What is the main contribution made by the chorus in The Burial at Thebe

Heaney’s play The Burial at Thebes is a version of the Greek tragedy Antigone by the Athenian dramatist Sophocles (c496-406 BCE). According to Heaney it is not a translation but a version as he was â€Å"looking for meaning not language† (Heaney, 2009, CDA5937, The Burial at Thebes - Interviews). This is in keeping with the commissioning of the play to celebrate 100 years of the Abbey theatre in 2004 as the founders, W.B Yeats and Lady Gregory, were Irish â€Å"cultural nationalists† (Hardwick, 2008, p193) . The change in title from the traditional Antigone to The Burial at Thebes moves the emphasis away from the characters to the â€Å"controversial question of the burial of a prince, who was regarded as a turncoat† (Theocharis, 2009, CDA5937, The Burial at Thebes - Interviews) enabling Heaney to intertwine the tradition Greek ideology with Irish nationalism. The chorus in Greek tragedy is defined as a group of people who often participate in and comment on the dramatic action, emphasising traditional moral and social attitudes and providing commentary (Moohan, 2008). In Greek theatre they also provided a more practical role, entertaining the audience during the play with songs and dance and allowing the performers to change. Most performers performed two or more roles known as doubling. In The Burial at Thebes the director, John Theocharis (2009), states that the chorus also adds dramatic tension and suspense whilst creating subjective and objective voices that underpin the context of the play. In looking at the contribution that the chorus makes this essay will look at the various functions of the chorus - their role as a commentator, participating in and commenting on the dramatic action and how they present traditional moral and soci... ...ture of the play, mainly based on the Greek, outlines these values in poetical format in the Choral Odes. The chorus’ commentary on the characters and drama and its subsequent participation pushes the plot towards traditional ideas with the encapsulation in their ending summation. Works Cited Hardwick, L. (2008), ‘Seamus Heaney’s The Burial at Thebes’, in Brown, R (ed.), Cultural Encounters (AA100 Book3), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp.192-235 Heaney, S. (2004), The Burial at Thebes, London, Faber and Faber Ltd Heaney, S. (2009), CDA5937 The Burial at Thebes – Interviews (AA100 Audio CD), Milton Keynes, The Open University Moohan, E (2008), ‘Glossary’, in Moohan E (ed.), Reputations (AA100 Book1), The Open University, pp.231-238 Theocharis, J (2009), CDA5937 The Burial at Thebes – Interviews (AA100 Audio CD), Milton Keynes, The Open University

Barack Obama’s “Inaugural Address”

President Barack Obama plays an important role not only for being elected as the first African-American head of state in the United States of America but also because he is greatly responsible in the fate of the Americans during this time. One of the most important speeches that a president could give to the citizens that he will govern is his or her inaugural address. This could be attributed from the reason that this speech is recognized as his or her first official way of communicating with the public. It is his or her way of informing them of the course of action of his or her administration.This kind of adage is greatly exemplified by the inaugural address of President Barack Obama wherein one of the most important and even controversial lines that he said are, â€Å"Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land – a nagging fear that Americans decline is inevitable, and the next generation must lower its sights† (Obama, 2009). This abovementioned statement made by President Obama points out the fear that most Americans are experiencing because of the different problems that they are facing including issues on terrorism and the current economic crisis.These problems are threatening the security of the United States to the point that some critics are saying that this could cause the weakening of the country. As such, President Obama discussed in his inaugural address that these contemporary problems that the country are facing tend to leave some Americans with the fear that their country is not as powerful as compared before, which creates a sense of insecurity among the people. The future generations of America is also said to be capable of only dreaming less as compared to the grand goals of their forefathers because they need to lower their sights in order for it to be attainable.Nevertheless, President Obama assured the American people that the challenges that they are facing would be addressed. As such, he is assuring the people that in his administration, he would do something in order to address these issues and Americans would need not to worry of settling for anything less than what they need and what they deserve. Being the case, the fear of the country’s declining power and lowering their sights should not be the case anymore. The idea of the American dream is also greatly related with the statement made by President Obama.Some critics are asserting that achieving the American dream is quite impossible nowadays especially with the challenges that the country is facing. However, on my personal point of view, I still believe that the American dream is still attainable today, as the history of the country is a proof in itself that the United States of America could emerge stronger after this crisis. The critics of the United States have a declinist view about almost every problem that the country has to address.However, the Americans have proven that they could emerge victo rious even in the most difficult situations. This could be best exemplified by the end of the First World War wherein European countries are regarded as the dominant power in the world. Nevertheless, the United States started to take a bolder role in international affairs to the point of even participating in the Second World War. In line with these, it was also the United States that helped some of the most devastated countries after the war.Moreover, during the time of the Cold War, there are also some criticisms that this could be the downfall of America but the exact opposite took place. The United States was able to reign supreme in the Cold War which eventually paved the way for their global domination (Haas, 2009). â€Å"History repeats itself;† as this saying goes, I believe that in the case of America, this still holds true. The American dream is still attainable because the country could be able to surpass the challenges that they are facing right now.Electing Presi dent Barack Obama also shows how America is changing its traditional views in order to become open to changes. This is great evidence that they could surpass the problems that they have now. Sooner or later, the United States will once again prove that the American dream was, is, and will be attained. References Haas, L. J. (2009). Don’t Bet on America’s Decline. Retrieved August 3, 2009, from http://www. democratiya. com/review. asp? reviews_id=252. Obama, B. (2009). The Inaugural Address of President Barack Obama.

Book Report On The Night Sky - 1725 Words

Blog 13 – 5 online slot games that are sure to scare you When the nights draw in, the night sky certainly makes for a beautiful sight. While that’s the case, the darkness of the night is also associated with the unknown. As has been said before, the ghastliest of ghouls come out at night, which means fear is often in the air. Frights and scares are something that we all are familiar with, which is why they make for great online casino game inspiration. Halloween may have past, but that doesn’t mean that the spooky goings on have gone anywhere. Delving into the darker side of the world’s online casino portals, we have compiled a list of online slot games that can deliver plenty of chills and thrills this December. No. 1 – Nightmare on Elm Street It is safe to say that you are going to want to put the kids to bed before you play this game. Based on the frightening film that gave millions of people nightmares during the 1980s, Nightmare on Elm Street is the type of slot game that you would have seldom seen before. Sinister, dark, and brutal, this game certainly works wonders to debut the character of Freddy Krueger within the world of online slot games. The movies were terrifying and the slot variation of the game is certainly no different, with all 5-reels and 30-paylines coming loaded with blood and frights. The games comes with two mega-jackpots as well, so not only is Nightmare on Elm Street scary, but it is also puts some super prizes up for grabs. No. 2 – HalloweenShow MoreRelatedMaze Runner Book Report Essay975 Words   |  4 PagesOctober 11, 2013 Period 1 Maze Runner Book Report Thomas is the narrator and protagonist of the story. He arrives in the maze with no knowledge of who he is or was. He only remembers his name and nothing else about his life. 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