Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Research Paper: The Influence of Greek Tragedies on Lorca’s Plays”

In this activity, students will write a research paper examining the influence of the format of the Greek tragedy on the structuring of Lorca’s plays.

Although Lorca’s play is set in early 20th century Spain, influences of Greek tragedies are prevalent in the way Lorca formats and structures characters and scenes. For this activity, you will write a research paper analyzing the Greek tragedy’s influence on Lorca’s work. Consider the following questions as you format your essay (these questions can be used as section markers):

• What is the traditional format of a Greek tragedy?
• How is a Greek tragedy’s format influential on historical and contemporary playwrights?
• What is Lorca’s background as a playwright? For example, what did he focus on, etc.?
• How does Lorca use the structure of the Greek tragedy in his plays?
• How does he use it specifically in this play? For example, which elements, etc.?

After researching your paper, submit your draft for a peer review before submitting.

Teaching Suggestion: This activity invites students to combine their analytical, research, and writing skills. For classes new to writing research papers, this activity may be used to introduce the drafting processes (i.e., initial research, annotated bibliography, thesis statement, outline, first and second drafts, and peer review). In this vein, the activity can be partitioned into separate class sessions so students may receive guidance at each step. This activity links with the first Full Essay Assignment.

Paired Text Extension:

For those who require guidance and support for understanding the format of the Greek tragedy, Sophocles’s Antigone is an example of a Greek tragedy that has many similarities with Lorca’s play, including the themes of The Incompatibility of Desire and the Social Order, Women as Casualties, and Fate and the Tragic Cost of Honor.

• Antigone on SuperSummary

Teaching Suggestion: Provide students with the option to include either this particular Greek tragedy in their research paper or use this source as a jumping-off point to other Greek tragedies or to understand the general themes and format in Greek tragedies.