oedipus rex written by: sophocles
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Oedipus RexWritten by: Sophocles
Oedipus Rex is considered one of the world’s greatest tragedies
SophoclesSophocles was born around 496 B.C.He was one of Greece’s greatest
playwrights and won prizes for his tragedies 24 times
Born into wealth, Sophocles lived during Athens’ Golden Age of achievement and wrote 123 plays
We still have 7 of those plays today.
Oedipus Rex Notes Tragedy- serious drama featuring a main
character, often of noble birth, who strives to achieve something and is ultimately defeated.
Tragic flaw- the inborn character flaw or weakness
that causes the main character’s downfall
Structure of Greek Tragedies
Prologue: Sets forth the subject and provides the mythological background necessary for understanding the events of the play
Parados: “song” sung by the chorus as it first enters- named for the corridors at the front of the stage of a Greek theater
Episode: a scene of dialogue in which one or more actors take part
Structure of Greek Tragedies, cont.
Exodus: a processional song “sung” by the chorus at the end of the play, offering words of wisdom related to the actions and outcome of the play
Chorus: a group that serves as a nameless onlooker and commentator- Sophocles uses the Chorus as an actual character
Choral Odes: the chorus’s lyric songs
Oedipus RexThe Theban Plays- three tragedies
by Sophocles about King Oedipus of Thebes
written over a period of 36 yearsAntigone (442 BC)Oedipus Rex (429 BC)Oedipus at Colonus (406 BC)
Oedipus RexThemes:
The quest for identityThe nature of innocence and guiltThe nature of moral responsibilityThe limitations of human will versus
fateThe abuse of power
Oedipus RexDramatic irony-
When the reader or audience knows something important that a character in a story or drama does not know
Dramatic Irony, cont.The fundamental irony in the play
stems from the audience’s knowledge of Oedipus’ true identity (of which Oedipus is completely unaware)
What do we (the audience) know that Oedipus doesn’t know? Well…
THEBESKing Laius
Queen Jocasta
THEBESKing Laius
Queen Jocasta
baby
THEBESKing Laius
Queen Jocasta
baby
Oracle…servant/shepherd
THEBESKing Laius
Queen Jocasta
baby
Oracle…servant/shepherd
Mt. Cithaeron
THEBESKing Laius
Queen Jocasta
baby
Oracle…servant/shepherd
Mt. Cithaeron
Shepherd finds baby with ankles bound
THEBESKing Laius
Queen Jocasta
baby
Oracle…servant/shepherd
Mt. Cithaeron
Shepherd finds baby with ankles bound
CORINTH King Polybus
Queen Merope
THEBESKing Laius
Queen Jocasta
baby
Oracle…servant/shepherd
Mt. Cithaeron
Shepherd finds baby with ankles bound
CORINTH King Polybus
Queen Merope
Oedipus hears prophecy
THEBESKing Laius
Queen Jocasta
baby
Oracle…servant/shepherd
Mt. Cithaeron
Shepherd finds baby with ankles bound
CORINTH King Polybus
Queen Merope
Oedipus hears prophecy
Crossroads scuffle…kills Laius
THEBESKing Laius
Queen Jocasta
baby
Oracle…servant/shepherd
Mt. Cithaeron
Shepherd finds baby with ankles bound
CORINTH King Polybus
Queen Merope
Oedipus hears prophecy
Crossroads scuffle…kills Laius
Solves riddle,
Riddle of the SphinxSphinx…head of woman, body of
lion, wings of eagleRiddle: What goes on four legs in
the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?
Answer:A man! He crawls on all fours as a
baby, walks on two legs as an adult, and walks with a cane during old age
Sphinx con’dOedipus solved the riddle, and the
Sphinx destroyed herself.Of course morning, noon, and
night are metaphors for the times in a man's (person's) life. Such metaphors are common in riddles.
THEBESKing Laius
Queen Jocasta
baby
Oracle…servant/shepherd
Mt. Cithaeron
Shepherd finds baby with ankles bound
CORINTH King Polybus
Queen Merope
Oedipus hears prophecy
Crossroads scuffle…kills Laius
Solves riddle, saves town, marries Queen
THEBESKing Laius
Queen Jocasta
baby
Oracle…servant/shepherd
Mt. Cithaeron
Shepherd finds baby with ankles bound
CORINTH King Polybus
Queen Merope
Oedipus hears prophecy
Crossroads scuffle…kills Laius
Solves riddle, saves town, marries Queen
Play begins 20 years later…
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