To understand character, setting, and theme in from Black Ships of
Troy

STEAL Character Analysis – Hera, Athena, or Aphrodite
Copy notes for STEAL character analysis questions below
Create a STEAL analysis chart
Review prior reading: from “Black Ships Before Troy.” Select a goddess and analyze their indirect characterization at the start of the text by applying and answering these questions
Speech: What does the character say? How does the character speak?
Thoughts: What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings?
Effect on others toward the character: What is revealed through the character’s effect on other people? How do other characters feel or behave in reaction to the character?
Actions: What does the character do? How does the character behave
Looks: What does the character look like? How does the character dress?

Comprehension: from Black Ships Before Troy”
From “The Black Ships Before Troy” – The Story of The Illiad (pp. 313-317, L107)
Review prior reading and continue reading to p317, L107. Answer the following questions:
 L1-8: What elements of Greek mythology can you identify in this section? How can you tell a conflict begins here?
 L17-35: Identify the conflict in the narrative. How does it advance the plot?
 L32-35: How does this section help you understand the god’s actions and explain plot events
 L61-75): Why do the goddesses choose to interact with Paris? Why could this interaction have positive and negative outcomes?
 L86-94: Summarize Paris’ choice and the outcome of it. What themes or messages about life might the ancient Greeks have learned from this event?

Writing to compare-and-contrast
Task: Analyze the representation of Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena in from “Black Ships Before
Troy” and “The Apple of Discord I.” How does Eris’ narrative perspective effect the way we view the goddesses?
Close analysis L71-95
 Analyze the representation of Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena in this section using the STEAL analysis questions
 Review the representation of the goddesses in “The Apple of Discord I” (pp. 331-332)
 Compare-and-contrast the representation of Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena in the two texts
 Consider to what extent Eris’ personal feelings influence their characterization in the poem

Introduction
 Summarize the event that takes place in both texts
 Explain your task – to compare-and-contrast the representation of Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena. Cite the two texts you will compare.
 Thesis statement – Will you try to prove that Eris’ narrative perspective effects the characterization of the goddesses a) a lot b) to some extent c) Hardly/ not at all?
MBPs – Subject by Subject (Hera, Aphrodite, Athena)
 Compare the similarities and differences of each goddess in the two texts
 Explain why Eris’ feelings shape the way the characters appear in the poem
Conclusion
 Restate how the goddesses differ in the two texts
 Explain how much you feel Eris’ feelings are responsible for the differences
 Explain which character(s) you feel are most responsible for the war that results from this event

Reading Center – Continue reading from “Black Ships Before Troy”
Art Center – Illustrate and label one or all of the goddesses, using textual evidence from
“Black Ships Before Troy”
Research Center – Research and take notes on either: Characters (Paris, Helen of Troy,
Odysseus, Achilles) Geography – City-States (Sparta, Troy, Athens, Ithica)
Music Center – Goddess theme tunes – Select a song you think would make a good theme tune for Hera, Aphrodite, Athena, and Eris. Write an explanation of why you would select each song for each goddess
Writing Center – Write a poem that tells the events of the golden apple from the perspective of Hera, Aphrodite, or Athena. The poem should tell key events and show why your chosen goddess feels she is the fairest.
Drama Center – Create a scene that shows the events of “The Golden Apple”