Pericles, Funeral Oration

Identify the elements of the “Funeral Oration” that were constructed to change the attitudes of those who opposed the war. Which arguments would have been most and least compelling to you as a mourner in the crowd?

Which aspects of this work might lead other Hellenes to resent the Athenians? How does the text serve as pro-Athenian propaganda?

Compare and contrast the “Funeral Oration of Pericles” and the Gettysburg Address or another famous funeral address of your choice.

What does the “Funeral Oration” present as the strengths of democracy? What aspects of Athenian society and government does Pericles choose to omit as he builds his patriotic argument?

Rewrite the “Funeral Oration” as an address by a contemporary politician, making it specific to the cultural context of the US.

Discuss the strategies that Pericles uses to evoke emotional responses or shape the mood of his audience. Support your view with at least three quotations from the text.

Fortune is a constant topic in ancient works. What does Pericles say about it? What role does fortune play in death in battle?

Is democracy idealized today in the same way it was in the “Funeral Oration?” Identify at least three aspects of Pericles’s argument regarding the government of Athens, and discuss the ways in which these ideas remain relevant or have become dated.