ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => VCE English Studies => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE English & EAL => Topic started by: Mellyboo on January 29, 2015, 10:08:47 am

Title: Editions of the same play - most students are buying the incorrect edition.
Post by: Mellyboo on January 29, 2015, 10:08:47 am
I've realised recently that there is in fact, many different translations of Medea and Other Plays by Euripides. This fact means that many students are purchasing the inccorrect version, mainly, the translation by Phillip Vellacott. The text specified by VCAA, as seen on the 2015 text list, is the translation by John Davie. I for one have had to purchase both versions.
I prefer Vellacott's translation, what Euripides is trying to convery comes across more accurately, without butchering and simplifying key words/phrases for the sake of easier reading.
What impact do you think this will have on the way the examiners mark Medea? How will they accept quotations from the book?

Title: Re: Editions of the same play - most students are buying the incorrect edition.
Post by: cosine on January 29, 2015, 10:30:21 am
I've realised recently that there is in fact, many different translations of Medea and Other Plays by Euripides. This fact means that many students are purchasing the inccorrect version, mainly, the translation by Phillip Vellacott. The text specified by VCAA, as seen on the 2015 text list, is the translation by John Davie. I for one have had to purchase both versions.
I prefer Vellacott's translation, what Euripides is trying to convery comes across more accurately, without butchering and simplifying key words/phrases for the sake of easier reading.
What impact do you think this will have on the way the examiners mark Medea? How will they accept quotations from the book?

Finally someone else doing Medea. I have the James Morwood version, bought it new from Land Mark
Title: Re: Editions of the same play - most students are buying the incorrect edition.
Post by: Mellyboo on January 29, 2015, 10:40:08 am
No idea what is going to happen then. There will be tens of different quotes from the same passage. They version they needed was not made clear enough.
Title: Re: Editions of the same play - most students are buying the incorrect edition.
Post by: cosine on January 29, 2015, 10:46:01 am
No idea what is going to happen then. There will be tens of different quotes from the same passage. They version they needed was not made clear enough.
I highly doubt they will take marks off for having a different quote, because the quote came directly from the book, which would be totally unfair if they do so
Title: Re: Editions of the same play - most students are buying the incorrect edition.
Post by: Mellyboo on January 29, 2015, 10:48:35 am
I highly doubt they will take marks off for having a different quote, because the quote came directly from the book, which would be totally unfair if they do so

That wasn't what I was implying. It will just be very confusing discussing the play in the classroom. I bought the specified version just so that I could follow along in the study guides that I bought, without trying to figure out which is which.
Title: Re: Editions of the same play - most students are buying the incorrect edition.
Post by: cosine on January 29, 2015, 10:54:08 am
That wasn't what I was implying. It will just be very confusing discussing the play in the classroom. I bought the specified version just so that I could follow along in the study guides that I bought, without trying to figure out which is which.

Ah in that case, it's best to follow the school's guidelines, as our school only follows our textbooks and all the sacs and stuff are structured from the school's textbook