1. Sophocles and Oedipus Rex
Ancient Greece
Sophocles and Oedipus Rex

2. Greece in the 4th Century B.C
Greece was the superpower of the known world
The Greeks worshiped many gods: Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo, etc.
Greek citizens were required to attend festivals to worship and honor the gods.

3. Festival of Dionysis
Dionysis was the god of wine, agriculture, and theater
During this religious festival there was a theater competition – each competing playwright submitted 3 tragedies and 1 comedy
Winners won a goat
The most successful and recognized playwright was Sophocles

4. Sophocles Wrestler, musician, general, politician
Very handsome and successful
Celebrated playwright
120 (ish) plays
20 (ish) first prizes
Only 7 plays remain – the most famous: Oedipus Rex

5. Theater of the Greeks Every show was done during the day
Audiences could be as many as 14,000
Minimal, if any set
“Chorus” role served as commentary from citizens
All the actors were men – wore masks
Never showed any violence on stage.

6. Oedipus Rex Notes… Background
Oedipus leaves his home city of Corinth to go wandering
Comes to city of Thebes who has recently lost their king.
Thebes is under siege of the Sphinx and her riddle
Oedipus answers riddle, Sphinx dies, Oedipus is made king and marries the previous queen

7. Sphinx’s Riddle…how smart are you?
What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?
Answers? (you die if you get it wrong…)
A man – child, healthy adult, old man with a cane

8. Apollo… Also the sun god
Greek god of music, medicine, light, truth, and poetry
Also the sun god
Had an oracle at Delphi – which was the most famous oracle of Ancient Greece
An oracle is a priestess who delivers the prophesies of the god

9. Oedipus Rex Notes… Themes:
Willingness to ignore the truth
Limits of free will (Fate vs. free will)
Motifs (reoccurring ideas that help emphasize the themes)
Sight vs. Blindness
Light vs. Dark

10. Oedipus Rex Notes… Remember:
This is a story that was not invented by Sophocles
The original audiences would have known the story and how it ended

11. Literary Terms for you…
Irony – when the opposite of what is expected happens
Situational Irony – when a character or reader expects on thing to happen but something else entirely happens
Verbal Irony – when someone says one thing but means another
Dramatic Irony – the contrast between what a character knows and what the reader or audience knows (audience knows what will happen before characters)