Phaedra Lesson Plan

An Artist and His Influences

Kind of Activity:

Research

Objective:

Students will be able to understand Seneca’s stylistic choices by reading and considering his influences

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.9; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.5; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.7

Structure:

Explain to students that though the plot of Phaedra was inspired by Euripides, a Greek playwright, Seneca drew most of the influence for his style from Roman authors. In particular, scholars agree that Seneca was indebted to Ovid, whose fictional letter to Hippolytus imagines a version of Phaedra who exhibits the same introspective impulses as Seneca's heroine;...