1. Oedipus Rex Lecture

2. Sophocles Born 496 B.C. Wrote 113 plays, only 7 have survived
From an area outside Athens, Greece
Won 1st at the Dionysian 18 times
Innovator of drama: painted background scenery and 3speaking actors
Interested in character portrayal
Concerned with the individual’s struggle with Fate
Died at 90 in 406 B.C

3. Origins of Greek Drama-Dionysus
Began through religious worship of Dionysus
Greek god of wine, revelry, and physical pleasure
Handsome and vigorous-filled with the joy of life
Father of the Greek Theater

4. Origins of Greek Drama
When grapes were harvested, the Greeks would celebrate in honor of Dionysus
Much dancing and singing
Some people wore masks
At first, everyone took part in the activities. Then, some who danced or sang better than the others would take control of the activities.
The others would gather to watch, thus performance came into existence
A large audience needed a place to see the performance. The people sought out semi-circular hillsides sloping down toward a flat area. This flat area was stomped down and called the “dancing circle” and Western civilization’s first “stage”

5. The First Theatre

6. Theatre of Delphi

7. Theatre Ruins
Theatre of Dionysus
Theatre at Epidaurus

8. Characteristics of Greek Drama
Open to to the sky
Seats of stone
Simple props used
No violence represented directly on stage
Awesome acoustics and visibility
Tickets were free
Only occurred once a year at the Feast of Dionysus

9. Characteristics of Greek Drama
Women sat apart from men
Only men were actors or in the chorus: elaborate masks worn
Lively audience, ate and drank, quarreled, shouted, hissed, groaned, threw olives, figs, or stones
Three days of drama-on each day five plays were presented: 3 tragedies, a satyr play, and a comedy
Winners chosen by a panel of 10 judges

10. Greek Masks

11. The Chorus
Earliest Greek drama was a group production performed by a chorus
The chorus sometimes sang, sometimes chanted
In 535 B.C., a man named Thespis, who was a prominent leader of the chorus, stepped out from the group and recited alone—thus, the first actor
Originally, the Chorus consisted of about 50 people

12. The Chorus Chorus functions as another character in the play-sort of
Chorus dwindled to no more than 15 people over the years, as first a 2nd actor was added, and finally, a 3rd
Chorus functions as another character in the play-sort of
Chorus sets the mood and atmosphere of the play
Engages in dialogue with the characters through the Chorus Leader
Comments on and emphasizes the main themes of the play
Offers important background and provides summaries so that the audience might better understand the play
Models an ideal audience’s response to the unfolding drama
Foreshadows the outcome of the play

13. Tragic Hero A man of high birth
Has great promise, ability, and integrity of character
Neither extremely good or evil
Has a tragic flaw or weakness-sometimes seen in as an error in judgment
Suffers, does not endure passively, fights back
He must have a choice
Downfall (causes?)

14. Oracle at Delphi Apollo’s oracle Prophecies given by oracle
Oracle a priestess of Apollo

15. Sphinx
Monster with the head of a woman, claws or a lion, tail of a serpent, and the wings of a bird
Took up residence near the city of Thebes and asked every person the following riddle: “What walks on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening?”
Killed those who could not answer her correctly

16. Things to Look for in Oedipus Rex
Irony, chiefly, dramatic irony
Concept of fate
Characterization of Oedipus
Role of and belief in the gods
Blindness, truth, knowledge
Disease
Nature of the conflict
Concept of transgression-violation of a law, command, or duty