Oedipus Rex (The King)

by Sophocles

Genre: Greek Tragedy

Tragedy orignates from “tragos,” which means “goat.” Winners of festivals would receive a goat as prize.

Focused on popular myths and legends (Oedipus, Trojan War, Hercules, Perseus) and the gods and goddesses

Examined the consequences of individual actions, the relationship of people to the gods, and the role fate plays in life

Best known writers – Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles

Genre’s Characteristics

• A tragedy is a serious drama featuring a hero or main character, often of noble birth, who strives to achieve something and is ultimately defeated.

• The structure of most Greek tragedies presents a tight, formal arrangement of parts.

•Prologue: the opening scene of the play.

•Parados: the first of the Chorus’s lyric songs, or choral odes.

•Dialogue: the conversation of the play’s characters.

•Choral Odes: lyric songs are choral odes. Sophocles treated his chorus as collective “actor.”

•Exodos: the concluding scene of a play.

Greek Theater

Amphitheater: semi-

circle with a central

viewing area

Greek Theater - Parts

Thymele

Greek Theater – Parts Defined

Thymele – altar for god(s), in

middle of “stage”

Theatron – place

for audience to sit

Orchestra – where

the actors performed,

at front of “stage”

Skene – place for

scenery

Praskenion

– dressing

room for

actors

History

Plays were a part of festivals to honor the gods. Oedipus honors the deity, Dionysus, god of fertility.

Every citizen attended these plays, sometimes up to 15,000.

At the end of the festivals, judges would vote on the best play.

Greek Drama

One of the oldest forms of drama (6th century)

Grew out of religion and myth

Performed at religious festivals to honor

Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility

Only male actors allowed to perform

Costumes were high boots, large padded clothing,

and masks made of linen or leather attached to

wood.

Sophocles

Considered the greatest

playwright from Ancient

Greece.

It is believed he won the

Athenian festival

eighteen times.

Very involved in political

and militarily affairs.

Oedipus Rex is part of a

trilogy.

Sophocles the Innovator

Added a 3rd actor.

First to include painted scenery.

Reduced the size of the chorus to fifteen men.

Purpose of chorus is to represent the citizens who

often question, advise, and express opinions.

Never showed violent scenes on stage. Violence

was reported by a messenger, a character in the

play.

Themes

Theme: The central idea or insight to a work of literature.

Fate vs. Free Will – In ancient Greek culture, it was questioned whether it was possible to avoid one’s fate by simple chance or an attempt to avoid prophecy.

Oedipus and the Sphinx

The Characters

Oedipus (ED i pus)their son

Jocasta (jo KAS tuh)Laius (LAY oos)

Creon (KREE ahn)her brother

The Royal Family

The CharactersOedipus’ Family

The Thebans

Oedipus (ED i pus) Jocasta (jo KAS tuh)

The Royal Family

Antigone (an TIG uh nee)Ismene (is MEE nee)

daughte

rs

Greek gods

Dionysus –god of wine, fertility, and drama

Apollo –god of healing and prophecy

Zeus – the supreme deity of gods

Athena –goddess of wisdom Dionysus Apollo

Delphi’s Oracle

Oracle of Delphi

Most important shrine in Greece – for the god Apollo

Built around a sacred spring, was considered to be the “opmhalos” (the navel) – the center of the world

Priestess of Apollo –Pythia – gave cryptic answers to those seeking answers

Sphinx

Sphinx –

a winged, man-eating

creature with a lion’s

body and a woman’s

head, vicious and single

minded

Name from the Greek

word sphingo meaning

“to strangle”

The Sphinx’s Riddle

The Sphinx plagued Thebes with her riddle.

“What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?”

When Oedipus solved the riddle, the Sphinx killed herself and he inherited the throne of Thebes, which also included its queen, Jocasta.

Oedipus and the Sphinx

Tragic Hero

character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy

Hamartia: weakness or flaw in a character.

Hubris: excessive pride or arrogance

Catharsis: self-realization and self-awareness