Hamlet: Act 3.

We find that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have failed to find what is causing Hamlet to act the way he is. With this, Polonius and King Claudius decide to bestow themselves (or hide themselves) in order to spy on a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia. (To find reasoning for his insanity). Through the duration of their meeting we see that Hamlet knows Ophelia's father and king are spying. He will not say he knows, but he and Ophelia realize it. He even asks her where her father is and she lies to him and he is completely aware. He keeps yelling to her for her to go to a nunnery that is what would be best. Also, we see him questioning what he should do. Should he kill himself? Would it be better? But what is to come in his afterlife? He is one very confused man trying to sort things out in a mixed way, involving mainly revenge. (Knowing Polonius is there) he begins contradicting his words. One minute he will say he loves her then turn around and say he never loved her. Truly, I do believe he loved her after all. (We see when he realizes she was dead he jumped into her gave along with Laertes who hated him. He did not care what the others did to him and he grieved over her). Next we come across Polonius and Claudius who have planned that Hamlet be sent to England if the cause of Hamlet's madness is not found through Hamlet's talk with his mother. (Hamlet's mother hopes the cause be love). In the scene following Hamlet and Horatio confirm their plan to keep eye on Claudius' reaction towards the play and the people start to enter for the play. Hamlet sits down by Ophelia and talks very bitterly towards her almost as if it is his way of getting back at her (he seemed not be able to believe that Ophelia would not fight for their love and not listen to her father). The play starts and so0 does Hamlet's commentary. He thinks what is going on to be comical he gets his revenge (on Claudius) and a show. The play implies that the queen married the man for money when she found her husband dead and none of it was for love. As the play grew more similar to the real story Claudius became more and more impatient. As the murder scene came and played out perfectly what happened in real life he lost it. His conscientious and anger got a hold of him he stopped the play and left. After all of this the Queen asks for Hamlet to come to her room to speak with him. He would speak daggers, but nothing of the literal sort. (maybe not [but Polonius on the other hand]). Due to the play and the guilt he felt Claudius wants Hamlet gone.. now. He will send him to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and Polonius comes in to tell him he will be spying on Hamlet's discussion with his mother. After that Claudius begins to show his regret for killing King Hamlet. He tries to go into prayer and Hamlet comes sneaking behind him without him knowing. With the intent to kill Claudius he does not for if he did during prayer he would go to heaven (Hamlet did not think he deserved it). He was hesitant in the action and decided to wait until he was doing a misdeed to ensure his damnation. Next we are brought into conversation with the queen and Hamlet. He is very upset and is taking it out on her a little much. his harsh words startle her and she yells for help. This also startles Polonius and he is stirred bringing attention to himself. Thinking it to be Claudius hiding behind the tapestry, Hamlet stabs the man. It was not, however, it was Ophelia's father. The ghost then appears to remind Hamlet that his purpose was to avenge the murderer of his father not to hurt his mother. Gertrude thinks him mad because he is talking to nobody (ghost) and pities him for it. (It leaves). Hamlet pleads that she not return to the bed of his uncle and that they want to send him to England (death) . She does not listen, however (as we will see).

Hamlet: Act 2.

In this act we see Ophelia enter very upset. Hamlet has just met with her and his actions seemed to be one who has gone mad. She comes to tell her father of these happenings. Ophelia informs her father, Polonius, that she was doing what he ordered her to do by sending the letters back to Hamlet since she was not allowed to see him (and in others words finalize the reality of the situation that she was "dumping"him). Because of this Hamlet came to her grabbed her stared her down saying nothing at all, but Ophelia could tell by his eyes the way he felt. Polonius thought him to have gone crazy and ordered that they go to the king to tell him of it. In the mean time, the king and queen have decided to call upon Rosencrantz and Guidenstern (old friends of Hamlet's) to spy on him. They want to know whats going on. Polonius and Ophelia then come in to inform him Ophelia has said, but were interrupted by Hamlet's coming. Hamlet starts to act like he doesn't know Polonius to bash him (and just to play around with him because he well knows that Polonius thinks him to be crazy). Soon Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive and begin their spying. They have betrayed Hamlet and he knows it. He begins to play around about traitors without bringing it to the forefront without them realizing he knows and is furious. Next in this act the players arrive. One of them acts out a story and during this Hamlet begins to see that this man has such emotion and effort in the words he speaks. This is the type of effort and emotion he has not shown in avenging the one who killed his father like it should be. At this he conjures up the idea to have them put on a play quite similar to the murder of his father. During this play they will observe the king to see if his true conscientious will show. If so then the ghost had told the truth and he was the murderer, but if not then they shall forget that this ghost had said any of it.

Hamlet: Act 1.

We jump into this story knowing that the problem is that King Hamlet was murdered. It starts with the guards at the grave site. They see the ghost which is believed to be the spirit of King Hamlet (Hamlet's father), but it will not speak to them. They decide they want to have Hamlet come and talk to him because they believe the spirit will then talk. Also, in this act we see that Hamlet's mother marries his uncle (his father's brother) only two months after the death of his father. Angered by this he goes off about it. Later we see his best friend, Horatio, come in with Marcellus. They inform him of their encounter with the spirit and he agrees that he wants to talk with him. Next scene we see Laertes and Ophelia talking. Ophelia is in love with Hamlet, but Laertes says that she will get hurt if she stays with him and that their father does not approve. Laertes and his father think know that he is to be king and think that she cannot be so she will just end up heartbroken. Polonius (Ophelia and Laerte's father) will not allow it and tells her that. Ophelia, however, believes that Hamlet loves her and that he is good. She says that they are meant to be and what he says is wrong. Her father will not believe it and warns her to stay away from him. She says she will obey. When Hamlet meets with the ghost he finds that his uncle was the one who killed his father. The ghost wants Hamlet to get revenge on this man and Hamlet intends to. When Hamlet meets back with his friends (Horatio and Marcellus) they are anxious to find what happened. The only thing he would tell was that there was a villain and that he did come across a real ghost that night. He then made the two swear upon his sword that they would not say to anyone anything that happened that night.

Changed world views of heroes today.

In what ways has the “world view” of hero changed from the Beowulf poem era to today? Cite specific examples from both the epic translation that we have read and from the Grendel excerpt that Mr. Osterhaus read, as well as your own experience. You will NOT need a quotation for this question.

In the era of Beowulf we find that a hero is one who has courage, strength, determination, bravery, loyalty, is a great leader, and more. This, however, is something that has changed from then to now. Today we have children saying that actresses/actors, professional sports players, singers, and others are their heroes. If you look deeper into the difference of these it is shocking. For example, Hannah Montana is seen as a hero to many young girls today, but what really is she heroic for? She has a talent in singing, performing, and acting. Will this save you from a creature like Grendel? I do not think so. It is almost disturbing to compare one like Hannah Montana to Beowulf. You can compare this with anyone of today that kids or even adults may consider their hero and can find about the same bizarre contrast. It makes you reconsider who you should choose to be your hero. This concept is almost as if the word hero has been changed from one who is idealized for the characteristics like bravery and courage to just a role model. Someone we look up to does not seem to be one who should be considered a hero. These people that are role models/heroes to the people of today are no better than the average person. They do minor things and get this undeserved appreciation. The ones who save the lives of others and risk their lives for people they barely know are the type of people who truly deserve our admiration. One example of a person like that today would be the firefighters, who during the 9/11 attacks gave their lives for their country and others. They are the ones that fit the depiction of a true hero. They knew the cost of what their actions may be and did it anyway for the sake of things other than themselves. Firefighters and others like them do not let you down in such a way we see these celebrities every day. The so-called heroes of today are the ones who become on the front pages of magazines who have been caught in an act of wrong doing. While yes, not all celebrities are guilty of these things, but what we see is not in any sense heroic. We should be looking for people who care for others and fit the rightful representation of a hero. I am not saying that celebrities cannot be heroes because they can be very qualified, but what we say about a person that makes them a hero is something to be careful of. Heroes are not considered heroic due to their athletic, singing, or acting ability. They are for the actions and aid they give towards others. For example, Beowulf was a hero who confided in God for what he should do. This helped him in his success completely. He wanted to help others and he fit the characteristics of a hero because of and through the way he was during those actions. To admire a person for their heroic qualities rather than gifts is what we should base our view of heroism on and not on their abilities in areas of athletics and others. One should take care in what they say a hero is and who a hero is. Always think of what the actual heroic ways are and how it is much different in contrast to a celebrity or other role model.

BEOWULF -- The Singing, the Gift-Giving, and The Mother

The singing: note in the reading when the story is interrupted by the singer's stories of days and heroes past. What do you think is the significance of these "flashbacks" in terms of a description of "hero"? Explain at least one incident when the singer sings.

The Gift-Giving: Describe several instances in the story when Beowulf and/or his men are given gifts of gold or some other honor. What do you think is the significance of this Gift-Giving?

The Mother: briefly describe the feat of Beowulf in his battle with Grendel's mother. Make a list of hero traits that Beowulf exhibits.

During chapter 16 and 17 we are introduced to the singer. This singing is also a story being told. The story is about Finn and the war he was bringing about against the king of the Danes, Hnaf. Hnaf's sister was married to Finn. Finn killed Hnaf during this war causing his wife's mourning over her brother and her sons death. She thought it was a way to see her husbands good faith and that those deaths were due to fate through God's decision. They found that not only were the Danes at a loss in this war, but Finn's people too had many fallen to the Danes. There were not enough to keep this war going unless it led to defeat. With not enough men to lead the Danes to their end it made Hengest (Hnaf's follower) flee to the hall where they fought and he stayed. Finn then decided to instead stop the war and make a peace treaty. The treaty was kept, but not for long. They lived under the same roof the Danes without a king and hatred filling each one. Hengest was going to wait for the new year to come and go back to his home, but his yearning for revenge stepped in first. He stabbed Finn in the stomach resulting in his death. They then took everything from Finn they could find and his wife even willing and wanting went with them. This story shows heroically that they both knew what they needed for their people in stopping the war, but that revenge would come. Hengest was just waiting for the perfect time or when he could hold it no longer and was forced to kill him.
In this story gifts seem to be a symbol of thanks and appreciation. Beowulf receives gifts quite a few times. When he kills Grendel the Danes and their king, Hrothgar, give Beowulf a golden banner, helmet, coat of mail, and an ancient sword. These gifts along with a feast show him how much they appreciate him for his courage.
Beowulf thought the fight with Grendel's mother would be an easy one, but he soon found that he was wrong. He went into the lake where she dwelt. He brought with him his chain mail armor, sword, and helmet he was given to help him in the battle. To his surprise she bit through the helmet and along with the other weapons it was not much help. The one thing that did help though was his armor that for the most part kept him from a major injury. Beowulf then had to use his own strength against the mother and thankfully that was enough and he came out on top.

Beowulf Hero or Braggart?

Is Beowulf a true hero or just a braggart with an incredible ego problem?

Support your answer with at least two specific examples from your reading so far (Ch. 1 - 25)

This post is worth 30 points and will be evaluated according to the clarity of your position and the thorough explanation of your two examples.

I think Beowulf definitely shows to be a hero and a braggart. He has many heroic characteristics like courage, strength, and leadership. He obviously knows how to fight and fight for the good of others as shown when he fought Grendel. He came to help Hrothgar and his people to rid them all of this horrible creature. He did exactly that too. Grendel had never felt such fear when up against any human as the fear he faced with Beowulf. He thought himself to be unstoppable, but then came across the path of a human such as the one called Beowulf. Not even any mortals weaponry could defeat him. He was untouchable until now. He discovered that his grip was too tight, and that the longer he lay in that grip the more power he began to lose."The monster's hatred rose higher, But his power was gone. He twisted in pain, And the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder Snapped, muscle and bone split, And broke" (Raffel 36-37 lines 814-818). For glory Beowulf had torn Grendel's arm off. The king and his people gave him much appreciation, glory, filled his ego a little more, and gave gifts for his triumph against the monster. The way he did a lot of this for glory shows his supreme pride issue.
We also see it in previous actions his too. When he first arrived there we even saw it. Unferth was one who tried to go up against Grendel, but Grendel would not kill him. He thought that if he could kill him the he could get glory, but if not then he died in battle against him and would receive glory anyway. Grendel would not give him this and Beowulf boasted about his winnings to Unferth. He told of how he had never had such glory or even tales told about him. He was never bold enough. Unferth decided to come back with that he could not beat Brecca across the sea. Beowulf full of answers said that he had come across sea-creatures versus him in whether he have his life still. It was much more of a battle than Brecca had getting across so he still had his dignity, also Unferth killed his brother. They seemed to go back in forth trying to win the upper hand. This shows how highly Beowulf thinks of himself.
On the other side we, however, find that his hubris is not completely him thinking within himself. He does believe god helps him in his actions. "My life was almost lost, fighting for it, Struggling under water: I'd have been dead at once, And the fight finished, the she-devil victorious, If our Father in Heaven had not helped me" (Raffel 71 lines 1655-1668). As we see it Beowulf portrays both parts. He is a hero and a braggart, but which one truly overcomes the other? Fate seems to be shown immensely and how it is unknown for Beowulf. Will his hubris be the end of him or will his heroic side come out on top? Also, to clarify towards the end I have talked about how his hubris was not all in his way of giving thanks to only himself. This showed that he after all does not show supreme pride (or that in one part thinks he is better than the gods) in that case. He thanks the gods for his successes and gifts unlike those who are completely full of hubris.

Themes.

• loyalty
• human vs. human and creature vs. human
  
• human vs. self
• human vs. society- person vs. world
  
• free will vs. captivity
• free will vs. fate/ destiny
  
• search for power
• search for freedom
• human condition- wants to feel needed and useful- what he does to gain respect and to feel good about him self
• greed
• good vs. evil
• pride/hubris
• God's power in our lives
• revenge
  
• cruelty
  
• hatred
• The idea of is the grass truly greener on the other side
• love
• God's law vs. mortal law
• despair
• hope
• person vs. death
• fear
• legacy
• role of women
• descent to hell
  
• leadership
• braggart vs. hero
• pagan vs. Christian
• beliefs and values in the story
• giving of gifts- gift appreciation
• view of afterlife
• ritual-burial ways also
• spiritual ordeal
• intervention of God/gods
• respect
  

The Quest for Immortality.

All people have some belief of what will become of them after death. From a religious standpoint or if they just believe they will die and be buried. Either way something is to become of them. Most believe that there is some way to give them immortality or to have the ability to live forever. The ancient Egyptians are one group of people that would not have the belief of just physical permanence. They strived to attain everlasting life. The Egyptians believed solely in religion, rebirth after death, quality of their religious life to earn them everlasting, and preservation though mummification. They thought that their afterlife depended on how well they did in their first life, like reincarnation. They also believed that mummification was the only way to having an afterlife. Mummification was preserving a body by embalming it and wrapping it in cloth. Only if this process was done properly could that person move on to afterlife. Like Egyptians before them the Chinese were one of the groups that tried to prevent their death. They used precise methods in attempts to meet this quest. The Times (London) said, "If the Chinese had not believed so passionately in the spirit world and the afterlife, they would never have ensured that their tombs carried such resplendent cargoes. The wealth of refined bronzes, jades and ceramics installed there testifies to the importance of their faith in life after death" (Sept. 10, 1996). The Chinese believed so importantly on this quest that they took these extreme measures. Another thing they used was trying to follow special diets and exercise ways to ensure it. These ways and others ensuring their immortality through their actions gave them a sense of satisfaction and internal peace. It appeased their curiosity as does this belief to other groups of people even today. Mormons, for example, believe that living by their commandments bring joy, stability, freedom, and safety to followers of Christ according to http://www.mormonbeliefs.org/mormon_beliefs. Also, most of all their good works are what make a difference in how their afterlife will be. We find that today and in previous times each has had their own belief in how to find that immortality. We see that it has not been forgotten neither will it ever be this never ending quest for immortality.

Tragic Man.

Oedipus is the epitome of Aristotle's Tragic Man. First of all, he has a belief in his own freedom similar to that of the tragic man. Oedipus wants to be released from the prophecy proclaimed to him at birth. The prophecy that was declared to him said that he would grow up to kill his father and marry his mother. This frightened his parents leading them to attempt to rid themselves of his presence. They wanted to stop this prophecy through his death. This, however, put it all into motion. When Oedipus was meant to be killed he was saved and then taken to a family that adopted him. Oedipus grew up in that family's house unaware that he was not their biological child. When Oedipus grew old enough to understand the extremity of his prophecy he left home. He wanted to stay as far away from his parents as possible to ensure that the prophecy would not come true, but this made it worse. He ended up thinking that when his "father" died the prophecy was ended, but that brought on his realization that he was adopted and ultimately that he had in fact killed his father and married his mother fulfilling the prophecy.
Oedipus also had pride. He thought he was better than others, and he had pride in that he thought he could escape his fate. He tried to say that he was better that others because of his accomplishments. "Come here, you pious fraud. Tell me, when did you ever prove yourself a prophet? When the Sphinx, that chanting Fury kept her deathwatch here, why silent then, not a word to set our people free? There was a riddle, not for some passer-by to solve- it cried out for a prophet. Where were you? Did you rise to the crisis? Not a word, you and your birds, your gods- nothing. No, but i came by, Oedipus the ignorant, I stopped the Sphinx! With no help from birds, the flight of my own intelligence hit the mark" (182). Oedipus is showing his pride in what he is saying to Tiresias. He brags about he is superior to him because of what he has done versus what Tiresias has done. I think this was a big flaw for Oedipus throughout the story. His arrogance put him in bad situations and arguments. what could be seen as good or bad though, would be that he had a way with power. He knew how to use it. Whether he uses it for good all the time would have to be seen through his kingship, but he had a unique power.
With capacity for suffering it could be seen a few different ways. Oedipus went through his life making sacrifices for his freedom and beliefs. Mainly, he wanted to keep the prophecy unfulfilled. In attempting to do so he shut his "parents" out of his life. He stayed far away to not take chances. Many may know what this is like having to stay away from family for so long, but he learned to deal with it because of the proclaimed prophecy. He thought what he was doing was right and in the end would give him the upper hand so that he would receive freedom from fate. Another was when he found that the prophecy had been fulfilled and that he had to live with what he had done. He did not quite just treat it as I will learn to live with what has happened though. When he found his wife had hung herself because of this he gouged his eyes out. He wanted to be dead. He believed it was wrong and that he should be punished for what he did. This shows that through his actions of trying to prevent what happened he really just brought the inevitable to the surface. This attempt at keeping it away brought it in and brought his suffering to the next level which led to his ruin.
Oedipus is committed to the idea that he can stop fate, but when he finds that it is impossible he follows through with his word. Oedipus said that the murderer of Laius would be exiled. When he found that he was the one who did it at first he did not want to believe it could have been him. However, he knew he had to realize it eventually and he still followed through with the punishment when he did. That shows great leadership and commitment.
Oedipus' vigorous protest was not one of him saying he did not do the crime. He knew he did it and was ready to take punishment. He did, however, cry out. He cried of how could this have happened to him and why must it be so. He did not like what he had become and wanted nothing of it. Taking his punishment as he should have showed goodness in his heart through doing the right thing.
The suffering endured by Oedipus made him who he was and shows that he truly was the tragic man. Oedipus died to his old self and became new. He learned from his agony and the other things he went through in his experiences. Transfiguration or the way he changed from beginning to end shows his place and the greatness of the potential of man as according to Aristotle. He now sees himself as a lower rank of people. His pride lowers and he finds what he must do and fulfill his word by receiving the punishment he deserved. He took what he should and left with only his memory and children left behind.
Lastly his impact on others was huge. With his memory left to tell along with the impact he had in the story we find our own teaching. A teaching that greatly impacted his daughters by giving them an understanding of what life can throw at them. Also, that whether it be good or bad one must deal with it. Like Antigone shows in one act, she enforces her beliefs that her brother has a right to proper burial. This shows the outer side of how important one's beliefs are. We also come to know deeper that feeling and emotion inside a man (or woman) through Oedipus. His suffering and pain teach us about not only him, but help us better understand ourselves. We see through others' experiences and learn from them what we see them endure along life's journey. This could be the same with Oedipus. We should not only look at this book and see a tragic story about a man, but also read between the lines and see the underlying meanings it portrays. We gain a better understanding of the condition of man through stories like Oedipus'.

"Ignorance vs. Guilt".

If a person does not know, is that person still guilty of grievous crime?

Consider the plight of Oedipus and a modern day example.
What would you do if you were on the jury at the Oedipus trial? What would you do if you were on the jury in a modern day trial?
What would cause you to vote one way or another? Values? Beliefs? Evidence? Society Norms? Other information?

I think no matter what the scenario may be if a person murders another they are guilty of that crime. To follow that up, I do not believe we should have the right to kill a murderer. It not only is a bad example, in my opinion, but it also shows that we can do the same thing they do. Yes, that person is a murderer and is guilty of it, but if we kill that person we are guilty too. Whether they are aware they have killed or not does not matter. To be guilty is to have committed a crime. Meaning that whether you know it or not you have committed it. So, when Oedipus killed Laius in that rash act of anger he was guilty. "Die, die- whoever he was that day in the wilds who cut my ankles free of the ruthless pins, he pulled me clear of death, he saved my life for this, this kindness- Curse him, kill him! If I'd died then, I'd never have dragged myself, my loved ones through such hell" (242). Oedipus came to realize what he did. He was saying that if only the shepherd had not saved him none of this would have happened. He would not have killed his father and married his mother. Even though in this it shows that he regretted killing him because of the prophecy it also seems to show that the king had the right to kill, like it only mattered that Laius was murdered when they realized who was murdered and who did it. This, however did bring his being a murderer to the surface. I believe that the way that was shown in the book was wrong, (king having the right to kill or any one having that right for that matter)but it is in history. That one act of murder made him guilty. For example, how many lies does it take to make a person a liar? Only one. So how many times does one have to kill to make them a murderer? Only one. With that idea on your mind you can see that no matter the ignorance of the situation Oedipus was in my view guilty.
On the other hand if I were on the jury at Oedipus' trial I am not sure which way I would vote because it says in the Ten Commandments: Thou shall not murder. In my belief I think that killing a murderer makes you a murderer too. With that said, I do not think I could vote Oedipus to be guilty because of my beliefs. I could not because with the way a trial would go for a murderer he would most likely be killed. That would put murder on my shoulders. If there was insurance that Oedipus would not be killed then I would vote guilty, but since there most likely is not I would vote innocent. My vote for this would be the same if it were in modern times.
My beliefs would be a huge part of my vote in this trial and any other. My religious beliefs would have the biggest part in my decision. Evidence would be next on my list. Also, in Oedipus' case he knew he killed, but was only ignorant to who, and therefore, the extremity of the situation. (Due to time it occurred). My views are what they are because of my beliefs and the way this happened with Oedipus. He should be charged for killing not the other things like marrying his mother and killing his father. Keep in mind that if the trial was different like against a person who was ignorant to what happened due to mental deficiencies my view would change completely, but due to the way it is in the story makes my beliefs and thoughts on it the way they are.

The Theban Plays -- Despair.

What is the meaning of "Despair" and how does this theme manifest itself in both plays?

Loss of hope or despair in these plays represents a huge part, mainly with Oedipus. He was trying to get away from the inevitable. The prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother was something that he did not want to happen. He left his home from hi "parents" to stop the prophecy. This, however, did not work. He ended up finding that his so-called parents were not his biological parents after all. This led one thing to another and back to the realization that the prophecy had come true. After running from it for so long he had despair for his life because of what he found out. He seems to lose everything. He loses the kingship, his family, and much more.

Antigone had despair too. She was brought into the world unaware that Oedipus was not only her father, but her brother too and her mother was also her grandmother. After that was found out she was treated differently. She no longer had parents because they were dead. All she had was her sister and brothers. When her brothers died fighting against each other that brought even more despair. Topping onto that the new king, Creon, took away the burial rights of one of her brothers. She was against this completely and decided no matter what the outcome she would find a way to give him a proper burial. She did, but had consequences, as she knew she would, because of it.

Antigone: "Conscientious Objection".

What is "conscientious objection"?

In what ways does Antigone demonstrate conscientious objection?

In your opinion, did she do the right thing? Explain your view in terms of how 21st Century citizens might view her actions.

Describe a situation when a citizen of the 21st Century in another country might feel compelled to become a "Conscientious Objector" or describe a situation from the past in the United Sates when people did become "Conscientious Objectors" (1849? 1968-1973?). Be sure to include the reason(s) why a citizen might do this and compare that to Antigone's reason(s).

Conscientious objection would be when a person refuses to do or participate in something due to their beliefs and/or morals. Antigone believes her brother, as well as any other person, deserves a right to proper burial. She goes against the new king, Creon, by going out to find her brother's body to bury him. She does receive the chance to give that to him, but knows there are consequences she now faces. She finds that Creon wants her dead. She is to be walled up alive in a rocky vault where she will be left to die. In my opinion, she did the right thing. Her view that her brother deserved the right to proper burial was right in my mind. Creon should not have taken that away. Her actions may be viewed as rash, but also heroic and full of courage. She knew what would come to her if she did this, but did it for the love of her brother.

King Oedipus.

What is Jocasta'view of the integrity of the gods? How do you know this?

At one point during Oedipus' encounter with Creon,they fling these words at each other:
"'I must rule'" (195).
"'Not if you rule unjustly'" (195).
What does this mean in terms of theme (see pretest focus)?

The big question is whether Oedipus is guilty if he did not know. Describe how he comes to his epiphany -- include his denials.

In what ways has the role of the chorus changed?

Jocasta is praying to the gods, pleading them to let Oedipus live. She believes that if she does this and shows her will to do things for them they will let him live. She also thinks that the talk about Oedipus and his prophecy is not true. That the gods have "lied" and it will not become true either. According to her it is wrong. She also wants to think their is no way he could be her son because her son was killed as an infant. In this, I believe Jocasta respects what the gods have to say, but that she does not believe in the prophecy they have made proclaimed to them.
When O and Creon get into it you find that O has a temper issue. He ends up telling Creon he wants him dead. In this fight you find that Creon does not want Oedipus ruling any longer, he believes it is not good for Thebes anymore. He does, however, say he wants to rule. He is not planning against Oedipus in this he was just telling him of his opinion on his kingship. Creon is just worried for the city that Oedipus may be ruling unfairly and causing many consequences later on.
Oedipus' epiphany would be when he starts to grasp that he may be Laius' killer. When Jocasta is telling him about how Laius died Oedipus began to think of an incident where he killed someone in a rash act. This brings great stress and worry over him. Oedipus asked questions like where did this happen and how and to his unbelief it fit his story perfectly. He found he was guilty and believed that even if he was not aware of it he still killed him. He was guilty. This even leads to worse things. Forming the beginning of the end of Oedipus and the worst realization you could think of (fulfillment of prophecy). He then later finds that Polybus and Merope are not his parents. Bringing to the conclusion that through the entire story he found that Laius was his father. Meaning he killed him and married Jocasta, his mother. With the prophecy fulfilled life becomes a downward spiral in no time. They all realize this and Oedipus finds his wife/mother hung by her own hands and he gouged his eyes out.
The role of the chorus seems to become more upfront with things. They voice opinions and say all that has happened not in a bad way, but in one that is full of agony and sadness through the fulfillment of the prophecy.

Tiresias (Teiresias) Encounters Oedipus.

Describe Tiresias. Explain the encounter between Teiresias (the blind man who "sees") and Oedipus. Find quotations.

What does this encounter tell you about Oedipus?

The main characteristic that I saw in Oedipus was his anger. When Tiresias, a blind man who is made aware of things by the gods, comes to talk to Oedipus he is very hesitant. Tiresias knows that Oedipus is the murderer, but does not want to say so for he will be angry. He eventually tells Oedipus and Oedipus' immediate reaction was anger. He went off on Tiresias not wanting to hear such speak of himself. He says that is a lie. Once Tiresias leaves he tells Creon he wants him dead because he is at a fault for Tiresias coming and saying those words. He was because he had a part in the words he spoke.

The Role of the Chorus.

Describe the role of the Chorus (what are they saying and to whom they are talking. Reference Chorus on pages 168-170 or pages 30-31 and pages 186-187 or bottom of page 39.

The chorus says a lot about what is going on in their time. They talk about the background (also summarizing what is being said by the people) of the city of Thebes along with its suffering and unanswered issues. They comment, also, on the gods. They, for example, on pages 168-170 show the chorus talking up to Apollo for help. They pray to the gods for help in their city and for him to rid them of enemies. Almost as if they are speaking for the people of Thebes.

The Theban Plays Introduction.

Talk about what you learned about the story of Oedipus from what you read in the introduction.

What did you learn (or what questions do you have) about the play from what you have seen and read so far?

Oedipus is very respected as king even due to his prophecy. It was said that Oedipus would grow up to kill his father and marry his mother. This disgusted and worried Oedipus' father Laius. He could not bear to have this prophecy come true. So he gave his son to a shepherd to have him killed. (metal bars through back of ankles causing him to die as an infant). The shepherd, however, could not do such a thing. So he gave him off to adopt. This is where he later became king and saved the people of Thebes by solving the riddle of the Sphinx. By this time he also had fulfilled the prophecy. He killed his father in a rash act unaware of who it was, and married his mother bearing 4 children with her (also unaware of this). The people of Thebes also think he can save them from this bad time now. Everything in the city is dying and no one knows why, yet. They need to find out who murdered Laius to fix it.

Book XXIII.

Why Does Penelope still doubt Odysseus even when he reveals himself? In what ways does Book XXIII depict the human condition (human emotions)?
Penelope has been through so much that she did not know what to believe anymore. She wanted to believe that it was her love, Odysseus, but she did not want to be let down again if it was someone impersonating him. It was that fear of being put through more pain upon the rest of what she has gone through. It depicts human condition through the ending emotion of love like this.

Book XXII.

Describe what happens in Book XXII. As a citizen of the 21st Century, what do you think of Odysseus and Telemachus by the end of Book XXII?
At the end of book 22 you find that Odysseus and Telemachus have finally had revenge on the suitors. They killed every one of them. Another thing they did once they killed the suitors was they brought out all the (women) maidservants that had done them wrong. Then they hung them. I personally did not see that coming just for the fact that they were women, and how you would think women are treated differently. I do not think I would have had anyone kill them, but I also do not know what would be to do with them if they were left alive. Since they did do them wrong I believe they did deserve some punishment (not that hanging was right though).

Were their actions justified in terms of the Homeric Hero? Explain.
Through Odysseus and Telemachus being like the Homeric Hero, I do believe he could fit that part. Odysseus and most in this book believe solely on the gods. Everything happens because of the gods and by way of the gods. They do do the things they do like fighting the suitors (both), getting away from all these places after Troy (Odysseus), and getting back to Ithaca (Telemachus)on their own, but they are guided by the gods. (Mainly Athena and Zeus).

Book XXI.

Consider the role of women in the Odyssey. What have you learned about how "Homer's" society would have viewed women?
The main thing about women in the Odyssey is that the women are very faithful. Penelope, for instance, waited for Odysseus for 21 years. She did not sleep with other men or even think about it. She was completely loyal to Odysseus. Odysseus on the other hand, was not faithful. He could have been used as an example also, for men in that book. He for the most part sleeps around with other women and does not care. It is as if men have that right and women do not.

What are you learning about Penelope in Book XXI?
In book 21 you see that Penelope is losing her faith in her husbands return. She has always been a strong and committed wife, but after all the trials and struggles she has been through she has had enough. What she does not know is that Odysseus is right in front of her face. She also is saying that she does not want to show any respect or put any effort into being pleasant or nice to strangers because of the suitors. The suitors have treated her so badly (in that the way they present themselves and what they have done to her home and life) that she does not want to deal with them or any other stranger because of it.

In what ways are characters loyal or disloyal to Odysseus?
Many of Odysseus' people were very faithful to him. One being Eurycleia, she did not think badly of Odysseus when he was gone. She was always faithful and did what he would have wanted her to. She also turned in those who were not faithful to him when he asked her. A few of the servants he had turned against him. One turned in Penelope when she tried to buy herself time so she would not have to marry one of the suitors. She told the suitors she would marry one of them when she finished (weaving) Laertes' shroud, but each night she would undo the work she did on it each day. The servant told the suitors and that plan failed for her because of it.

Predict what you think will happen in Book XXII.

I already read 22, but even if I had not I would still predict that the suitors would be killed.

Book: XIX.

Once again, Odysseus spins an elaborate tale of his background, this time for Penelope. Why does he do this? What do you understand about Penelope after reading Book XIX? The nurse, Eurycleia, has a vital role in the rest of the story. What is her relationship with Odysseus and with Penelope? What do you learn about Eurycleia’s character? What is Penelope planning on page 398?

He again still has to devise a plan to get rid of (kill) the suitors. When he does not tell Penelope that he is Odysseus it is just benefiting her. Penelope seems to be a woman with a lot of emotions. She is grieving for her husband still, and not only that, but also is getting very impatient and annoyed with the way things are. She hates the suitors and says that she does not like to treat strangers with any respect any longer because she has had enough. Eurycleia plays a big role now that she has found out that the man is Odysseus. She was washing his feet and noticed the scar he had had since he was a little boy. (From the boar). She was flabbergasted to find that is was him, it was Odysseus. He was the one she had for the most part raised, she had taken care of him since the day he was born. She loved Odysseus as her own and was so stunned to see him back. Eurycleia seems to be a very, nice pleasant woman. She is a mother figure to Odysseus and Telemachus. She is just like family. On page 398, Penelope is questioning as to if she should keep things intact and stay beside her son here or if she should not wed one of the suitors. Even Telemachus wants her to just leave.

Books: XIV and XV

The Odyssey Books XIV, XV (optional)
In Book XIV, the reader is introduced to Emmaeus. What kind of guy is he? What do you learn about his relationship with Odysseus and his family? Why do you think Odysseus (disguised as a poor beggar) tells Emmaeus the “tall tale” about where he has been and what he has been doing (page 279+)? How does Emmaeus treat Odysseus? Why?

Eumaeus is a very hospitable man. He opened up his home to Odysseus even though he was not aware of who he was. He gave him a place to stay and offered him food. We find that Eumaeus and Odysseus have had a past history between one another. Odysseus' father Laertes was the one who bought Eumaeus. He came over with a woman who used to take care of him, but when she died he became a slave. He was sold to Laertes for a just price and was never treated badly. He was very blessed to have had been a part of Laertes' family. Eumaeus even said that himself. I think Odysseus disguised himself because he knew he had to think of a plan for the suitors before they found out who he was. The story just added to the plan. He treated Odysseus so nicely because he seemed to have looked up to Laertes. Knowing how well he had been treated made him want to treat others with the same respect.

Odyssey: Book XI.

Describe in detail the ritual Odysseus must perform: why he does it, what he does, and what happens each time he performs it. (This would specifically address one of the Key Features of Myth.)In your opinion, who are the most important "shades" Odysseus meets and speaks to. Explain why you think this. What specifically does Odysseus learn about his future?

Odysseus took the ram that he had previously taken from the cyclops and poured its blood into a pit he had dug. "..around that pit, for all the dead, I poured libations: milk and honey first, then sweet wine, then pure water. Over these I scattered--properly--white barley meal" (213). This sacrifice would bring out the spirits so he could talk to them as planned. This is where he talked with his mother, Elpenor, Tiresias, and others. Odysseus told Tiresias that when he made it back to Ithaca he would then sacrifice a barren heifer "and heap her pyre high with precious gifts". Tiresias would receive the best black ram Odysseus he had. When Odysseus gets the chance to talk to the spirits he talks with the shade he came to see, which was Tiresias the Theban. He informed Odysseus that he would make it home on one condition. He was to leave the sun god's animals alone. He, however, did not listen. Hence what has happened to him from that point on. Another shade he met was Elpenor. Elpenor was a young soldier who fell off the roof and died on Circe's island. He asked Odysseus to burn his body (in his armor) so that his spirit could be lifted. He also receives the chance to speak with his mother (Antecleia) once again. She tells him of his homecoming, and she tells him that his wife is still waiting upon his return and that he still is to be king. Also, one of the most important things he learns is of Telemachus and how he has been keeping everything together while he was gone. Talking with his mother again had a big impact on Odysseus.

After reading the entire book, what have you learned about Odysseus in terms of his hero qualities (both Homeric and 21st Century)- be specific.

One thing Odysseus has would be a supreme pride issue, which is a characteristic of the tragic hero. This does set him back, but also could show heroism, too. He he is a very good leader as it is shown throughout the book and has that pride in his accomplishments. Odysseus is a very brave man, and he finds his way out of all situations (with the help of the gods). Odysseus has a great love for his men, and he yearns for returning to Ithaca, not only himself, but his men too. Even if it does not turn out that way. Another thing that Odysseus has that is heroic would be his dedication. He is completely set on getting back home. He has Homeric qualities in that he has accepted his suffering as said in the packet. For example, he had accepted that he was stuck on Calypso's island (even though he was unhappy and full of sorrow because of it). Another Homeric quality would be the way he believes in the gods. All of his actions are thought to be in the way the gods would want them. He trusts fully in them and knew that his fate was in their hands whether he wanted it that way or not. They are the reason he has made it out of all these bad situations he has been put up against.

Odyssey books IX and X

Book IX is Odysseus' recounting of his conflict with the one-eyed Cyclops, Polyphemus. In Book X, Odysseus relates the story of the death of his men and his encounter with the goddess, Circe. Include both books in your responses to the following questions. Post your responses so everyone can read what you think.

In your opinion, does Odysseus show he is a good and revered leader in this story? Support your ideas with specific examples from both books.
Odysseus is a very good leader. He knows what to do and when to do it. He is a very wise man, although Eurylochus does not believe so. Odysseus forms plans for each of the tests he is put up to and ends up getting out of these tests. Although, not all men were saved, he still showed leadership in taking charge and forming what they were to do and how to do it. Eurylochus disagreeing with Odysseus' views and leadership states, "My sorry friends, where are we heading now? Why court catastrophe in Circe's house? She'll turn us into lions, wolves, or hogs-- and we'll be forced to guard her massive halls. So did the Cyclops catch and trap our friends-- then, too, the rash Odysseus was with them. They, too, died through the madness of this man" (205). At this Odysseus thought to kill him, but knew he was his kin by marriage so he did not.

Aristotle defines "hamartia" as a "fatal flaw" (see the Tragic Man in your purple packet). According to Aristotle, the most common tragic flaw is "supreme pride" ("hubris"). What is the tragic flaw (or flaws)of Odysseus, in your opinion? Support this with specific examples from the Mandelbaum translation.
You could say that he has supreme pride. Odysseus stands up when he gets on the ship and shows that he has a lot of pride by introducing himself as if he should be treated any better than the rest. He is a good leader, has too much pride in his accomplishments and who he is. (This will get him into a lot of trouble.) Also, he does have a belief in his own freedom. He did not kill the cattle for example, his men did. He wants his right to freedom and to go back to his home, wife, and family. He obviously has a capacity for suffering if he is going through these tests and in book X realizing that before he can go home he has to go to Hades first. Also, we have not gotten to his flashbacks that have lead u to his being stranded with Calypso. Vigorous protest is a yes also. He is against his being on the island and in general away from home. One flaw he has too is the one of infidelity. I mean yes he is away from his wife, but I believe he should remain faithful anyway.

Why is it significant that Zeus rejects the sacrifice of the best ram by Odysseus at the end of Book IX? (Consider the events of Book X)
"..Zeus, lord of all; for him I roasted thighs. But he did not accept the sacrifice: instead his mind was set-- he meant to wreck all of my sturdy ships and faithful friends" (187). I think it is significant because it foreshadows what is to come. Odysseus' adventure is not yet over then. The gods had a plan set for him, and he would have to struggle for what his men did. He would eventually make it back. That is if he has the will power to do so. It is only struggle by struggle holding him back.

Note the frequent mention of the giving or the confiscating of goods and riches. Why do you think this is significant?
It shows the power Odysseus has. He was once a king ans has great skills in almost everything that is needed. He knows how to take care of himself and others like one would during a war. (He is a great leader.)

Odyssey books II and V.

What is the relationship between Odysseus and Calypso? What is your opinion of Odysseus in Book V? Why does Poseidon react the way he does? How does Book V end?

Odysseus and Calypso seem to be on the same page between each other. They are both aware that Odysseus would rather be back in his home land with his wife. Although, Calypso is a sex goddess and Odysseus does sleep with her, he does not want to. He would rather die than be trapped there even though Calypso has been kind to him. Calypso wants to turn Odysseus immortal and make him her husband, but she is aware of his feelings and will not step in the way. My opinion on Odysseus would be that he seems to be someone who knows how to take care of himself. I mean when Calypso informs him that he is free to go he builds a ship and takes care of everything before he takes off. He also seems foolish to me though, through his actions with Calypso. Poseidon brings about a huge storm against Odysseus because he is furious that he was freed. Not only furious just because he was freed, but because the other gods decided to free him without his input when he was gone. Book V ends with Odysseus reaching the shore of the land of the Phaeacians. He was hesitant to abandon ship when a nymph told him to (and to swim to shore with her shawl around him), but did when a big wave came up and left his ship in pieces. He came close to death in the waters and could not find his way to shore, but Athena guided him to the shore. She gave him a wonderful sleep from all the struggles he had been put up against.

Discuss the intervention of the gods in both Book II and Book V.

Book II: When Telemachus had been talking to the townspeople and the suitors he could find no solution to his problem. But Zeus sent two eagles down as a warning to the suitors who would not budge on their decision to stay at Telemachus' house. They still did not budge, but were completely aware of this warning.
Book V: There was a lot of intervening in this book. First you find that Athena is still making it possible for Telemachus to leave for his journey. She finds crew and a ship for him. Also, in general when the gods send Hermes to talk to Calypso so she will let Odysseus go. When the nymph helps Odysseus in the ocean telling him that he needed to jump and swim to shore. The bad intervention of Poseidon trying to stop Odysseus. Also, when Athena guides him to shore and grants him with rest.

Notes for the Odyssey: Book I and Background.

Book I: Telemachus.What is his situation and what do you think about it? What kind of guy do you think he is? What do you think his relationship is with his mother? Who are the suitors and what does Telemachus think of the them? What is Telemachus called to do? Who calls him?

Telemachus has been forced to grow up without a father. I can only imagine that that was a huge struggle for him, and not only did he have to deal with that, but he also did not even know if his father was dead. I feel bad for Telemachus in this situation. Also, his house is being basically destroyed by suitors. Suitors are men who take up room in their household waiting for who shall be chosen to wed the woman there. Not only by marrying the woman (in this case it is Penelope) will that man gain land, but he will also become king because the power will change over. Telemachus seems to be a very wise man, but he also seems to be one who "likes the ladies" we will say. He does not seem to be full of anger, but he is angry about the suitors in his house, the fact that he does not know if his father is still alive (he is also full of sorrow from this), and anger towards his mother when he scolds her. She was telling Telemachus that it struck her emotionally when she heard his wonderful singing in the midst of this bad time. Telemachus states, "My mother, why not let the faithful singer delight us as his heart impels? The singer is not to blame; this grief was brought by Zeus, he who assigns to those who feed on bread the good or evil he alone decrees" (14). Athena, a Greek goddess, visits Telemachus in disguise. She told him that her and her people had previously befriended his father a long time ago. Telemachus does eventually realize that she is not who she said she was, but really one of the gods. She told him that she believed his father was still alive through what she can see, and that he is to go off on an adventure. He was called to seek word of his father by sailing to Pylos first to question Nestor. If he hears that his father is alive and headed homeward then he should still hold out for one more year, but if he is pronounced dead then Telemachus shall return home. He will then marry off his mother to some man and kill the suitors that reside in his house.

Background:
Epic Poem
-really long adventure poem
-anonymous author- called Homer
-also wrote Iliad
*the Greek gods chose sides
*Poseidon- king of ocean
*Odyssey- means journey
*king of Ithaca- Odysseus- Poseidon is angry with him
*Poseidon causes a huge storm that wrecks all ships, but one of Odysseus' & tells the other gods that he may not leave
*Telemachus- Odysseus' son- 19 yrs. old now
*Penelope- Odysseus' wife
*Story starts with Telemachus
*His mother is supposed to get married because Odysseus is gone and has been for 19 yrs.
*Penelope believes he is still alive, but the rest believe Odysseus is dead
*Suitors are ransacking their home
*They want to marry her for her land, money, and the kingship they would receive (Odysseus was/is king)
*Penelope cannot possess the land for herself because she is a woman
*Athena is now talking other gods into letting Odysseus come home from the island he has been trapped on for 19 yrs. now

A Tragic Hero

The Tragic hero in this story is Darth Vader. Although, he may seem very evil in the episodes, he was once good. The reason he turned evil was because he wanted more freedom and power. This meant that he had to turn to the dark side to receive this.
A belief in his own freedom: this was when he wanted to be free and do so by turning evil. He faced many things that he had to accept because of the choice he made to turn. Like, Leia's death and turning against friends.
A supreme pride : He was very arrogant and full of pride by wanting to have all the ultimate power and to rule over all. He wanted to be better than the rest, but that was the wrong thing.
Capacity for Suffering: He did suffer because of his choices and actions. When he became Vader he had to give up a lot, but he did so so he could gain power. He had to give up his best friend and felt guilt over Leia's death. Later he shows that he has forgotten a the past because of his stubborn decision. Still though he could change his decision at any moment, but does not.
A sense of commitment: He was fully committed to the dark side. He wanted all of it, but he couldn't have it all without some sacrifices. He did not care what the sacrifices may be.
Vigorous Protest: He would say that he was right. His decision was the right choice, but he was only hurting himself and others by doing so.
Transfiguration: At the end of episode III Luke is pressing Vader to come back and realize that he is his father, but he is not listening. He finally starts coming back around and saves Luke from the emperor and kills the emperor. Vader finally came back to the realization that he needed to turn back the the good side.
Impact: This change to the dark side not only impacted Vader, but also his loved ones and friends. Luke knew there was good in him and he wanted to change him back. Luke found he was right although it took a while he finally came around and changed back.

Hero Qualities and Theme Possibilities

Hero Qualities:
A hero would be someone with courage, bravery, knowledge, leadership, dedication, who is self-less, is a representative of society, and is a religious or god-directed person. They would be the type of person to give (sacrifice) their life for another. Also, a hero is not only one of these qualities, but can also be one who shows their heroics through maturity. Like, Luke showed that he was a hero not only because he blew up the space station, but also because he realized his strength psychologically through believing in the force and its good through his teachings.

Theme Possibilities:
Good vs. Evil is the main theme of this story. Obviously, there is that struggle there between the dark side of the force and the good. That shows, like many stories, that there is always that conflict of characters and need for it due to clashing views (just like in reality we have our set of many clashing views). The theme that the bad guy wants to take over the world. Darth Vader wants power and although power is one of our psychological needs, one does not need the power Anikan/Vader yearned for. Also, the theme of love. In Starwars there is the brother-sister love, affection love, love for country, father-son love, and others. Luke and Leia had the brother-sister love. Affection love was shown in episode III. Anikan wanted that power (even though it was the wrong power) for his love, Padme Amidala. Even when he became Darth Vader he still showed his love for her. He did so when one of the first things he said was where is Padme? Is she okay? Another is love of country was a little different because they did not exactly live in a country. They had love of their homes and the place where their homes were. Also, a big one was father-son love. It took Vader a while to realize and come back to knowing Luke was his son, but once he did there was only love shown. Luke knew all along that there was good in him and I believe that it was the love that they and Leia still had in their hearts that brought him to realize and come back to the good side.

Starwars Analysis

Cycle of the Hero
Call To Adventure: When Luke has to go looking for R2-D2 he runs into a mysterious man who scares off the sand people. He finds out that the man is Ben Kenobi. Luke had been wanting to meet Ben to ask him if he knew Obi Wan Kenobi. When he asked him if he knew of this so-called Obi Wan he was informed that Ben was Obi Wan. Obi Wan tells him a little about his past and how his father was a great Jedi and he was to be one too. Luke then uses a light saber for the first time. Obi Wan immediately wants him to go to Elderan to help him because that is what his destiny is, but Luke refuses. He said that he had family here and chores to tend to. When they get back to Luke's house they see that it has been blown up and his aunt and uncle have been killed along with it. There was nothing left for him now so he was then convinced to go with Obi Wan.
Helpers: R2-D2, C-3PO, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Obi Wan
Threshold of Adventure: After Luke, Obi Wan, C-3PO, and R2-D2 leave Luke's home they end up going to a bar in need of a ship. They find Han Solo and Chewbacca there, and they decide that they will pilot and allow them to use their ship for a price. The storm troopers find them there and begin to attack so they had to boarded the ship and left.
Tests: They get away from the storm troopers after they left the bar, but find themselves being pulled into a huge space station and cannot get away. This results in them having to stay in the smuggler's hatch in order to stay safe and not be found. Another test is when they have to rescue Princess Leia. This was difficult in that they had to get around all sorts of "security" without being noticed. After they release Leia they have to then get back to the ship. To do this they jumped down a garbage shute to get away from storm troopers and ended up almost becoming crushed by its walls. They struggle through these things and get back to the ship where Luke sees that Obi Wan and Darth Vader are fighting. Obi Wan gains eye contact with Luke and basically sacrifices himself. This, though, seems to teach Luke one of the most important things. After they board the ship they have to blow up the station. Luke and many others are involved in this and need to shoot a certain part in order for it to work. Luke's fellow men all die and he is left there fighting himself with Darth Vader right behind him. Just when it seems it may be the end Han Solo shows up just in time. Han Solo gets Vader away so Luke can blow up the station. Also, in the end there is the struggle between Luke and the Emperor and Vader. Vader kills the emperor and Vader also ends up dying. But before he died he came to realize that the good in him was stronger and he turned back to the good.
Hero's Triumph: This would be when they are trying to save Leia. Once they release Leia from her cell the find that there are many things in their way like the troopers shooting, the near death in garbage shoot, the death of Obi Wan, and getting away from the space station. This overall success is the triumph.
Flight of the Hero: This occurs when Luke and others are attempting to blow up the space station. Luke finds himself alone when all his fellow men die. He was near death with Vader right behind him, but he hears Obi Wans teachings in his head and realizes that he needs to let go of his previous being and know that the force is with him. This makes him realize that the force will always guide him through.
Threshold Struggle: Luke has a goal of destroying this space station but on thing is standing in his way: Darth Vader (as usual, the dark side). Vader gets close, but not close enough before Han Solo shows up to save him. He gets Vader aways giving Luke the shot he needs and indeed he reached that goal.
Elixir: Doesn't quite exist in this story unless you include the receiving of medals in his honor.

Literary Archetypes
Hero: Apparently Luke happens to be the hero in this story. He does have many hero qualities like, courage, leadership, and knowledge. Yes, he also did heroic things like saving Leia and blowing up the space station, but he also shows that he is a hero through coming to realize his true self and feeling the force. He became a Jedi, independent, and he found that he had to let go and follow the force within him through what Obi Wan had taught him.
Antihero:This could be thought to be Han Solo because he does do the right thing for the wrong reasons. Yes, he does do the right thing through this story, but he does it for money, or later on, for love. Also, he does not believe in the force.
Wise Fool: Obi Wan definitely was wise, but he did in episode III still want Anikan to be good even though he was turning to evil. He wanted his best friend back and wanted to trust him, but he shouldn't have because the force of the dark side was too strong in him. Obi Wan later did show his teachings to Anikan's son too leading him to the good side and he stayed on the good side even when tempted.
The Devil Figure: Anikan (Vader) has truly turned to the dark or evil side. He has almost no memory of his good side because he has chosen to put it past him. He cares of nothing that happens to his son or others because the force is so strong in him. Almost as if he has no emotional ties to anything anymore because of the evil within him.
The Outcast: C-3PO is treated as an outcast in this story. He isn't not accepted, but he isn't fully accepted by all either. He is different from the rest and very, but is very much involved and needed with his humor and "debby-downer-ness" in the story.
The Double: Anikan/Darth Vader would be the double. Anikan became Vader when he decided to turn to the dark side. The movie does a good job showing his struggle and his loved ones' struggles when Anikan has turned to this other person. Although he is in fact evil Luke still believed that there was good in him. Luke was right. Vader came to realize who he was before and who he had become at the end. He found his inner good and I believe turned back.
The Scapegoat: Obi Wan was seen as the scapegoat because he in a way sacrificed himself to Darth Vader when he went up against evil and gave his life. This taught Luke an important lesson that he needed, to realize the true meaning of the force and the good and dark side.
The Temptress: In this situation the temptress was not a woman or seducing figure, but the Emperor. He was trying to show Anikan (episode III) and Luke (episode VI) by tempting them with power. He tried to show them that the dark side was more powerful than the good and that with the force and the dark side they could have all the power they could ever dream. Anikan caved in, but Luke was not so easily tempted. Luke saw what he was doing and stuck to his instinct.
The Good Mother: This person is said to be seen as a creative force, providing strength and guidance for those she comes across. I see Leia as this figure. She is a loving person, but at the same time I believe she could take on any of the other guys with her light saber in hand. She has something about her that is just as inviting as intense (as in she is fierce and not somebody you would want to mess with).