festival? G. What are some other facts about the festival you feel readers should know?
2. The Greek Theater - Theater was one of the most popular forms of art in ancient Greek times. It is important to understand the origins of Greek theater and information on Sophocles in order to better understand how the play Oedipus Rex would be performed. Use the provided links (and other credible resources) to:
- Give a brief overview of Sophocles H. When and where he was born I. What was one of the titles he was given? J. Where were most of his plays performed? K. What are the names of his most famous plays? - Give information on the Greek theater L. Who performed these plays? M. Who attended these plays? N. Where were they performed? O. Who is the Chorus and how are they involved? - P 1-5. Define five of the theater terms used in ancient Greek theater (refer to the below links)
3. Oedipus Rex - You are going to see Oedipus Rex performed while at the Festival of Dionysus. Oedipus Rex is a tragedy which means the main character begins in a position of power and loses power and control over time (as opposed to a comedy in which the main character gains power throughout the play.) Using the links below, keep in mind:
- The importance of the old Shepard in the play - The myth of Oedipus - The metaphor of light and dark.
Q. With this information, create a plot diagram in which Oedipus begins at the top of the chart, at the height of his power, and spirals down, losing power until the end. PROCESS
Your groupwill create a portfolio with the information you have collected which should include information from all three tasks.
EVALUATION
You will be graded on the information you find and fill out on the provided sheets.
Answers should be:
- written in full sentences
- complete and thorough
- focused on the question
- from reliable sources – cite your answers!
- free of spelling, grammar, and mechanics errors.
CONCLUSION
Upon completing this webquest, you should have a better understanding of the world in which Oedipus Rex was originally presented and how, even after 2500 years, the play still has relevance to today’s readers. There are common themes in Ancient Greek life as well as modern American life that make this play very relatable for different audiences.
3rd period
INTRODUCTION
You are patrons at the Festival for Dionysus and will be witnessing the first public performance of Oedipus Rex. In groups you will record your findings on the festival itself, the components of Greek theater, and how Oedipus Rex fit well into the classic definition of tragedy.
TASK
Your group will have three tasks to complete during this webquest:
1. The Festival of Dionysus
-You will travel to the below links and find information on the Festival of Dionysus. Take notes on your findings and specifically find the answers to these questions:
A. Who was/is Dionysus?
B. Why is there a festival in his honor?
C. What is another name for the festival?
D. When does the festival take place?
E. What activities are associated with the festival?
F. Why would Oedipus Rex be presented at this festival?
G. What are some other facts about the festival you feel readers should know?
2. The Greek Theater
- Theater was one of the most popular forms of art in ancient Greek times. It is important to understand the origins of Greek theater and information on Sophocles in order to better understand how the play Oedipus Rex would be performed. Use the provided links (and other credible resources) to:
- Give a brief overview of Sophocles
H. When and where he was born
I. What was one of the titles he was given?
J. Where were most of his plays performed?
K. What are the names of his most famous plays?
- Give information on the Greek theater
L. Who performed these plays?
M. Who attended these plays?
N. Where were they performed?
O. Who is the Chorus and how are they involved?
- P 1-5. Define five of the theater terms used in ancient Greek theater (refer to the below links)
3. Oedipus Rex
- You are going to see Oedipus Rex performed while at the Festival of Dionysus. Oedipus Rex is a tragedy which means the main character begins in a position of power and loses power and control over time (as opposed to a comedy in which the main character gains power throughout the play.) Using the links below, keep in mind:
- The importance of the old Shepard in the play
- The myth of Oedipus
- The metaphor of light and dark.
Q. With this information, create a plot diagram in which Oedipus begins at the top of the chart, at the height of his power, and spirals down, losing power until the end.
PROCESS
Your groupwill create a portfolio with the information you have collected which should include information from all three tasks.
EVALUATION
You will be graded on the information you find and fill out on the provided sheets.
Answers should be:
- written in full sentences
- complete and thorough
- focused on the question
- from reliable sources – cite your answers!
- free of spelling, grammar, and mechanics errors.
CONCLUSION
Upon completing this webquest, you should have a better understanding of the world in which Oedipus Rex was originally presented and how, even after 2500 years, the play still has relevance to today’s readers. There are common themes in Ancient Greek life as well as modern American life that make this play very relatable for different audiences.
LINKS
General: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~loxias/oedipus/oedipusindex.htm
GREEK SOCIETY
http://www.crystalinks.com/greece.html
THE FESTIVAL OF DIONYSUS
http://thanasis.com/dionys.htm
http://www.suite101.com/lesson.cfm/18443/1786/2
http://www.knowledgerush.com/kr/encyclopedia/Festival_of_Dionysus/
http://www.arwhead.com/Greeks/index.html#Theater%20of%20Dionysia
SOPHOCLES
http://www.crystalinks.com/sophocles.html
http://www.theatrehistory.com/ancient/sophocles001.html
ANCIENT GREEK THEATER
http://academic.reed.edu/humanities/110tech/Theater.html
http://www.arwhead.com/Greeks/
http://upge.wn.com/?t=ancientgreece/index15.txt
http://www.temple.edu/classics/dramaterms.html
THE OEDIPUS MYTH
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~loxias/myth.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/17709/myths/moedipus.htm
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classic/wilson/core/oedipus.htm
http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/OedipustheWreck/backgrnd.htm