1 / 10

The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles

The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles. Introduction to Oedipus Rex English I Honors. Oedipus Rex. Greek audiences familiar with Oedipus story Dates back to Homer Sophocles’ version presents the end of Oedipus’ life Aristotle considered Sophocles version of Oedipus Rex the perfect tragedy -

isi
Download Presentation

The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Three Theban Playsby Sophocles Introduction to Oedipus Rex English I Honors

  2. Oedipus Rex • Greek audiences familiar with Oedipus story • Dates back to Homer • Sophocles’ version presents the end of Oedipus’ life • Aristotle considered Sophocles version of Oedipus Rex the perfect tragedy - • Aristotle’s Unities :Time, Place, and Action • 2,429 years later we’re still reading it • Written in 429-425 B.C. • Performed at Dionysus Festival

  3. Sophocles • Sophocles wrote more than 120 plays • Only 7 survived • Sophocles competed in Festival of Dionysus; 72 of his plays took first place

  4. Sophocles • He innovated plays…what did he change? • Improved stage scenery • Skene: temporary building that serves as a backdrop & changing room • Proskenion: movable painted panels • Reduced the importance of the chorus • Added a third speaking actor

  5. Oedipus’ Story • To understand play, you must understand the background – audiences were familiar with the story • Story really begins generations prior to Oedipus’ birth • City of Thebes founded by Cadmus

  6. Oedipus’ Story • Laius is great-grandson of Cadmus • Laius and Jocasta are married, have a son • Oracle of Apollo makes a prediction • Laius will be killed by his son

  7. Oedipus’ Story • Laius & Jocasta tell servant to take baby away and kill him • Servant cannot kill baby; gives him to a messenger, who gives baby to childless king and queen of Corinth (nearby city) • This king and queen (Polybus & Merope) name the baby Oedipus, meaning “swollen feet”

  8. Oedipus’ Story • As a grown man, Oedipus learns an oracle has predicted he will grow up to kill his father and marry his mother • To escape fate, he leaves Polybus & Merope in Corinth, goes to Thebes • Meanwhile, Laius is killed at a crossroads outside of Thebes. • A Sphinx takes over the city

  9. Oedipus’ Story • When Oedipus arrives in Thebes, he solves riddle of the Sphinx • As reward, Oedipus gets to marry Jocasta, queen of Thebes • Our story begins years later • A blight has stricken Thebes • Crops won’t grow, babies die in mothers’ wombs • Oedipus sends brother-in-law (Creon) to oracle of Apollo to find a cure for Thebes. The answer: find Laius’ murder

  10. Oedipus Jocasta Creon Tiresias Laius Polybus Merope Chorus Leader of Chorus Messenger (Thebes) Messenger (Corinth) Old Shepard Antigone Ismene Polynices Eteocles Characters

More Related