Greek democratic culture

GUIDELINE: Make an argued comparison between two of the set PRIMARY texts studied in weeks 2-5 (Oedipus Tyrannus, Euthyphro, Crito, or Phaedo).

QUESTION: In the 5th century BCE, individual freedom in Greek democratic culture did not exist outside the obligations of the collective (polis, family, and friends). Examine, in detail, two ways Oedipus Tyrannus and the Crito try to challenge this cultural way of thinking.

REFERENCES: (PRIMARY SET TEXTS)
1)Sophocles. (1970). Oedipus Tyrannus (L. Berkowitz & T. F. Brunner, Trans.). New York, NY: Norton.

2)Plato. (2012). Crito (C. Woods & R. Pack, Trans.). Norfolk, VA: Virginia Wesleyan College.

3)Plato. (2012). Death scene from Phaedo (C. Woods & R. Pack, Trans.). Norfolk, VA: Virginia Wesleyan College

4)Plato. (2012). Euthyphro (C. Woods & P. Ryan, Trans.). Norfolk, VA: Virginia Wesleyan College.

For this first assessment, secondary critical readings (academic/non-academic ) are not encouraged as you will not be graded on researching the question. You should use only the primary texts, the lectures, the tutorials, and your own ideas as guides to answering the question.

To do well in this assessment, you will need to demonstrate your comprehension of the primary texts in the light of the key theme(s) of the unit. You also need to present a logical, clear argument, use appropriate textual evidence, integrate relevant quotes from the texts into your essay, and demonstrate a solid command of the academic standards of writing, referencing, and presentation.

1) Non-academic means SparkNotes.com, Wikipedia.com, Britannica.com, ancientgreece.com, and similar websites – these non-academic websites are strictly forbidden as sources of knowledge in ANY T&T essay.