Hippolytus Lesson Plan

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Kind of Activity:

Role Play

Objective:

To allow students to thoroughly grasp the timeline, the backstories, and the motivations of the various characters introduced in the prologue.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.3

Structure:

Aphrodite’s prologue is supposed to provide context for what is about to happen in Hippolytus. It covers the “who, what, when, where, why” of the play. But for modern audiences unaccustomed to ancient Greek culture, her speech can seem archaic, overwhelming, and confusing. (For example, there is more than one name for Aphrodite and several names for the city of Athens). It is...