STUDY QUESTIONS FOR PERSIANS, CHILDREN OF HERACLES AND SUPPLIANT WOMEN:

1. All three of these plays glorify Athens, which is, incidentally, the city where and for whose population all of these plays were performed. What do these plays glorify about Athens? Is it the same in all three plays? or is it different? And if different, how is it different?

2. More generally, what is the image of Athens that emerges from these plays? Is it the same in all three plays? or is it different? And if different, how is it different?

3. Broadly speaking, how would you compare and contrast Athens as seen in these plays with Thebes as seen in the plays read for last week?

4. Does the presence of overtly political ideology and/or patriotic pride detract from or enhance the quality of these plays as drama? as tragedies?

5. Check the dates of the three plays. Are any of the plays related to (relatively) current events? Is being so related good or bad for tragedy?

6. What is each of these plays about? What will we talk about when we go to the wine shop after the play is over?