Phaedra Lesson Plan

Responsibility, Fate, and Free Will

Kind of Activity:

Group Work

Objective:

Students will be able to consider the play's stance on personal responsibility within its mythical setting

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1

Structure:

Ask students to divide into small groups, then give them the task of identifying evidence from Act I which supports these two differing points of view:

1) Phaedra’s actions are determined by fate, and she is unable to control them.

2) Phaedra’s actions are determined by free will, and she is responsible for what she does no matter the strength of the desire or temptation....