Please read Euripides' Andromache for Tuesday's class.Once again, I'd like you to imagine you have just seen the first Athenian producation of the play. Write a "thumbs up, thumbs down" style review of the play as you imagine it.
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Peter Ryman
ReplyDeleteThis is REALLY dragging on...
Ugh. Thumbs down. Sure, there might have been a description of violent action, or there might have been drama; but this play I found to be lacking. How might it be lacking? Hmm...I don't know. If I had to choose one of the plays we've read so far to be my favorite, this one would definitely make the bottom of the list... Perhaps it was because some of the characters talked for several pages. Yeaah, there was a plot... but I don't know. it just seemed to go on and on and on...and then when something finally happens, say Orestes causing the brutal death of Achilles son, the resolve kind of goes another way--Thetis comes and tells Peleus that she'll make it all better by making him immortal so that they can see Achilles again in his island get-away...or something like that. She says Andromache must go to Molossian country where a king will descend from her son and will rule the land happily? I just wasn't satisfied with that ending.
I would have to say thumbs up. What is better then women who want to kill each other. Or rather, one wants to kill the other. It is a great insight into how women can't share a man. The only bad thing was the long dialoge, which was annoying.
ReplyDeleteLaura McCowan
Annie Merkel
ReplyDeleteI would have to completely agree with Peter Ryman that this is a thumbs down. Andromache is way to long for such a boring story. Sure, there was some excitement, but most of the story I found quite boring. It didn't keep my interest very well - I actually stopped reading it, and then continued reading it at a later time. Definately a thumbs down.
This play is the best because I found one line i can quote to use in any argument with girls "so great an evil are we women to mankind" But I actually liked this play a lot. For some reason the dialoge and the story were really interesting to me. Its different to have the women be the main characters for much of the play. Euripides in my opinion always does a great job of looking at human nature and the issues of his time and writing a story that relates to it.
ReplyDeleteSam Merkel
ReplyDeleteI give this story two thumbs down, it drags on to long. Should I send my son away or should I keep him here? that seems to be the main question at first and finally when the decision is made she finds out that her son is in danger now. To me the story just gets too old too quick. I just couldn't really get into the story.
I agree with Peter and the Merkels, this play gets a thumbs down. The dialogue was very long and seemed to get me disinterested. It was kind of interesting to have women as the main characters and Euripedes did try to display issues of his time in the play, but the lengthy dialogue made it hard for me to get into. It felt like everytime sometime was going to talk they were giving a long speech. Thumbs down from me.
ReplyDeleteI would also have to give this play a thumbs down. It was a good enough story, but the way Euripides told it was pretty slow. I think the one area this play struggled the most was the characters. The only character I enjoyed was Peleus. All of the others seemed to lack the emotion that Euripides characters usually have. I really figured the main character, Andromache, would be an amazing and strong character but she was pretty lack-luster. I do like the issue of marriage that Euripides likes to tackle, but I felt that Andromache was not as good as the previous Euripides plays we've read.
ReplyDeleteAlthough this play can feel long and drawn out. I look at as a modern art house flick, it may never gain popular acclaim, but it has a deeper appeal to me. I liked that it is a social commentary and gives a voice to women and slaves for that matter. I see why Euripides was not very popular with the powerful in Athenean society, he points out what is wrong with there ways, and I am sure this play made some things very obvious. Thumbs UP.
ReplyDeleteZach Anderson
Ruth Wilson
ReplyDeleteI'm torn as to whether this deserves a thumbs down for how excedingly long winded it is or a thumbs up for being able to put some very real problems in the spot light. As most have said, this was a play of connected speaches. It didn't have the draw of the dialoge w/ Death, but it did have some spirited name calling. I really liked the way Euripides tackeled the merrage problem inherent in his time. It even speaks to men of our time, in that respect. Well, as long as you can stay awake for it.
So, my final answer for this; two thumbs sideways. Its a good play to know, read once, understand and remember, but reading it twice may kill you with bordom.
Brian Johnson
ReplyDeleteI give it a thumbs up, although I did not enjoy it as much as Alcestis.
Once again Euripides showed he has a grasp of human nature and once again he showed that he is capable of making his work relevant not only to his own time but to ours as well with his discussion of marriage. I also detected a bit of Sparta bashing, although I could be wrong.
I disagree that it was too long or boring, although on the down side I felt the ending was a little strange.
David Ellsworth
ReplyDeleteI give this play thumbs up. Despite its abuse of women it was very progressive for its time. Euripides did an excellent job of showing how jealousy along with hasty action can lead to regret and sorrow. The old man Peleus suffers a terrible and heartwrenching loss for helping the woman Andromache, However, the ending is bitter sweet. A must see play!
I would give this one a thumbs down. There were a few good parts with some action, and Euripedes did do a good job of bringing in some of the important problems of that time, but it didnt do a great job of keeping me interested. I felt myself losing interest occasionally during many of the long speeches droning on and on and on, and it was hard to get back into what went on because i forgot what he was even talking about before the speeches.
ReplyDeleteErik Guthmiller
this is a regretful thumbs down.
ReplyDeletethe story was interestign but it was presented in a bad way. the speaches were WAY too long and becouse of this the plays seemed to go on forever. cut down the speaches into a resionable and realisitic length and it would be better. i coudlent keep up with the over all story becosue i keept getting lost in the speaches which realy sucked becosue i'm not even entierly sure what happened in the play.
-allison rademacher
I am going to have to give this a thumbs up; I guess I really enjoyed the long speeches. There was a lot of really interesting dialogue, and some pretty sweet name-calling. The plot may not have been the most interesting in the world, but it had a good theme and message throughout. It kept me interested all the way through (though I did skim a few parts), and I think Euripides did a good job on this one, all in all.
ReplyDeleteKirsten Saunders
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time concentrating for so long during the speeches (American education at its finest), but I did enjoy parts of the dialogue, especially those mixed with such jealously and hatred. Additionally, the commentary on the nature of women is interesting and regretfully exactly correct when it comes to jealously. For example, the chorus stated, "Women are by nature somewhat jealous, and do ever show the keenest hate to rivals in their love." This is still a current theme and issue throughout society and mildly humourous. Additionally, I enjoyed Andromache's commentary regarding the youth of males. She stated, "Youth is a bane to mortals, in every case, that is, where a man embraces injustice in his early days." Whether it is important to experience these injustices is another debate, but still interesting enought. I give the play a split review. I didn't hate it enough for two thumbs down, but it is not something I would immediately reach for.
I really can't decide which way to go with this one. It included some really good issues, but it was very repetitive and I found myself skimming a lot to find new information. Also, I felt like I was watching Wives of Ancient Rulers-zillas when Hermione showed up. Her comments were just as pithy and unbelievable as some of our modern day reality show divas, which really detracted from the story in my opinion. If I were Caesar and a gladiator were having to wait for my decision, I would probably have the gladiator kill of this play.
ReplyDeleteKevin Nakajima