Essays and Research Papers on Greek & Roman Literature

A two page paper looking at the episodes Odysseus relates in Books 9-12 of Homer’s Odyssey. The paper concludes that Odysseus shows growing maturity during this period, and in fact may have needed this twenty years’ period away from Ithaka to mature into the type of man he was destined to be. No additional sources. ...

A five page paper looking at this classic work in terms of the way its emphasis on identity and recognition helps drive the plot forward. The paper notes the way both Odysseus and Telemakhos continually re-define themselves throughout the story. No additional sources.

A five page look at the motif of Achilles’ anger as it carries through Homer’s epic poem. The paper shows how Achilles goes from being a completely self-centered person to one who can share another’s sorrow, but it takes a terrible personal loss to bring him to this point. No additional sources.

A six page analysis of the way Sophocles' sense of the individual's self-determination grows through his Theban trilogy -- 'Oedipus the King,' 'Oedipus at Colonus,' and 'Antigone.' The paper asserts that by the final play, the outcomes of one's actions have become inevitable because the individual has chosen them, rather than being the result of ...

An eight page paper looking at the issue of feminism in these two plays by William Shakespeare and Aristophanes, respectively. The paper argues that both writers mocked women -- in “Lysistrata” because they were too unfeminine, and in “Midsummer Night’s Dream” because they were too irrational -- and shows how both plays call for a ...

A five page paper looking at these two playwrights in terms of their conception of the appropriate place of women in society. Specific works considered are Aeschylus' 'Agamemnon' and Euripides' 'Medea.' Bibliography lists three sources.

A five page paper looking at Euripides' classic play in terms of the way he characterizes the title character, Medea. The paper suggests that Medea is depicted as a barbarian because her unfeminine and savage behavior violated Greek norms, and Euripides' audiences would have been unable to conceive that she was anything like them. Bibliography ...

A 3 page research paper that argues that Euripides intended Medea to be viewed as a sympathetic character and that, through her, Euripides expressed his views on the status of Athenian women. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A SIX page paper looking at the way the status quo is disrupted and then renewed in the story of Odysseus and the suitors in Homer's 'Odyssey,' and also in the story of Noah and the Ark. The paper shows that in the Biblical story, it is God who punishes the evildoers and restores the ...

A 7 page paper that discusses the Greek God of War, Ares. Ares is not known for anything beyond his love of war and battle and his love affair with Aphrodite. Most of the Olympians disliked Ares, even his parents, because he was brutal and cruel. The writer discusses these facts. Also, the love affair ...

This 7 page paper looks at both works inclusive of plot, primary characters, humorous aspects and thematic elements. The thesis that both works are about love, and not war, is supported with an analysis of the author's techniques and story lines. No additional sources cited.

The newspapers are forever mentioning the word, 'tragedy'. It usually means that there has been a death or deaths associated with a catastrophic event. Surprisingly, this is in keeping with the use of tragedy as described by Aristotle: that it should evoke the emotions of pity and fear in the presence of an action of a certain magnitude. ...

This 5 page paper considers the characters of both Oedipus and Gilgamesh, both of whom were great kings but flawed men. This paper considers whether their experience of loss and suffering was valuable, and why each character, in their attempt to maintain their throne, actually lose everything that is important. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

There is within each person a child and that child is need of certain beliefs. It seems to be almost an innate need to have heroes to look up to and to emulate. The myths of all cultures provide the youth with heroes and advice as to live their lives. The Odyssey by Homer and The ...

This 3 page report discusses Sophocles “Oedipus the King” and the ways in which the ancient gods of Greek mythology were overwhelmingly powerful, dominating, and played an influential role in the lives of the characters in the play. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This four page paper discusses whether or not the Greek mythological character Oedipus was guilty and responsible for the events that occurred in his life. This paper presents and defends the thesis that he was not because he was not aware that she was his mother when he did it and upon finding out gouged ...

A 12 page paper which examines how Aristophanes' used comedy to address the existing social, moral and political problems of his day in the satirical plays, "Lysistrata" and "The Clouds." Specifically considered is why Aristophanes chose to present his criticisms with humor. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

5 pages in length. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, the reader is shown a difference between the attitudes of the males and the females in Greek society. In fact, these views make us suspect that Sophocles was a feminist in his portrayal of the female in Greek society. This opinion is easily ...

A 4 page paper that examines the symbolism of the olive tree in Homer's epic poem The Odyssey and discusses how this symbol represents rebirth and the renewal of life. This paper focuses on three critical points in the story that symbolize rebirth and renewal, noting and analyzing the presence of the olive tree ...

Iphigeneia is a heroine. As a central character in an epic, she incorporates many of the qualities defined as heroic for the age. She is brave, kind and willing to set her life at the feet of the social expectations - in this case, Artemis. This 5 page paper explores the underlying meaning to the play ...

A seven page paper looking at this most famous of "war stories" in terms of its message about peace. The paper concludes that although the epic still champions the idea that a man can gain honor in the service of his country in battle, it also maintains that nobility is found in the personal actions ...

This 5 page paper considers Plato's work Euthyphro which presents a study of truth and piety through a conversation between Euthyphro and Socrates. The paper considers this conflict and coincidence between truth and piety, applying it to the use of guns in the modern world. The bibliography cites 3 sources.

(5pp)What do we know about the character of Haemon in Sophocles play Antigone? The details that are presented to us in this play are that he is the son of the recent King Creon, and he is betrothed to Oedipus' daughter, Antigone. Yet there is much more --Haemon reflects the wisdom of reason and ...

Bernard Knox, in his introduction to the play, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, states that Oedipus was the epitome of the 'Athenian character' as presented within the Funeral Oration by Pericles. This 5 page paper argues that Oedipus fulfills the majority of the requirements for the ideal Athenian, however, his loyalty to his family denies him the status of 'the ...

In a psychological drama, the attention of the audience is focused on the reactions of the characters to the situations presented. This 5 page paper explores the plays Alcestis, Medea and Hippolytus by Euripides, in terms of the conflict centered on gender issues and, or, the relationship between men and women. No additional sources are listed.