1. Greek Drama  Originated with one speaker in dithyrambs in 6 th century Greece  Part of spring festival in honor of god Dionysus  Dionysus: god of the country rather than the city; god of life spirit

2. Development  Aeschylus (525 BC) added a second character; thought of, then, as creator of tragedy  One of his best known trilogies is the Oresteia

3. Sophocles (495-406 BC)  Added a third character  Won numerous competitions for his plays  Wrote at least 123 plays; only 7 have survived intact

4. Nature of theater experience  Huge outdoor arenas seated 14,00-15,000 spectators  Acoustical wonders, but actors had to have very strong voices  Wore masks that conveyed certain character types and features

5. Dionysian Festival  Festival held in spring over several days  Honored god Dionysus  Competition developed  Plays were based on earlier myths that were part of oral tradition

6. The Theban Plays  Center around Oedipus of the House of Thebes  Son of Laius and Jocasta, who were told by the Oracle at Delphi that their son would kill his father

7. Oedipus, con’t  Oedipus grew up, learned from the oracle he was to kill his father; left home  Met group of men he thought were robbers at a crossroad; killed them in self defense  Then met the Sphinx

8. King of Thebes  Sphinx terrorizing Thebes; relief only if her riddle could be solved  Oedipus solved the riddle, thus became king of Thebes and married Queen (Jocasta)  They had four children

9. Plague on Thebes  Plague descends on Thebes; can only be lifted if King discovers who murdered Laius, the previous king  Oedipus sets out on a passionate search for the killer in order to save his people

10. Oedipus  Oedipus perseveres despite advice to the contrary, finally uncovering that he himself is the murderer he seeks  Jocasta kills herself; Oedipus blinds himself so as not to look upon that which he has done and then goes into exile

11. Children of Oedipus  Two females, Antigone and Ismene  Two males, Eteocles and Polyneices  At first the sons took turns ruling, but that agreement fell apart  Eteocles held Thebes; Polyneices gathered forces to attack the city

12. As the Play Opens  Creon, brother to Jocasta, is king  Oedipus has died in exile at Colonnus  The two brothers have killed each other  Creon has order that the body of Polyneices shall not be buried