1. Sophocles

2. Who in the world is Sophocles? Greek writer that lived anywhere between 496 BC - 406 BC One of three main ancient Greek writers whose work has survived (Euripides, Aeschylus are the others) His surviving plays include Ajax, Antigone, Trachinian Women, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus

3. Sophocles Believed to be the most decorated playwright of his time. He won many awards at various contests First to introduce a third actor which made the chorus less important. Plays were usually either comedies or tragedies.

4. Dionysia This was a religious festival honoring the God Dionysus Dionysus is the God of wine. He represents “represents not only the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficial influences.” He was also known as Bacchus. This festival is where Sophocles first won and where he would continue to win contests.

5. Tragedies is any event with a sad and unfortunate outcome Usually displays a reversal of fortune, bad luck falls upon someone great Tragic hero or heroine - story’s hero comes to some sort of misfortune through a mistake Mistake usually occurs due to fate, will of the Gods, or hubris.

6. Background Info. on Antigone (from other plays) Family Background: Laius- Antigones grandfather; was a King who was cursed, which was to fall on the next two generations of the family. –He married Jocasta and became king –He was warned that his son would kill him so he abandoned him at birth –the baby was found and raised by King Polybus; he was named Oedipus

7. Background Info. on Antigone (from other plays) Oedipus went to an Oracle in order to discover the true identity of his parents. –He was told that he would kill his father and marry his mother. –He wasn’t a weirdo and he wanted to avoid this destiny. So he traveled far away to Thebes. On the way he got into a fight with another traveler and killed him. Guess what, it was his father Laius.

8. Background Info. on Antigone (from other plays) He came to Thebes, which was being plagued by the sphinx (a winged creature with a woman’s face and a lion’s body. Creepy.

9. Background Info. on Antigone (from other plays) Creon (Jocasta’s brother, Anigone’s great uncle, & Oedipus’ uncle) offered the Kingdom of Thebes and his sister’s hand in marriage to anyone that could solve the sphinx's riddle and save the kingdom. Guess what, Oedipus solved it and he married his mom!!! Gross!!! With her he had 2 sons and 2 daughters. –Sons= Eteocles & Polyneices –Daughters= Antigone/Ismene

10. Background Info. on Antigone (from other plays) Years later, Thebes became plagued because of the murder of Laius and that the murderer had to be removed to lift the curse. As Oedipus searched for the murderer he found that he murdered him and that he murdered his father and married his mother. As any rational person would do when finding something like this out, he took out his own eyes as punishment. Then Jocasta hanged herself.

11. Background Info. on Antigone (from other plays) Eteocles and Polyneices decided to take turns being King of Thebes. Eteocles started, but decided he didn’t want to give up his power. They went to war. They fought and they killed each other. Creon became King by default and buring Eteocles with honor and decided to let Polyneices’ corpse rot in shame. Here’s where our story begins.