46 pages 1 hour read

Hesiod

Works and Days

Fiction | Poem | Adult

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Essay Topics

1.

What is Hesiod’s purpose in “Works and Days,” and what does each part contribute to it?

2.

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.

3.

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?

Related Titles

By Hesiod