Alexander Schmid Podcast

In this lecture, we cover the major plot-points of Sophocles' "Antigone." We consider (a) its chronology in relation to the other two plays from "The Theban Trilogy" which was never meant to be a trilogy; (b) considered Antigone's argument for burying her brother, Polyneices, against the edict of her uncle and the new King of Thebes, Creon; and (c) we considered the position of Creon as a new ruler with a potentially tenuous hold on power.

In this lecture, we observe (a) Dante drink from a river of light and witness the majesty of heaven; (b) Beatrice's disappearance and replacement by Dante's final guide, St. Bernard, and then we conclude by seeing (c) Dante's beatific vision of Mary and the Holy Trinity.

In this lecture, we consider (a) Oedipus' final revelation that he has lived out his fate; (b) witness Oedipus blind himself and what that means; and (c) we conclude by observing Oedipus' final abdication and touching moment with his daughters.

In this lecture, we consider (a) both Freudian theory and Motivation Theory in order to understand Oedipus' cognitive dissonance; we observe: (a) Creon address Oedipus' accusations of treachery and Jocasta's attempt to exonerate both men; and (c) we conclude by considering Jocasta' famous words which serve as the source of Freud's "Oedipal Complex." 

In this lecture we consider (a) the nature of space and time and how "the roots" of all the universe are contained in the Primum Mobile; (b) we think over several cosmological/theological questions: the relative speed of each sphere of heaven, the intelligence and memory of angels, and number of angels; and then (c) we ascend to the Empyrean and see a river of light.

In this lecture we ask: (a) does Oedipus truly care for his people or is he full of overweening hubris? (b) Using psychoanalysis as a standard, is this a play about being both willing and unwilling to consider a truth/a conflict between one's conscious and unconscious motives; and (c) is Teiresias telling the truth or is he actually colluding with Creon? Is this just a confabulation of Oedipus' to keep him from an even more disturbing truth?

In this lecture, we (a) observe Dante's statement of faith and selections from "The Epistle of St. James" and "The Gospel of John"; (b) we see St. James' position on the debate of faith vs. acts, and then Dante's questioning of Adam, the first man, and then we conclude with (c) an angered St. Peter lambasting the (1) corruption/simony in the church and (2) its support of factionalism.

In this lecture, we consider (a) Sophocles' political contributions alongside his poetic ones; (b) Sophocles' three "periods" of writing and "Theban Tragedy"; and (c) we concluded by introducing Sophocles' "Oedipus the King".

In this lecture we consider (a) Sphere 8: the Fixed Stars/Constellations and the "Church Triumphant" within them; (b) we specifically consider the example of St. Peter, and (c) we witness Dante begin his examination on the theological virtue of faith.