Calydonian Boar Hunt

The Calydonian Boar Hunt is a story from Greek mythology chronologically following the voyage the Argonaut heroes took to capture the Golden Fleece for Jason. A group of heroic hunters chased after a boar sent by the irate goddess Artemis to ravage the Calydonian countryside. This is the most famous of the Greek hunts in art and literature. Representations of the Calydonian Boar Hunt The earliest literary representation of the Calydonian boar hunt comes from Book IX (9.529-99) of the Iliad. This version doesnt mention Atalanta. The boar hunt is clearly shown in artwork, architecture, and sarcophagi. Artistic depictions run from the 6th century B.C. through the Roman period. Principal Characters in the Calydonian Boar Hunt Meleager: Hunt organizer and killer of the boarOineus (Oeneus): King of Calydon, in Aetolia, who failed to sacrifice to Artemis (hubris)Calydonian Boar: the fierce animal who ravaged the countryside as Artemis sent him to do.Artemis: virgin goddess of the hunt who sent the boar and may have trained Atalanta.Atalanta: Female, Amazon-type, a  devotee of Artemis, who draws first blood.Althaea (Althaia): daughter of Thestius, wife of Oineus and mother of Meleager who causes her sons death when he kills her brothers.Uncles: Meleager kills at least one of his uncles and is then killed himself. Apollodorus 1.8 on Heroes of the Calydonian Boar Hunt Meleager, son of Oeneus, from CalydonDryas, son of Ares, from CalydonIdas and Lynceus, sons of Aphareus, from MesseneCastor and Pollux, sons of Zeus and Leda, from LacedaemonTheseus, son of Aegeus, from AthensAdmetus, son of Pheres, from PheraeAncaeus and Cepheus, sons of Lycurgus, from ArcadiaJason, son of Aeson, from IolcusIphicles, son of Amphitryon, from ThebesPirithous, son of Ixion, from LarissaPeleus, son of Aeacus, from PhthiaTelamon, son of Aeacus, from SalamisEurytion, son of Actor, from PhthiaAtalanta, daughter of Schoeneus, from ArcadiaAmphiaraus, son of Oicles, from ArgosSons of Thestius. Basic Story of the Calydonian Boar Hunt King Oineus neglects to sacrifice annual first fruits to Artemis (only). To punish his hubris she sends a boar to ravage Calydon. Oineus son Meleager organizes a band of heroes to hunt the boar. Included in the band are his uncles and, in some versions, Atalanta. When the boar is killed, Meleager and his uncles fight over the trophy. Meleager wants it to go to Atalanta for drawing first blood. Meleager kills his uncle(s). Either a fight ensues between Meleagers fathers people and his mothers, or his mother knowingly and deliberately burns a firebrand that magically ends Meleagers life. Homer and Meleager In the ninth book of the Iliad, Phoenix tries to persuade Achilles to fight. In the process, he tells the story of Meleager in a version sans Atalanta. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is recognized by an odd scar caused by a boar tusk. In Judith M. Barringer ties the two hunts together. She says they are both rites of passage with maternal uncles serving as witnesses. Odysseus, of course, survives his hunt, but Meleager isnt so fortunate, although he survives the boar. Death of Meleager Although Atalanta draws first blood, Meleager kills the boar. The hide, head, and tusks should be his, but he is enamored of Atalanta and offers her the prize on the controversial claim of first blood. A hunt is a heroic event reserved for the aristocrats. It was hard enough to get them to participate in Atalantas company, let alone give her the principle honor, and so the uncles grow angry. Even if Meleager doesnt want the prize, it is his familys to have. His uncles will take it. Meleager, the young leader of the group, has made up his mind. He slays an uncle or two. Back at the palace, Althaea hears of the death of her brother(s) at the hands of her son. In revenge, she takes out a brand the Moirae (fates) had told her would mark the death of Meleager when it was burned completely. She sticks the wood in the hearth fire until it is consumed. Her son Meleager dies simultaneously. Thats one version, but there is another that is easier to stomach. Apollodorus on Version 2 of the Death of Meleager But some say that Meleager did not die in that way, but that when the sons of Thestius claimed the skin on the ground that Iphiclus had been the first to hit the boar, war broke out between the Curetes and the Calydonians; and when Meleager had sallied out134 and slain some of the sons of Thestius, Althaea cursed him, and he in a rage remained at home; however, when the enemy approached the walls, and the citizens supplicated him to come to the rescue, he yielded reluctantly to his wife and sallied forth, and having killed the rest of the sons of Thestius, he himself fell fighting.

Fences by August Wilson Essay - 533 Words

In the play Fences, which was written by August Wilson, Bono, Gabe, and Alberta are all very important people in Troy’s life. Bono is Troy’s best friend, and through him the reader learns that Troy is a very strong character. Through Gabe, people can see some of the guilt Troy has inside. Alberta helped Troy escape from his problems, and have a few laughs every once in awhile. Each one of these characters tells the reader something different about Troy. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Throughout the years, Bono has always been there for Troy. They have been friends for about eighteen years. Bono never hesitated to tell Troy anything, especially his opinion on Alberta. â€Å"I know what Rose means to you, Troy I’m just trying to say I don’t†¦show more content†¦When Gabe said, â€Å"Got me two rooms. In the basement. Got my own door key too.† (p.25) Troy felt very guilty. He could have used that money for his own family. Also, almost weekly Troy had to pay $50 to get Gabe out of jail. Neighbors complained that he was disturbing the peace. Gabe added to Troy’s character tremendously. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Alberta is another character that helps reveal some of the complexities of Troy. Alberta is the woman with whom Troy had an affair. She helped Troy escape from his everyday life problems. When asked about Alberta, Troy had replied, â€Å"She gives me a different understanding about myself. I can step out of this house and get away from the pressures and problems†¦be a different man.† (p.69) When he is with Alberta he feels that he does not have anything to worry about. This is shown when Troy says, â€Å"I ain’t got to wonder how I’m gonna pay the bills or get the roof fixed. I can just be a part of myself I ain’t never been.† (p.69) Alberta also helped Troy realize the value of responsibility. When Alberta passed away, Troy was the only one who originally had to take care of Raynell, until Rose said she would. Alberta was very important in this play. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Throughout this play, many of Troy’s complexities are shown through other characters. Through Gabe, Bono,Show MoreRelatedFences : Fences By August Wilson1541 Words   |  7 PagesName: Alejandro Ahmed Date: 12/6/16 Unit: American Drama Title: Fences Author: August Wilson Year of Publication: 1986 Fences Study Guide Descriptive i. Overview: â€Å"Fences†, was a play written by August Wilson in 1986. The play communicates the story of the son of an unsuccessful sharecropper, Troy Maxson, who has lived most of his life independently due to his father’s abuse during his childhood. The play focuses on Troy’s interactions and conflicts with other characters, and the complicated relationshipsRead MoreFences by August Wilson791 Words   |  3 Pageshave built fences to keep enemies out and keep those they want to protect inside. 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History of Theater 1890 †1920 Free Essays

string(95) " for the sensibilities of theatergoers, the tone of his productions was sexy but never trashy\." â€Å"Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. † – William Shakespeare The theatre has been a part of entertainment since ancient Greece, around 4th century BC or thereabouts. The theatre grew out of festivals in honor of the god Dionysus. We will write a custom essay sample on History of Theater: 1890 – 1920 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Aeschylus created the first play in her honor. The first Greek plays were all tragedies but eventually comedy made its way and these plays were performed at festivals all over Greece. Through the centuries theater played the main role of entertainment from noble and royalty to the common person in any city or village, and as we move into the twenties century, theater was still a huge part of the entertainment for the masses. At the start of the 20th Century, America was in full glory of its cultural adolescence, bursting with energy. London was still the theatrical center of the world, but New York was gaining its own form of sophistication and acknowledgement. By 1900 most of the signs on Broadway had gone electric, and New York City’s famous theater district soon became know as â€Å"The Great White Way. It was known as the Mecca of the American theatrical world: the rest of the country was referred to by people in show business as â€Å"the road. † In 1904, the city opened its first underground subway system, and thanks to this system, tens of thousands living far from the theatre district could catch a Broadway show and still be home the same ev ening. With this increase of commuters and the ever growing number of tourist to New York, Broadway theatres’ audiences more than tripled in less that one year. Thus the productions had longer running times than ever before. At this time the majority of Broadway shows came from London, with English actors, producers, and directors. Then in 1903, Frank L. Baum’s children’s novel The Wizard of Oz was the first-ever all American musical to be performed on Broadway. The story of Dorothy and her pet cow Imogene (the cow was easier to see from the balcony than a small dog named Toto) took audiences to a magical land call Oz. The production included lavish costumes and fantastic fantasy sets and a state-of-the-art cyclone. This production had several hit songs but due to the fantastic MGM’s 1939 film, these songs faded from the general public’s memory. After a very long run on Broadway, The Wizard of Oz enjoyed a long running national tour, and thanks to the improvements of the railway system, the show was able to take a full scale Broadway production set and costumes on the road. By 1904 it is believed that over 400 different shows where touring the United States with full Broadway production values. The only snag in some of these performances is having theaters in different cities that are able to hold such a production. With this need, the boom of grand theaters around the country began. Many of these theatres are still in operation today. As the theatre business was booming, the need for new shows was increasing the opportunity for new playwrights were wide open. People like George M. Cohan, Victor Herbert, and Florenz Ziegfeld stepped up to the call. George M. Cohan was a writer, director, choreographer, and producer and stared in several of his own shows. He was famous for his jingoistic musical comedies that celebrated the triumph of the American know-how and New York style street smarts. Though most of his productions had short runs on Broadway, the musicals that toured the United States were met by packed houses several years. His most memorable hit was Little Johnny Jones, where Cohan played an American jockey who loses the English Derby, clears himself of false charges that he threw the race, and wins the girl he loves. The songs â€Å"Yankee Doodle Dandy† and â€Å"Give My Regards to Broadway† from this show made Cohan a nationwide household name. Cohn’s pro-American shows had little appeal outside the United States and are perhaps too simplistic to be revived in their original version, but his songs are still familiar today, including the wartime hit â€Å"Over There. Cohn is most famous for his curtain call speeches where he always ended with the statement â€Å"My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I assure you, I thank you. † One of Broadway’s most respected composers at the start of the 20th Century was Victory Herbert, a classically trained musician who turned out musicals that were considered much more sophisticated than Cohanâ⠂¬â„¢s but equally as popular. Though trained in Europe, his scores had a distinctly American sound. He was the first American songwriter to successfully insist that no changes be made to his scores without his permission. His musicals involved simple American goodness triumphing over Old World ways. He is known for his musical Babes in Toyland that is best remembered for its title song â€Å"March of the Toys. † Trying to copy the success of The Wizard of Oz, Hebert’s fantasy had a far better score and continued to be revived until the mid 1940s. Naughty Marietta was a production about a French noblewoman who leaves her husband for an American Solder and moves to New Orleans. The score included the hit song â€Å"Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life† and was designed for operatic voices. It is one of the few Herbert musicals still performed today. When it comes to show stoppers on Broadway, Florenz Ziegfeld was known as the Ultimate Broadway Showman. Boasting his own theatre, Ziegfeld showcased glamorous Parisian reviews that used skits and song to spook the social and political â€Å"follies† of the day. Thus the Ziegfeld Follies were born. The productions included over the top sets, extravagant costumes and â€Å"The Ziegfeld Girls,† a chorus of attractive females. Out of consideration for the sensibilities of theatergoers, the tone of his productions was sexy but never trashy. You read "History of Theater: 1890 – 1920" in category "Papers" Ziegfeld considered thirteen his lucky number and thus gave his revue the thirteen letter name Follies of the Day taken from the title of a popular newspaper column penned by librettist Harry B. Smith, who Ziegfeld hired to write the libretto. By 1900, there were currently thirty-three legitimate Broadway theatres, and many more would be built over the next couple of decades to meet the demand of the growing audiences. The productions included those of drama, comedy and musicals, but legitimate theatre was not the only theatrical entertainment of this time. During this time a large group of entertainers travels from one small theater to the next, entertaining thousands with their simple song and dance, mini-comical skits, and different acts of entertainment. These people were known as Vaudevillians and their theatre circuit was known as Vaudeville. Vaudeville was a theatrical paradigm in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance consisted of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill. Types of acts included popular and classical musicians, dancers, comedians, trained animals, magicians, female and male impersonators, acrobats, illustrated songs, jugglers, one-act plays or scenes from plays, athletes, lecturing celebrities, minstrels, and movies. Vaudeville developed from many sources, including the concert saloon, minstrelsy, freak shows, dime museums, and literary burlesque. Called â€Å"the heart of American show business,† vaudeville was one of the most popular types of ntertainment in North America for several decades until the start of the movie age. Vaudeville original started in the mid 1850s but thanks to the increase of number of theaters and improvement of transportation via railway, the popularity grew in the late 19th century into the early 20th century. Vaudeville opened the door of entertainment to thousands who had some form of special act. It was also o ne of the few avenues that opened for African-American mobility in a white world. African-American musicians achieved financial success while carving their niche for future artist. One of the most famous African-American acts was that of Bert Williams and George Walker, a ragtime song and dance team that toured the Vaudeville theaters with Williams playing a well-dressed conniver and Walker as a limbering stooge. Harry Houdini, the famous escape artist was a very popular entertainer in the early 1900s. After a tour in Europe he came back to America with thunderous applause and recognition. Houdini was able to perform his difficult feats by remaining in excellent physical and mental condition. He pushed himself relentlessly. To develop his capacity for holding his breath, Houdini installed an oversize bathtub in his house so that he could practice regularly. Through extensive training, he was able use his left hand nearly as well as his right. While casually chatting with friends, he would perform card and coin tricks without looking at his hands, or tie and untie knots in pieces of rope with his feet. Determined to stay on top of the entertainment field, Houdini refined techniques he had already mastered and continually developed new and more daring escapes. Though known to be friendly and warm, Houdini had a large ego, could be touchy and petty at times, and frequently displayed a volatile tempter to his assistants. One of the most fascinating acts that I found in my research was that of Evelyn Nesbit. In 1893 Nesbit started her career as an artist model in Pittsburg, PA. In 1901 Nesbit, age 16, with her mother moved to New Your City were Nesbit modeling career grew to such a point that she was one of the highest paid artist and photography models in New York. At the time she was being paid $5 for half a day and $10 for a full day of work. During this time Nesbit was also performing as a chorus girl on Broadway. Nesbit’s real story stated when her husband, Harry Thaw shot her lover, Stanley White on the night of June 26, 1906. Thaw knew that Nesbit has been seeing White for years even before their marriage. On the night of the 25th, at the production of â€Å"Mam’zelle Champagne† at the dining theater on the roof of Madison Square Gardens, Thaw saw White sitting several seats away from him and Nesbit. He calmly got out of his seat, walked over to White, pulled out a revolver and shot White three times in the face. The incident became known and â€Å"The Crime of The Century. † Thaw was tried and committee to life on an insanity plea. Thaw’s mother offered Nesbit a huge some of money if she would divorce her son before the conclusion of the trial. Nesbit did but never received any of the money; but Nesbit’s popularity soared, and from this she created an acts known as â€Å"The Girl on the Velvet Swing† where all she did was sit on a sing in the middle of the stage and tell her tragic story. Nesbit’s act lasted for a few years, but as most stories, once you’ve heard it once or twice, interests started going astray. She eventually tried her hand at movies with little success. In 1926 she gave an interview to the New York Times about her dramatic life story which she eventually published as a memoir. The list of famous Vaudeville acts is endless, and many of these actors and entertainers took their talents west to Hollywood to become movie starts. One of these most successful stories of this is that act of Abbott and Costello. Starting in the early 1920s, the act of Lou Abbott and Bud Costello was known for the quick one liners and fast repartee. Most famous for their â€Å"Who’s on First† routine, Abbott and Costello’s acts moved from stage to radio to movies, becoming one of the most famous dues in American entertainment. As we look back at theatre in the early 1900s we see the birth of a new age, one of theatre productions written, produced and directed by Americans, with American themes. Theatre changed as the times changed. It gave to the people what the people wanted and what they needed. From the large Broadway productions to the simple song and dance routines of Vaudeville, theatre was one of the main source of entertainment; allowing people to escape from their everyday world into a world of song, laughter and enjoyment. From the hearts of the actors and entertainers to the hearts of the theatergoer, life on a stage is one of true imagination and continues to allow us to go to that place where our true selves can wander, wonder and enjoy. How to cite History of Theater: 1890 – 1920, Papers