| Great Books Reading and Discussion Group |
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Great Books Reading Group |
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Alumni meet monthly to discuss one of the classics of literature
Cost: Free, apart from the cost of food and drink
Please contact your alumni host to register.
The Great Books Reading Group continues its exploration of the character of Odysseus throughout literature from Homer to the present. At our June meeting we will be discussing two plays by Sophocles, Ajax and Philoctetes, based on characters from Homer's Iliad. Ajax was one of the strongest warriors on the side of the Achaeans, fighting alongside Agamemnon, Achilles and Odysseus. Both plays concern events that occurred after the end of The Iliad, but before the end of the Trojan War.
In Ajax, the title character is outraged because Achilles' armor was awarded to Odysseus instead of to himself, and vow to kill the Greek leaders who disgraced him. The play Philoctetes concerns the quest of Odysseus and Neoptolemus, Achilles' son, to bring the master archer Philoctetes from his exile on the island of Lemnos to join the Achaeans in battling Troy. Philoctetes deeply hates Odysseus and the other Greek leaders for having left him on the island and Odysseus and Neoptolemus must use arguments, threats, and ultimately trickey to try to convince Philoctetes to join him in battle.
For an overview of the proposed long-term schedule for our study of Odysseus, please see Odysseus in Literature.
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Event Information
EVENT DATE:
Monday, Jun 22 2015 at 6:15pm - 8:00pm [ iCal ]
LOCATION:
Agora Restaurant
1527 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036 USA
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