Achievement in Cambridge Classics Competition
The Classics department is delighted that Dylan (Year 12) has achieved success in the prestigious Fitzwilliam College Essay Competition run by the University of Cambridge. This annual competition, open to sixth form students, involves writing a 2,500 word essay in response to one of five possible questions exploring different aspects of the ancient world.
We have heard back that the judges rated his entry highly and have awarded him with a certificate of commendation! They also told us that this year’s competition saw over 600 entries from students across the UK and beyond, making Dylan’s commendation even more impressive. The college invited Dylan to visit to receive his certificate and have a tour.
Dylan chose to write in response to the question: ‘In the ancient world, verse was only a form of entertainment – nothing more, nothing less: Is this true of any ancient text of your choice?’. He explored with great sophistication the dramatic and intellectual contexts of drama in fifth-century Athens, with a particular focus on Oedipus Rex. Here is the conclusion he reached:
When first poring over Oedipus Rex as a modern reader it is easy to marvel at the story and envision it being performed as a vivacious spectacle in the ancient theatre. One might picture the Chorus and their dance and song, possibly the anguish of Oedipus and his gouged-out eyes being showcased to an audience – without question it would have been enjoyable entertainment for citizens. Despite this, when looking further into the text at the presentation of the divine and the questions asked by Sophocles about free will, knowledge, leadership – suddenly the impact on the audience seems drastically more profound than ‘only’ a specimen of entertainment in the yearly City Dionysia. Drama, exemplified here by Oedipus Rex, acted not just as entertainment for the masses but also as an arena in which world views were explored, challenged and even created – it seems ‘nothing less’ than insufficient to limit such an influential art form to ‘only a form of entertainment’.
Well done, Dylan!
