STUDY QUESTIONS FOR THE TWO ELECTRA PLAYS (AND THE LIBATION BEARERS):

This week’s readings involve plays that treat not only the same myth, but essentially the same moment in the same myth – a wonderful opportunity to compare and contast.

So, compare and contrast all three plays. More specifically:

1. What are the characters of Electra and Orestes like? How are they the same in all three plays? How are they different in different plays?

2. What is each of the plays about (what issue(s) will we talk about after the play?)? To what extent are the issue or issues the same in all three plays? How do the issues differ from play to play?

3. In what other important ways are all three plays (or at least two of the three plays) similar to each other?

4. In what other important ways are all three plays different from each other (or at least one of the three is different from the other two)?