1. Sophocles

2. Sophocles (495 BC - 406 BC) was the second of three great ancient Greek tragedians. He was preceded by Aeschylus, and was followed by or contemporary to Euripides. Of a 120 plays, only 7 survive

3. Only seven of his tragedies have survived into modern times with their text completely known. The most famous of these are the three tragedies concerning Oedipus and Antigone: these are often known as the Theban plays or The Oedipus Cycle, although they were not originally written or performed as a single trilogy. Sophocles influenced the development of the drama, most importantly by adding a third character and thereby reducing the importance of the chorus in the presentation of the plot. He also developed his characters to a greater extent than earlier playwrights such as Aeschylus, and used female characters in his plays.

4. The Greek theatre or Greek drama is a theatrical tradition that flourished in ancient Greece between c. 550 and c. 220 BC. Athens, the political and military power in Greece during this period, was the center of ancient Greek theatre. Tragedy and comedy

7. Perhaps the most famous of Sophocles plays are commonly known as the Theban plays or The Oedipus Cycle. The cycle consists of the plays Oedipus Rex (or Oedipus Tyrannos), which won second prize at the Dionysia festival in 427, Oedipus at Colonus, which won first prize when produced by his grandson, and Antigone. Although these three plays are related in plot, they were not written or performed at the same time, and so were likely not originally intended to be a trilogy.

8. A Brief Summary of Oedipus Rex A TRAGEDY WRITTEN BY SOPHOCLES

9. Oedipus is born. Tiresias, a blind prophet tells Oedipus ’ parents, King Laius and Queen Jocasta that their son will one day kill Laius and marry Jocasta. Laius orders the death of Oedipus.

10. A Shepard takes the infant Oedipus out to kill him, but he can ’ t do it. He leaves him on the top of the mountain. The King and Queen of Corinth adopts Oedipus.

11. When Oedipus is a young adult, he hits the road. He bumps into King Laius on the road. A fight ensues, and Oedipus kills the king (not realizing that, a) he was a king, and, b) he was Oedipus ’ father). Oedipus travels to Thebes. In order to get into the city, he must solve a Sphinx’s riddle (or he ’ ll die). "What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three in the evening?" He solves the riddle, and becomes the king of Thebes, then marries the newly widowed Queen, Jocasta (his mother).

12.  They have four kids: Etocles, Polynices, Ismene, and Antigone.

13. A terrible curse falls on Thebes. The only way to rid the curse, Oedipus learns from his Uncle Creon (Jocasta ’ s brother), is to discover who murdered Jocasta ’ s husband, the former King of Thebes, Laius (Oedipus ’ father).

14.  Through a series of inquiries, Oedipus figures out that HE (unwittingly) killed his father (King Laius), AND that HE (unwittingly) married his mother (Queen Jocasta).

15.  Jocasta has a meltdown when she discovers this and kills herself.

16.  Oedipus symbolically stabs himself in the eyes (wanting to blind himself from his wrongdoings), and is self- exiled from Thebes. (He is TRULY a tragic character)

17. Now, his children are cursed …

18. Greek Tragedy Four Characteristics of a Tragic Hero (According to Aristotle’s Poetics) 1. POSITION. The hero is royal or noble with great power, usually a king. He is a good, respected man who acts out of good intentions. He has much to lose. 2. TRAGIC FLAW (hamartia). In spite of his good intentions, the hero makes a tragic error which causes his reversal. The error usually stems from a character flaw, usually pride. 3. REVERSAL (catastrophe). Because of his tragic error, the hero suffers a downfall from his happy, envied position to suffering and misery. 4. RECOGNITION (catharsis). The hero realizes that his own flaw or error has caused his reversal. This recognition always occurs too late for the hero to prevent or escape his reversal. Anaganorsis the tragic hero catharsis the reader

19. Five Characteristics of Tragedy According to Aristotle from Poetics 1. Tragedy arouses the emotions of pity and fear, wonder and awe. 2. A tragic hero must be a man or woman capable of great suffering. 3. Tragedy explores the question of the ways of Gods to mortals. 4. Tragedy purifies the emotions. 5. Tragedy shows how the hero is brought to diaster by a single flaw in character.

20. Four Themes of Tragedy 1. Everything depends on the gods. 2. Even though women hold inferior social positions, they still uphold traditional values. 3. Unyielding love inspires fierce devotion. 4. Uncompromising pride leads to the destruction of the tragic hero.