1.Oedipus RexLecture

2. Sophocles

Born 496 B.C.

Wrote 113 plays, only 7 have survived

From an area outside Athens, Greece

Won 1 stat the Dionysian 18 times

Innovator of drama: painted background scenery and 3speaking actors

Interested in character portrayal

Concerned with the individuals struggle with Fate

Died at 90 in 406 B.C

3. Origins of Greek Drama-Dionysus

Began through religious worship of Dionysus

Greek god of wine, revelry, and physical pleasure

Handsome and vigorous-filled with the joy of life

Father of the Greek Theater

4. Origins of Greek Drama

When grapes were harvested, the Greeks would celebrate in honor of Dionysus

Much dancing and singing

Some people wore masks

At first, everyone took part in the activities.Then, some who danced or sang better than the others would take control of the activities.

The others would gather to watch, thusperformancecame into existence

A large audience needed a place to see the performance.The people sought out semi-circular hillsides sloping down toward a flat area.This flat area was stomped down and called the dancing circle and Western civilizations first stage

5. The First Theatre 6. Theatre of Delphi 7. Theatre Ruins

Theatre of Dionysus

Theatre at Epidaurus 8. LSUs Greek Theatre 9. Characteristics of Greek Drama

Open to to the sky

Seats of stone

Simple props used

No violence represented directly on stage

Rich citizens (patrons) funded the expense of putting on a play

Awesome acoustics and visibility

Tickets were free

Only occurred once a year at the Feast of Dionysus

10. Characteristics of Greek Drama

Women sat apart from men

Only men were actors or in the chorus: elaborate masks worn

Lively audience, ate and drank, quarreled, shouted, hissed, groaned, threw olives, figs, or stones

Three days of drama-on each day five plays were presented: 3 tragedies, a satyr play, and a comedy

Winners chosen by a panel of 10 judges

11. Greek Masks 12. The Chorus

Earliest Greek drama was a group production performed by a chorus

The chorus sometimes sang, sometimes chanted

In 535 B.C., a man named Thespis, who was a prominent leader of the chorus, stepped out from the group and recited alonethus, the first actor

Originally, the Chorus consisted of about 50 people

13. The Chorus

Chorus dwindled to no more than 15 people over the years, as first a 2 ndactor was added, and finally, a 3 rd

Chorus functions as another character in the play-sort of

Chorus sets the mood and atmosphere of the play

Engages in dialogue with the characters through the Chorus Leader

Comments on and emphasizes the main themes of the play

Offers important background and provides summaries so that the audience might better understand the play

Models an ideal audiences response to the unfolding drama

Foreshadows the outcome of the play

14. Tragic Hero

A man of high birth

Has great promise, ability, and integrity of character

Neither extremely good or evil

Has a tragic flaw or weakness-sometimes seen in as an error in judgment

Suffers, does not endure passively, fights back

He must have a choice

Downfall (causes?)

15. Characters inOedipus Rex

Oedipus- Pierced feet- Current King of Thebes

Jocasta-Oedipus wife, widow of murdered King Laius

Polybus and Merope-Oedipus adoptive parents, king and queen of Corinth

Creon-Jocastas brother

Teiresias-soothsayer

16. Oracle at Delphi

Apollos oracle

Prophecies given by oracle

Oracle a priestess of Apollo

Natural gas

17. Sphinx

Monster with the head of a woman, claws or a lion, tail of a serpent, and the wings of a bird

Took up residence near the cit of Thebes and asked every person the following riddle: What walks on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening?

Killed those who could not answer her correctly

18. Things to Look for inOedipus Rex

Irony, chiefly, dramatic irony

Concept of fate

Characterization of Oedipus

Role of and Belief in the gods

Blindness, Truth, Knowledge

Disease

Nature of the conflict

Concept of transgression-violation of a law, command, or duty