Topics
for Papers
Paper #1
topic
Directions:
e-mail me a copy
(victor.leuci@westminster-mo.edu)
bring a
paper copy to class
length:
600-1000
for more
information about the format
and
about the writing intensive requirements, click
here
a good paper will give
examples from the various
selections we have read and not just a narrow subsection
citations
guide: give book and line numbers, i.e. (Il 1.453), at the end of each sentence where
you refer to examples from the Iliad or the Odyssey; "Il" or
"Ody"
is only needed if it is not clear which poem the example comes from
FYI paraphrasing is just as good as
quoting, but both need citations.
Write on
one of the topics
below:
1. It has been
suggested that how the gods relate to humans can be described based on
three pairs of opposites (Near/Far;
Kind/Cruel; Just/self-seeking), i.e. the gods are sometimes kind to
humans and sometimes cruel, sometimes just and sometimes self-seeking,
etc. Pick one of these pairs and examine if there is
any change between the Iliad
and the Odyssey in how the
gods relate to
humans.
2. When all
the Greeks meet in
assemblies in books 1 and 2 of the Iliad
and when the Ithacans in book
2 of the Odyssey, what are
the range of accepted actions for the
commoners as compared to that for the "nobles/chiefs?"
Paper
#2 topic
Directions:
e-mail me a copy
(victor.leuci@westminster-mo.edu)
bring a
paper copy to class
length:
600-1000
for more
information about the format
and
about the writing intensive requirements, click
here
Write on
one of the topics
below:currently
unavailable
1. Many points of comparison can
be made between the ancient Greek Olympics and the modern Olympics.
Discuss some of the significant similarities and differences with
regard either to the winners of the events or to the athletes in
general (excluding what happens if one wins). As always, make sure you
cite sufficiently and correctly.
2. Does the material related to women, covered in Kebric's
chapters 3 and/or 4, confirm the position or roles or duties of women
as seen in the Iliad and the Odyssey? [reminder: when citing
from the Iliad or the Odyssey, see directions for paper
1; when citing from Kebric's book, give the author and page number,
e.g. Kebric 92. If Kebric is citing a Greek writer, indicate that in
the body of the sentence)
Paper
#3 topic
Directions:
e-mail me a copy
(victor.leuci@westminster-mo.edu)
bring a
paper copy to class
length:
600-1000
header: don't forget to
include a word count
citing: use the numbers at
the beginnings of "paragraphs"
for more
information about the format
and
about the writing intensive requirements, click
here
Write on
one of the topics
below:
1. You have come into
possession
of a time portal that will allow you to visit
the past (but without affecting the time continuum), but it has some
restrictions. You must submit your request in writing to the portal and
demonstrate that you have good cause to visit (or it may refuse your
request). Based
solely on all the selections of
Herodotus' Histories assigned
for
class, determine and demonstrate which it would be better to visit the
past as -- Miltiades or Leonidas.
Remember, the portal is very particular about whom it lets go through
and
requires a request that contains good argumentation and good supporting
facts (and includes reasons why one is preferred over the other).
2. The selected readings from Herodotus' Histories have been broken into 5
categories. Examine to what extent events happen becaused they are
caused by the actions of the gods or by the actions of humans, using
one of the "battle" selections (Marathon, Thermopylae) and one of
the others (Intro & Gyges, Croesus & Delphi, Hellespont &
Punishment). Make sure you indicate what the significance of your
findings are.
Paper
#4 topic
Directions:
e-mail me a copy
(victor.leuci@westminster-mo.edu)
bring a
paper copy to class
length:
600-1000
citing: use the page numbers
in our text
if you wish to cite the web
article, use the authors name in parentheses and add the following for
works cited: Williams, Lance. "Bonds' defense: Lawyer may have talked
his client into a corner." San
Francisco Chronicle. 17 Nov 2007. SFGate.com. date accessed
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/17/MNU7TE98P.DTL>
for more
information about the format
and
about the writing intensive requirements, click
here
Write on
the following topic:
1. Barry Bonds has made the news
recently with his indictment for perjury and obstruction of justice. A
recent SF
Chronicle article has noted that Bonds' lawyer may have been too
"combative" and that his "confrontational style" may be a problem for
Bonds. Is this an issue for Socrates in his defense speeches in the Apology? In other words, using only
the first two speeches in the Apology,
(pp 19-36, 36-38) examine whether Socrates' manner of defending
himself, first against the charges, then with regard to what penalty he
should suffer, contributed to his conviction and penalty of death.
2. Assume
you are one of the prosecutors of Socrates. Write a brief speech that
uses evidence from his three speeches in the Apology that would help your case
against him. Recall that the actual charges are "Socrates is a doer of
evil, and corruptor of the youth, and he does not believe in the gods
of the state, and has other new divinities of his own" (p 25). If
you wish, you may also include evidence that supports the unofficial
charges that "Socrates is an evil-doer, and a curious person, who
searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the
worse appear the better cause; and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines
to others" (p 21). [FYI: make sure you have a sufficient number of good
examples of evidence in your speech].
Paper
#5 topic
Directions:
e-mail me a copy
(victor.leuci@westminster-mo.edu)
bring a
paper copy to class
length:
600-1000
for more
information about the format
and
about the writing intensive requirements, click
here
Write on
one of the following
topics:
c
1.
Assume that there was an ancient Athenian version of Survivor and it is
down to the final three contestants. Which of the three would win and
why? You make pick the final three from the following pool: Socrates,
the different Athenians discussed in Kebric's Chapter 7. Make sure you
base your conclusions only on the evidence provided in the Apology (if Socrates is one
of your choices) and Kebric, Ch 7.
2. One of the first aims of a speech at a trial is to win the trust of
the jurors. Based on the parts of the speeches in Kebric's Chapter 7,
examine whether this has been done (or not) for any two (or three) of
the law cases examined in the chapter.
Optional Paper
#6 topic
Directions:
e-mail me a copy
(victor.leuci@westminster-mo.edu)
bring a
paper copy to class
length:
600-1000
for more
information about the format
and
about the writing intensive requirements, click
here
Write on
one of the following
topics:
1. You
have come into possession
of a time portal that will allow you to visit
the past (but without affecting the time continuum), but it has some
restrictions. You must submit your request in writing to the portal and
demonstrate that you have good cause to visit (or it may refuse your
request). Based
solely on the both plays determine and
demonstrate which you would want to go back as -- Haemon or Ismene or
Creon from the Antigone or a
minor individual in the Lysistrata (that has a speaking part and
enough information about him/her; e.g. obviously the baby has too small
of a part!)-- with a focus on their
"character" or "nature" (write on both of the individuals, not
one).
Remember, the portal is very particular about whom it lets go through
and
requires a request that contains good argumentation and good supporting
facts.
2. Antigone died as a result of her strong-willed actions
whereas Lysistrata was celebrated. Besides the fact that one was in a
tragedy and the other in a comedy, why are both endings fitting for the
"character" of each?
- Things
to note:
- make sure you look over
the play(s) in its/their
entirety and use examples from various parts to
demonstrate that you have done so (i.e. don't just use, say, ten lines
from a play
to draw all your examples from)
- for the purposes of citing,
- use page numbers unless
the text provides line
numbers
- abbreviate, if you wish,
the play Antigone
as Ant.
- abbreviate, if you wish,
the play Lysistrata
as Lys.
- if you use a text
different from our, include a works cited at the end of your paper (it
doesn't have to be a separate page)
- italicize the names of the
plays (but not the
names of the persons!)
3. (not available yet)