Oedipus Rex

Oedipus Rex First performed around 429 BC Won second place at the feast of Dionysus Cited by Aristotle in Poetics as the highest achievement in Greek tragedy

Setting: Time: unknown Place: in front of the palace of Thebes, ancient Greece

Themes Fate vs. free will Sight vs. blindness Attempting to avoid one’s fate causes the prophesied event to occur. Could Oedipus have chosen to act differently, and if so, would things have happened differently? Sight vs. blindness Oedipus, who can see, is mentally “blind” to his horrible mistake, while the blind prophet Tiresias can see Oedipus’s actions clearly. Even the smartest person can make an error in judgment.

The Sphinx’s Riddle What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three in the evening?"

Man (who crawls on all fours as an infant, walks upright later, and needs a walking stick in old age)

Sophocles c. 497-405 BC Born in Colonus and died in Athens From a wealthy family Believed to have written 123 plays, but only 7 have survived Competed in around 30 competitions, won 24, and never got lower than 2nd place Added a third actor to his plays and reduced the role of the chorus Introduced scenes and scenery Portrayed greater character development than others

Tragedy “Tragedy is, then, an enactment of a deed that is important and complete, and of a certain magnitude, by means of language enriched with ornaments, each used separately in the different parts of the play: it is enacted, not merely recited, and through pity and fear it effects relief (catharsis) to such and similar emotions.” Aristotle, Poetics, VI 1449b 2-3

enactment deed that is important complete of a certain magnitude language enriched with ornaments recited through pity and fear it effects relief (catharsis) to such and similar emotions

Structure Prologue: preliminary speech introducing the drama and background of the story Parodos: first song sung by the chorus Episodes: the main action of the play Stasimon: songs from the chorus that explain or comment on the action of the play Exodus: the conclusion of the play

Elements of a Tragedy Three unities: Main characters of noble rank action: a play should have one main action that it follows, with no or few subplots. place: the action in a play should take place in only one setting. time: the action in a play should take place over no more than 24 hours. Main characters of noble rank Several of the main characters along with the tragic hero die by the end, and order is finally restored. No scenes of horror onstage

Tragic hero The protagonist of a tragedy. The audience feels pity or sympathy towards him. Shows hubris—pride or arrogance, the presumption that one’s mind alone can distinguish good and evil. Has a tragic flaw—error in judgment. Experiences a reversal of fortune. Experiences a recognition of the error.

Examples Oedipus in Sophocles' Oedipus the King (429 BC). Brutus in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (1599). Hamlet in Shakespeare's Hamlet (1601). Lear in Shakespeare's King Lear (c. 1603-1606). Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth (c. 1603-1607). Othello in Shakespeare's Othello (1604). Batman/Bruce Wayne from the DC Universe (1939). Spider-Man/Peter Parker from the Marvel Universe (1962). Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in George Lucas' Star Wars (1977-2005). William Wallace in Mel Gibson's Braveheart (1995). Walt Kowalski in Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino (2008). Harvey Dent in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight (2008). Maximus in Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000 film)