10A4 Unit Activity

Unit: Reading Historical Fiction
This Unit Activity will help you meet these educational goals:
21st Century Skills—You will use critical-thinking skills and effectively communicate your ideas.

Introduction
In this activity, you will read, analyze, and critique the Greek drama Antigone by Sophocles. You will also compare and contrast Antigone with Kalidasa's Shakuntala.
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Directions and Analysis
Task 1: Read and Analyze the Greek Drama Antigone
Drama is one of the major genres of ancient Greek literature. Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides were three of the earliest Greek playwrights who wrote tragedies. Sophocles was born in Colonus, a village near Athens, in 495 b.c. He was a renowned dramatist and won many play-writing competitions in Athens, often defeating his contemporaries Aeschylus and Euripides. Your first task is to read Antigone, one of Sophocles's most famous surviving tragedies. After you have read Antigone, answer these questions.

a. What themes of Greek drama are noticeable in Antigone?

Type your response here:
Death by suicide, the role of authoritarian rule, and the perseverance through difficult times.

b. What does Antigone’s choice reveal about her character?

Type your response here:
Antigone's choices illustrate her strength, determination, and sense of honor.

c. How is this drama still relevant to us?

Type your response here:

d. Describe some instances in which individuals in recent history have been forced, like Antigone, to choose between human rights and the law.

Type your response here:

Task 2: Critique Antigone and Write a Report
Begin this task by reading more about life in ancient Athens and Greek theater. Now, exercise your literary-historical imagination by going back in time to envision what you have read and analyzed. Imagine that Antigone is being performed in Athens in the fourth or fifth century b.c., and that you have gone to the theater to watch it. (It will be conveniently and magically be performed in English for your comprehension.) You will critique the play by writing a report on it in the form of a theater review.

Your report should provide this information:
Where was the play staged?
Where did you sit?
What did you see on the stage? What kinds of props were used?
When was the play performed? Was it during the day or at night?
Was the performance of the actors convincing?
What did you see in the audience? Was the audience attentive?
How did the audience react to these important scenes of the play:
The first meeting between Antigone and Ismene, when Antigone announces that she is going against Creon's order
Antigone's appearance in the court
Antigone’s sentencing
The meeting between Creon and his son Haemon
Haemon’s and Eurydice’s suicides
What issues were addressed in the play?

Type your response here:

Task 3: Compare Antigone with Shakuntala
Now read the drama Shakuntala by Kalidasa. The drama comprises seven acts. You do not have to read the entire drama, but be sure to sample significant sections of it. Compare and contrast Shakuntala and Antigone with respect to theme, characters, plot, setting, and emotions.

Type your response here:

Antigone
Shakuntala
theme

characters

plot

setting

emotions

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Evaluation
Your teacher will use these rubrics to evaluate the completeness of your work as well as the clarity of thinking you exhibit.

Task 1: Read and Analyze the Greek Drama Antigone

Criteria
Distinguished
(4 points)
Identifies all prominent themes in the drama
Analyzes Antigone’s character in detail by including all traits of her character consistent with her actions and decisions
Includes at least three issues in the play that are common to all times and cultures
Includes at least three modern instances of conflict between law and human rights
Proficient
(3 points)
Identifies most of the prominent themes in the drama
Analyzes Antigone’s character by including most traits of her character consistent with her actions and decisions
Includes at least two issues in the play that are common to all times and cultures
Includes at least two modern instances of conflict between law and human rights
Developing
(2 points)
Identifies some prominent themes in the drama
Analyzes Antigone’s character by including some traits of her character consistent with her actions and decisions
Includes at least one issue in the play that is common to all times and cultures
Includes at least one modern instance of conflict between law and human rights
Beginning
(1 point)
Identifies only one prominent theme in the drama
Does not analyze Antigone’s character thoroughly
Does not include issues in the play that are common to all times and cultures
Does not include any modern instance of conflict between law and human rights
Task 2: Critique Antigone and Write a Report

Criteria
Distinguished
(4 points)
Evaluates the performance of the primary actors in detail
Evaluates the performance of the significant secondary actors and chorus in detail
Provides detailed information on all the points listed in the task
Describes and critiques elements of the play such as acting, dialogue, events, and costumes in vivid detail
Proficient
(3 points)
Evaluates the performance of the primary actors adequately
Evaluates the performance of the significant secondary actors and chorus briefly
Provides adequate information on most of the points listed in the task
Adequately describes elements of the play such as acting, dialogue, events, and costumes
Developing
(2 points)
Briefly evaluates the performance of some of the primary actors
Does not evaluate the performance of the secondary actors and chorus
Provides information on some points listed in the task
Mentions elements of the play such as acting, dialogue, events, and costumes
Beginning
(1 point)
Does not evaluate the performance of the primary actors
Does not evaluate the performance of the significant secondary actors and chorus
Provides information on a few of the points listed in the task
Does not mention the elements of the play
Task 3: Compare Antigone with Shakuntala

Criteria
Distinguished
(4 points)
Includes comparisons of all five play elements: theme, plot, characters, setting, and emotions
Provides a list of all the plays’ important characters and correctly identifies the protagonist and the antagonist
Compares the plays’ plots in detail
Includes all significant similarities and differences in the plays
Proficient
(3 points)
Includes comparisons of only four of the five play elements
Provides a list of all the plays’ important characters
Compares the plays’ plots adequately
Includes most of the significant similarities and differences in the plays
Developing
(2 points)
Includes comparisons of only three of the five play elements
Provides a list of most of the plays’ characters
Compares the plays’ plots briefly
Includes some of the similarities and differences in the plays
Beginning
(1 point)
Includes comparisons of only two of the five play elements
Provides a list of some plays’ characters
Compares the plays’ plots very briefly
Includes few of the similarities and differences in the plays