Ancient Greek Tragedy and Oedipus the King

Greek Theatre ■ Ancient Greece first put on plays as part of the Festival of Dionysus (god of wine) ■ Plays were performed in Amphitheatres – outdoor stadiums carved into mountainsides ■ Actors were all male –Thespis – one actor –Thespians – many actors

Tragedy vs. Comedy ■ Only two genres – Tragedy and Comedy ■ Tragedies: about important people and big themes; explored relationships between gods and men; often end in death/sadness ■ Comedies: can be about anyone; explored relationships between people (could include lesser gods or creatures); often end in marriage/happiness

Characteristics of a Tragic Hero Man of high birth Man of great promise, ability, & integrity Has a tragic flaw or weakness Has a capacity for suffering (conscience); does not endure passively – fights back & seeks remedies His actions involve him in choices Dies at the end of the play; his downfall may be: tragic flaw, supernatural, fate/ill-luck, or combination Some men are compromisers; some are ambitious; some are completely loyal; some cannot act

The Contest and Sophocles ■ Play festivals soon became contests between actors, playwrights, etc. ■ Sophocles was considered one of the great playwrights of his day (400’s BC) ■ Oedipus Rex took 2 nd place in its year ■ Today, Oedipus Rex is considered the best-written play in Western history

The Characters ■ Oedipus: king of Thebes ■ Jocasta: Oedipus’ wife, queen of Thebes ■ Creon: Jocasta’s brother ■ Laius: Jocasta’s first husband, murdered years ago ■ Tieresias: blind prophet ■ Polybus: Oedipus’ father ■ Merope: Oedipus’ mother ■ Antigone: Oedipus’ daughter (1 of 4 children)

Background ■ The audience already knew the story of Oedipus (dramatic irony) ■ People went to see how Sophocles would tell the tale ■ Sophocles wanted to teach the people that you cannot change your destiny

Before the Play Begins… ■ It all started with CADMUS, who killed the god Apollo’s favorite pet snake. ■ Apollo cursed Cadmus, and all members of Cadmus’ immediate family with lives of misery and misfortune ■ Generations later, we have the story of Oedipus…

Before the Play Begins… ■ Oedipus was raised in Corinth ■ One night, at a party, a drunk man told Oedipus that his parents were not his real parents. ■ Worried this was true, Oedipus went to the oracle, who told Oedipus that he was destined to kill his father (commit patricide) and marry his mother. ■ Oedipus ran away from home to avoid this…

■ When he got outside Thebes, the city was being terrorized by a Sphinx, who would eat anyone who couldn’t answer her riddle ■ Oedipus guessed the answer, and the Sphinx was so ashamed, she threw herself into the ocean and drowned ■ The people were so relieved (and their king, Laius, had died) that they asked Oedipus to be their king… ■ When the story starts, Oedipus and Jocasta have been married for many years and have two sons and two daughters

The Sphinx ■The sphinx was a monster with the head of a woman, claws of a lion, tail of a serpent, and wings of a bird. She asked a riddle: “What walks on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening?” Those who could not answer the riddle were killed.

Oedipus Strong Points Has kingly attributes; looked like a leader Has compassion & concern; cared for his people; wants to end the plague Is brave; willing to do what is necessary to save his people from more suffering Weaknesses Has no clear vision and acts upon hearing only one side of a matter because he can only see one side Acts without thinking Undergoes blind frenzies of pride Is impatient, stubborn, slow to learn, and short- tempered