Oedipus The King

1
Oedipus The King

• By Sophocles

2
Greek Theater

• Theater began as a festival honoring dionysus
• In Athens
• Well-attended

3
Greek Entertainment
4
Masks in Greek Theater

• Dionysus imitation
• Help audience understand
• Made gender unimportant

5
Purpose of the Chorus

• Where else have you seen a chorus in theater?
  What was its purpose?
• In Greek theater
• Initially the chorus was the whole entertainment
• Acting parts were added to the chorus, producing
  conflict and therefore tragedies
• In Sophocles plays - commentator and observer

6
Festival of Dionysus

• 3 dramatists, 3 days, 3 plays
• Sophocles won 1st prize 18 times
• Plays typically about the gods/myths

7
Format

• NO curtain for stage
• Chorus divided scenes
• Terms
• Parodos
• Strophe
• Antistrophe
• choragos

8
ArchetypalGreek Tragic Hero

• Noble Stature
• Good, though flawed
• Hamartia
• Punishment exceeds the crime
• Gains knowledge through fall
• Results in Catharsis for audience

9
Aristotles definition of Tragedy

• The purpose of tragedy is to arouse pity and fear
  in the audience, and so create a catharsis - or
  cleansing of emotions - that will enlighten
  people about life and fate.

10
Characters and Basic Plot

• Oedipus
• Jocasta
• Creon
• Tiresias
• What happens? Tonight for homework, read the
  introduction in your book (pages 131-153)