For Monday: The Shards of Sappho

Close Reading Questions for Monday:

Sappho’s Fragments (pp.467-474)

NOTE: Be sure to read the Introduction to Sappho’s poetry starting on page 467, since this explains why the poems are fragments (unfinished) and why she remains important enough to read despite this.  As before, answer TWO of the following questions in a short paragraph and avoid vague responses that give answers instead of thoughts. 

1.         Reading the fragments as a whole, how does Sappho view love—or the idea of love?  Consider that some are written to Aphrodite, the goddess of love; how does she speak to this goddess?  Is love something welcome, something that transports her to a new universe…or is it a darker, less welcome emotion?  Is it a blessing or a curse (or both)? 

2.         Why do you think that Sappho’s poems survive in this fragmentary state?  Many works from her time—The Illiad, the plays of Sophocles, etc.—all exist in pristine condition despite the ravages of time.  If she was the greatest female poet in the ancient world, why is this all we have left?  What might this say about women in the ancient world and the idea of being an author? 

3.         Most ancient literature is from the male perspective—male heroes, male gods, male kings.  All of Sappho’s poetry is from a female perspective, showing us how women viewed ideas of love, relationships, and marriage.  How does Sappho offer us a female perspective on the ancient world?  What might she see that is specifically ‘female’ in these fragments?  In other words, what wouldn’t a male see or write that Sappho does? 

4.         Creative Option: Fragments 48, 51, 102, 130 and 168B are only a single line or two.  Try to finish the poem; where do you think she was going with this?  How could these poems relate to a modern setting—or your own life?  Try to add a few lines to make one of these (or more than one of these) into a complete short poem.