1. Theater at Epidaurus Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus I Between Two Cities Sophocles in old age

2. For Next Time  Oedipal-Sophoclean justice fate, freedom, justice: a changing picture?  A downer play? stasimon at 1387 ff. (“Not to be born is best”)  What does this play do for us? Oedipus and Antigone

3. Performance, Character, Theme pp. 292 ff.

4. 4 What’s That all About?  confused where they are cluelessness humiliation dramatized  messing with him you’re pathetic toying with him as pathetic as possible  oedipus trying to con way in trying to get away with staying  goddesses sacred land – not to be trodden symbolically –positioning oed in relation to his crime

5. 5 Agenda  General Introduction Production, Myth, (Sub-)Genre  What Value Drama? What Value Plato?  Structural-Thematic Features Oedipal Polarities  What Value Propaganda? Discussion …

6. General Introduction Production, Myth, (Sub-)Genre

7. 7 Production, Historical Context  Composed ca. 406 war with Sparta: 431–404 oligarchical revolution: 411/10 Colonus cavalry skirmish, 410 (407?) Story Order Oedipus the King Oedipus at Colonus Antigone Composition Order Antigone (ca. 442) Oedipus the King (ca. 429?) Oedipus at Colonus (ca. 406)

8. 8 Myth: Athenian Resonances  Oedipal endings typically Thebes here, Athens  Meaning … secret rites? political strife? cavalry skirmish?

9. 9 Between Two Cities: 400s Athens, Thebes  Athens democratic maritime-imperial  Thebes oligarchic land-based  Historical background 413 Sicilian debacle 412 Restraints on democracy 411 Oligarchic coup 404 Defeat, oligarchy Thebes and Athens

10. 10 Dramatis personae (principal)  Oedipus  Antigone  Ismene  Theseus  Creon  Polynices  Chorus (of elderly citizens of Colonus)

11. Oedipus at Colonus – Analysis  prologue (pp. 284 ff.) Oed, Ant, Citizen identity, positioning  parodos (291) amoibaion (chorus-character dialogue) Chorus, Oed, Ant supplication  1 st episode (298) leader, Oed, Ismene, Ant amoibaion (314) Chorus, Oed Oed’s crimes (?) 1 st episode cont’d (318) Leader, Theseus, Oed supplication, negotiation  1 st stasimon (326) praises (Colonus, Athens)  2 nd episode (328) Ant, Oed, Leader, Creon, Theseus tussle over Oed  2 nd stasimon (348) victory song  3 rd episode (350) Leader, Oed, Ant, Thes leave-taking begins  3 rd stasimon (358) the human condition  4 th episode (359) Ant, Oed, Poly a father’s curse amoebic kommos, dialogue (371) Chorus, Oed, Ant portents 4 th episode cont’d (373) Thes, Oed  4 th stasimon (377) prayers for Oed  exodos (378) spoken dialogue, lyric kommos messenger, leader, Ant, Ismene, Thes Oed’s demise, lament, consolation

12. Sub-Genre… “Suppliant Drama”

13. 13 Suppliant Dramas...  Elements outsider arrives –in danger –brings danger seeks protection city (polis) as “character”  Examples Aeschylus –Eumenides –Suppliant Women Sophocles –Oedipus at Colonus Suppliant: One who humbly seeks the help of another. Supplicate: “To beg, pray, or entreat humbly; to present a humble petition” (OED).

14. 14 Oedipal Reversals: OK  Reverse Rite of Passage 1.Incorporation 2.Transition 3.Separation sight-ignorance blindness-knowledge reversal, recognition Compare Oedipus as pharmakos- “scapegoat” …

15. 15 Oedipal Reversals: OC  Furies to Eumenides (“kindly ones”)  “Nothing” to a “man” (anēr, p. 306)  Pharmakos to hērōs  Father to alastōr  Human dilemma to divine

16. What Value Drama? What Value Plato?

17. 17 Review  Plato: drama is … REALITY > REFLECTION > imitation amoral gratification  Aristotle: drama is pleasure… vicarious cathartic instructive

18. 18 About OC, Plato Would Say... (and we’d say back…) Applicable concepts  representation of something not real is bad  will help with the state glorifies athens  would not like it oedipal relationship ant’s reaching out Applicable concepts  thought chorus was gods bad thing generally, cognitive clarity  wouldn’t like the way oed reacts to creon would dislike his disobeying the state  oed’s impiety in relation to the furies’ grove

19. Structural-Thematic Features Oedipal Polarities

20. Stage Set, “Colonus Hippius” skene (stage building) To Underworld Olive grove Equestrian statue to Thebes to Athens Altar of Athena Hippia, Poseidon Hippios East West South Source: Wiles Tragedy in Athens

21. Athens Thebes and Athens Thebes, Athens, Colonus Colonus Hippius

22. Spatial-Thematic Polarities FEMALEMALE left (east of audience)right (west of audience) earth goddessespatriarchal Olympians AthenaPoseidon olive treehorse naturecity wild Thebescivilized Athens individualsocial democracyoligarchy-aristocracy Source: Wiles Tragedy in Athens

23. 23 Political Thematics Political background 413 Sicilian debacle 412 Restraints on democracy 411 Oligarchic coup 404 Defeat, oligarchy Thematic resonance?  Oedipus: “Do you have a king or a common voice”  Citizen: “A king in the city governs all these parts”  Creon: “I bear the mandate of my entire people”  Polynices on Eteocles: “… he bribed the people to his side”

24. What Value Propaganda? Discussion …

25. 25 Reactions: Plato’s? Yours? Plato’s  [reaction] Yours  [reaction] First Stasimon (pp. 326-7): “Here, stranger, here in a land where horses are a glory ….”