46 pages • 1 hour read
HesiodWorks and Days
Fiction | Poem | Adult | BCEA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Essay Topics
What is Hesiod’s purpose in “Works and Days,” and what does each part contribute to it?
Discuss Hesiod’s characterization of the gods in the poem. What do they signify, and how do they relate to mortals? Drawn on at least three examples from the text in your discussion.
After Zeus discovers that Prometheus has returned fire to men, he vows to give men “an affliction in which they will all delight as they embrace their own misfortune” (38). Explore the duality inherent in a misfortune that also delights. Where else is duality evident in the poem?
