Oedipus Rex

1
Oedipus Rex

• Unit Background

2
Greek Drama

• In General

3
Conventions of Greek Drama

• Religion/Competition
• Outdoor Theater (Amphitheater)
• Chorus/Stylized Masks

4
Conventions Religion/Competition

• Based on mythology/history
• Performed in festivals to honor Dionysus

• votes cast and prizes awarded (first, second,
  third, etc.)
• Sophocles wrote 123 plays during his lifetime 24
  won first prize and the rest won second.

5
Conventions - Amphitheater

• Theater of Dionysus
• in Athens

6
Parts of a Greek Theater

• Orchestra normally circular chorus used this
  space to sing, dance, interact with actors on the
  stage
• Theatron spectator section usually part of
  hillside sloping down toward orchestra often
  wrapped around large portion of orchestra held
  14,000 to 15,000 spectators

• Above
• Section of Theatron, including restored entrance
  to stage left parados
• In Epidavros

7
Parts of a Greek Theater

• Skene building behind the stage usually
  decorated as setting (temple, palace) had at
  least one set of doors access to roof
• Proskenion wide shallow stage in front of the
  skene
• Parodos paths by which chorus and some actors
  (messengers, travelers) enter and exit the stage
  used by audience to enter/exit theater

8
Conventions - Amphitheater

• South Slope of the Theater of Dionysus
• Athens

9
Conventions - Chorus

• Group varying from three to 50 believed to be 15
  by the time of Sophocles
• Main commentators on character and events
• Sung and danced in unison
• Sometimes exchanged dialogue with main characters
• Rarely spoke individually

10
Conventions - Chorus

• Functions of the Chorus
• An agent to give advice, ask questions, take part
  in the action
• Establish ethical framework, and set up the
  standard by which the action will be judged
• Ideal spectator reacts as playwright hopes the
  audience would
• Sets mood and heightens dramatic effects
• Adds movement, spectacle, song, and dance
• Rhythmical function pauses/paces the action so
  that the audience can reflect

11
Conventions - Masks

• probably designed to enhance projection
• allowed few actors to play multiple roles
• only three actors for each play (debatable)
• all performers were men

12
Greek Tragedy

• In Particular

13
Aristotles Poetics

• Brief book by Greek philosopher and scientist,
  Aristotle (384-322)
• Includes first and most influential analysis of
  drama
• Defines tragedy as an imitation of life

14
Aristotles Poetics

• Catharsis an emotional purification or relief
  brought about by viewing the tragedy
• Hubris reckless pride, sometimes brought about
  by a belief the protagonist has that s/he is
  above the fates or in control of destiny
• Hamartia a character fault or mistake (like an
  Achilles heel rather than a flaw for which s/he
  can be held directly responsible)
• Anagnorisis process of recognition, in which
  the protagonist sees his/her own nature and
  destiny more clearly than before

15
Aristotles Poetics

• Elements
• of
• Drama

• Six elements of tragedy
• In Aristotles order of importance
• Subject Matter
• Plot
• Character
• Thought
• Language and Performance
• Diction
• Song
• Spectacle

16
Poetics Elements Subject Matter

• Plot the sole of tragedy
• arrangement of the incidents to include a
  beginning, a middle, and an end
• Character hero is above the common level
• should stress morality, be appropriate, be true
  to life, and be consistent
• Thought is found where something is proved to
  be or not to be, or a general maxim is
  enunciated
• main idea or concept that characters make
  concrete in action of the drama
• Example Count no man happy till he dies, free
  of pain at last. (stated by chorus at the end of
  Oedipus Rex)

17
Poetics Elements Language and Performance

• Diction the expression of meaning in words
• Clear without being commonplace
• Song simply, music
• Spectacle technical stagecraft
• The spectacle has, indeed, an emotional
  attraction of its own, but of all the parts, it
  is the least artistic, and connected least with
  the art of poetry The production of spectacular
  effects depends more on the art of the stage
  machinist than on that of the poet.

18
Greek Tragedy - Structure

• Prologue spoken by one or two characters before
  the chorus appears usually gives background
  necessary for understanding the events of the
  play
• Parodos the song sung by chorus as it first
  enters
• Episode a scene
• Stasimon/Ode chorus dances and sings after other
  characters have exited usually reflects on
  plays action and puts it into some kind of
  larger mythological framework
• Exodos chorus exits singing a processional song
  which typically offers words of wisdom related to
  actions and outcome of the play

19
Sophocles

• In General

20
Sophocles

• 496 B.C.(in Athens) to 406 B.C.
• Founded Thiasos of Muses (society for advancement
  of music and literature)
• Very active in politics of the new democracy
• Two sons Iophon (with wife, Nicostrate), and
  illegitimate Ariston (with Theoris)
• Theban Trilogy Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at
  Colonus, Antigone (written first)

21
Sophocles Characteristics of Plays

• emphasis on individual characters
• reduced role of chorus
• complex characters, psychologically
  well-motivated
• characters subjected to crisis leading to
  suffering and self-recognition - including a
  higher law above man
• exposition carefully motivated
• scenes suspensefully climactic
• action clear and logical
• poetry clear and beautiful
• few elaborate visual effects
• theme emphasized the choices of people

22
Sophocles Sophoclean Heroes

• Stubborn and self-willed
• Reject advice
• Cut off from family or society
• Pursue own purposes and form own identities

23
Oedipus Rex

• In Particular

24
Oedipus Rex - Overview
25
Oedipus Rex Dramatic Structure

• Setting palace at Thebes over the course of a
  day
• Prologue
• Details problem and steps Oedipus has taken to
  correct it
• Parodos
• Chorus lament, and prayer to various Gods
• First Episode/Scene
• Oedipus and Tiresias argument over prophecy
• First Stasimon/Ode
• Chorus sides with Oedipus
• Second Episode/Scene
• Oedipus and Creon conflict
• Jocasta tells her story
• Second Stasimon/Ode
• Choral response critical of Oedipus

26
Oedipus Rex Dramatic Structure

• Third Episode/Scene
• Jocasta appeals to gods
• Corinthian messenger arrives with news
• Third Stasimon/Ode
• Chorus appeals to Dionysus
• Fourth Episode/Scene
• Shepherd is brought
• Oedipus realizes his identity
• Fourth Stasimon/Ode
• Chorus expresses pity for Oedipus
• Exodos
• Messenger reports fates of Jocasta and Oedipus
• Creon banishes Oedipus
• Choral Leader censures people

27
Oedipus Rex Thematic Topics

• Knowledge and Ignorance
• Public vs. Private Life
• Choices and Consequences

28
Oedipus Rex Historical Context

• Civil and Moral Unrest
• City-states competing for trade, commerce,
  artistic superiority
• 429 B.C. - great plague kills 2/3 population of
  Athens
• Democracy and Government
• Full citizenship given only to men
• Women and slaves followed different code of
  conduct

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Oedipus Rex Historical Context

• Playwrights and Drama
• Established traditions of comedy and tragedy
• The Great Dionysia festival competition
• The Sophists
• Group broke with tradition
• Focused more on the study of the actions of
  humankind than on standard legends of gods and
  goddesses

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Works Cited

• Abel, Lisa, ed. Theatre Art in Action.
  Lincolnwood National Textbook Company, 1999.
  66-68, 530-532.
• Ancient Greek Theater. 27 Nov 2007.
  lthttp//academic.reed.edu/humanities/110tech/Theat
  er.htmlgt
• Best, Michael. Greek Terms Used in Tragedy.
  Shakespeare's Life and Times. 2001-2005. 27
  Nov. 2007. lthttp//ise.uvic.ca/Library/SLT/intro/
  introcite.htmlgt.
• Englert, Walter. Ancient Greek Theater. 28 Nov
  2007. lthttp//academic.reed.edu/humanities/110tec
  h/Theater.htmlgt
• Johnson, William. Oedipus The King, by
  Sophocles. Fall 2006. 28 Nov. 2007.
  lthttp//classics.uc.edu/johnson/tragedy/oedipus_k
  ing.htmlgt
• Masks. 27 Nov. 2007. lthttp//www.greekhandicra
  ft.com/mask.htmlgt
• Offerings Made Before the Image of Dionysus.
  Dionysus. Fall 1997. 27 Nov. 2007.
  lthttp//www.holycross.edu/departments/classics/jha
  milton/mythology/dionysus/gt
• Reynolds, Will. The Republican Chorus. Online
  blog. Where theres a Will, theres a way. 3
  Nov. 2006. 27 Nov. 2007. lthttp//www.thereisaway
  .us/campaigning/gt
• Siegel, Janice. Dr. Js Illustrated Greek
  Theater. 27 Nov. 2007. lthttp//people.hsc.edu/dr
  jclassics/lectures/theater/ancient_greek_theater.s
  htmgt
• Sophocles. Ancient/Classical History. 2007.
  27 Nov 2007. lthttp//ancienthistory.about.com/od/
  events/ig/5th-Century-Greece-and-Rome/Sophocles.--
  1B.htmgt
• Sophocles. Perseus Encyclopedia. 28 Nov 2007.
  lthttp//www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?docPe
  rseus3Atext3A1999.04.0004layoutlocsophoclesgt
  
• Stenudd, Stefan. Aristotles Writing. 2006.
  lthttp//www.stenudd.com/myth/greek/aristotle/arist
  otle-06-writing.htmgt
• Trumbull, Eric W. Ancient Greek Theatre.
  Introduction to Theatre. 1998-2007. 27 Nov.
  2007. lthttp//novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/anc
  ientgreek.htmgt
• Weimelt, J. The Classical Greek Chorus 28
  Nov. 2007. lthttp//www2.selu.edu/Academics/Facult
  y/jwiemelt/classes/engl230/chorus.htmgt

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strophe

• Greek turn, bend, twist
• forms the first part of the ode in Ancient Greek
  tragedy
• "strophe, antistrophe and epode were a kind of
  stanza framed only for the music," with the
  strophe chanted by a Greek chorus as it moved
  from right to left across the scene. (John
  Milton)

32
antistrophe

• Greek a turning back
• the portion of an ode sung by the chorus in its
  returning movement from west to east, in response
  to the strophe, which was sung from east to west
• has the nature of a reply and balances the effect
  of the strophe