Pericles step two exercise
Before reading Pericles’ Funeral Oration, in your own terms, explain the purpose of a eulogy. In your experience, how have leaders in different contexts (e.g., the president, a clergy member, a parent) consoled those who have lost loved ones? [15 minutes]
Write down your own thoughts on the following questions using as reference this short article on the role of American presidents as “consolers in chief.” (Note that this term has gained a lot of traction in recent years.) [20 minutes]
Why is the presence of the president at the site of a tragedy held to be so important?
What purpose does a president’s role as “consoler in chief” serve for those who directly suffer from a tragedy? What purpose does this role serve for the nation?
Watch this video of Gov. George Pataki (NY) delivering Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address on the first anniversary of September 11 at Ground Zero (From beginning of video to around 8:30). Identify and describe the rituals surrounding the memorial as well as his delivery of Lincoln’s speech. [10 minutes]
As you read the speech, write down your thoughts for the following questions: [1 hour]
What common themes, tropes, and/or symbols can you detect between:
Pericles’ funeral oration (text and context)
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (text/content)
The rituals surrounding Pataki’s delivery of the Address (delivery/context)
How and why do we create space for leaders to direct public mourning?
How do leaders (political, religious, or otherwise) help to find meaning and comprehension amidst suffering?
Why do you think Pataki read Lincoln’s address instead of composing his own speech? (Optional: You may wish to read this article, which considers this question as part of the “politics of silence” surrounding the September 11 attacks.)