Can someone let me know if these answers are right? Thanks in advance!
Questions 1-7 all have the same format and answer choices. The answer choices are fully explained here, but they are in shortened versions in the remaining questions. Although you do not have a chance to explain your reasoning here, you will in question 8.
When he wrote the Poetics, Aristotle used many examples from well-known plays. He gave examples of excellent play design, but he also gave exmples of plays that had weaker and even very poor designs.
1-
According to what you know of what Aristotle said about well designed plays in the Poetics, which of the following best describes how he would most likely feel about the situation in Sophocles' Oedipus the King? In this question consider only the character traits of the main character.
An excellent example - he would think the situation in the play was ideal, according to what he believed made plays effective.
A good example - he would think the situation was good, but he would have some minor reservations. X
A weak example - the situation would not be expected to have a good effect upon the audience, although it does have some merit.
A very poor example - this is not a good situation at all. The audience would not react well to it.
2-
According to what you know of what Aristotle said about well designed plays in the Poetics, which of the following best describes how he would most likely feel about the situation in Sophocles' Oedipus the King? In this question consider only the kind of flaw Oedipus exhibited in his character.
An excellent example X
A good example
A weak example
A poor example
3-
According to what you know of what Aristotle said about well-designed plays in the Poetics, which of the following best describes how he would most likely feel about the situation in Sophocles' Oedipus the King? In this question consider only the nature of the reversal of fortune in the play.
An excellent example X
A good example
A weak example
A poor example
4-
According to what you know of what Aristotle said about well designed plays in the Poetics, which of the following best describes how he would most likely feel about the situation in Sophocles' Oedipus the King? In this question consider only the recognition in the play.
An excellent example X
A good example
A weak example
A poor example
5-
According to what you know of what Aristotle said about well designed plays in the Poetics, which of the following best describes how he would most likely feel about the situation in Sophocles' Oedipus the King? In this question consider only the unity of time.
An excellent example X
A good example
A weak example
A poor example
6-
According to what you know of what Aristotle said about well designed plays in the Poetics, which of the following best describes how he would most likely feel about the situation in Sophocles' Oedipus the King? In this question consider only the unity of place.
An excellent example X
A good example
A weak example
A poor example
7-
According to what you know of what Aristotle said about well designed plays in the Poetics, which of the following best describes how he would most likely feel about the situation in Sophocles' Oedipus the King? In this question consider only the unity of action, or plot.
An excellent example X
A good example
A weak example
A poor example
8-
Aristotle believed that a good play created a catharsis for the audience. Would this play accomplish that in ancient Greece? Write a paragraph in which you summarize what Aristotle must have thought about Oedipus the King, a play he did see and about which he did write. Be sure to explain catharsis.
Answer to 8- In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus, and by extension the audience, experiences a catharsis after he discovers the the truth about his parents. Previously Oedipus had now known who his true parents were and had unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. After Oedipus learns the truth, he shocked and horrified. This is the catharsis he goes through. After the revelations are known, he becomes a changed man. Before, Oedipus was a great king who believed himself to be powerful. Afterward he is humbled by the experience and understands that the course of life is not always determined by the traveler. These emotions would have been conveyed to the audience at around the same time as it was conveyed to Oedipus. The sudden knowledge of truth emphasizes how great the discrepancy was. Aristotle probably thought that this was an excellent play. All of the elements he believed go into a good play where included, including the three unities, the tragic flaw, and catharsis.
Not sure at all!
These may help:
http://www.iep.utm.edu/aris-poe/
http://www.english.hawaii.edu/criticalink/aristotle/index.html
In order to determine if these answers are correct, we need to refer to what Aristotle said about well-designed plays in his work, the Poetics. Let's analyze each question and its answer choices to understand if they align with Aristotle's beliefs:
1. According to the question, we should consider only the character traits of the main character, Oedipus, in Sophocles' Oedipus the King. The correct answer is "A good example - he would think the situation was good, but he would have some minor reservations." This suggests that Aristotle would have found the character traits of Oedipus to be mostly effective but still had some minor concerns.
2. This question asks us to consider only the kind of flaw Oedipus exhibited in his character. The correct answer is "An excellent example." This implies that Aristotle would consider the flaw in Oedipus' character to be an ideal example according to his beliefs.
3. The question focuses on the nature of the reversal of fortune in the play. The correct answer is "An excellent example." This indicates that Aristotle would view the reversal of fortune in Oedipus the King as a perfect illustration of what he considered effective in a play.
4. Here, we need to consider only the recognition in the play. The correct answer is "An excellent example." According to this choice, Aristotle would perceive the recognition in Oedipus the King as a prime example of what he believed to be well-designed.
5. This question requires us to consider only the unity of time in the play. The correct answer is "An excellent example." It suggests that Aristotle would see the unity of time in Oedipus the King as an exemplary instance of effective play design.
6. The question concerns the unity of place in the play. The correct answer is "An excellent example." This implies that Aristotle believed the unity of place in Oedipus the King to be precisely what he considered an excellent play.
7. This question focuses on the unity of action or plot. The correct answer is "An excellent example." According to this answer choice, Aristotle would regard the unity of action or plot in Oedipus the King as an outstanding representation of a well-designed play.
Now, let's move to question 8, where we summarize Aristotle's thoughts on Oedipus the King and whether it accomplishes catharsis:
In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus experiences a catharsis when he discovers the truth about his parents. The catharsis occurs when Oedipus is shocked and horrified by the revelations. This realization causes a significant emotional change in Oedipus, as he becomes a humbler and more self-aware individual. Aristotle believed that a good play should create a catharsis for the audience, and Oedipus the King achieves this by evoking strong emotions and leading to a profound transformation in the protagonist. Therefore, Aristotle would likely consider Oedipus the King as an excellent play that includes all the necessary elements, such as the three unities, the tragic flaw, and catharsis.
In conclusion, it appears that the answers provided align with what Aristotle expressed in the Poetics.