1. The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles Introduction to Oedipus Rex English I Honors

2. Oedipus Rex  Greek audiences familiar with Oedipus story Dates back to Homer  Sophocles’ version presents the end of Oedipus’ life Aristotle considered Sophocles version of Oedipus Rex the perfect tragedy - Aristotle’s Unities :Time, Place, and Action  2,429 years later we’re still reading it Written in 429-425 B.C. Performed at Dionysus Festival

3. Sophocles  Sophocles wrote more than 120 plays  Only 7 survived  Sophocles competed in Festival of Dionysus; 72 of his plays took first place

4. Sophocles  He innovated plays…what did he change? Improved stage scenery  Skene: temporary building that serves as a backdrop & changing room  Proskenion: movable painted panels Reduced the importance of the chorus Added a third speaking actor

5. Oedipus’ Story  To understand play, you must understand the background – audiences were familiar with the story  Story really begins generations prior to Oedipus’ birth  City of Thebes founded by Cadmus

6. Oedipus’ Story  Laius is great-grandson of Cadmus  Laius and Jocasta are married, have a son  Oracle of Apollo makes a prediction Laius will be killed by his son

7. Oedipus’ Story  Laius & Jocasta tell servant to take baby away and kill him  Servant cannot kill baby; gives him to a messenger, who gives baby to childless king and queen of Corinth (nearby city)  This king and queen (Polybus & Merope) name the baby Oedipus, meaning “swollen feet”

8. Oedipus’ Story  As a grown man, Oedipus learns an oracle has predicted he will grow up to kill his father and marry his mother To escape fate, he leaves Polybus & Merope in Corinth, goes to Thebes  Meanwhile, Laius is killed at a crossroads outside of Thebes.  A Sphinx takes over the city

9. Oedipus’ Story  When Oedipus arrives in Thebes, he solves riddle of the Sphinx As reward, Oedipus gets to marry Jocasta, queen of Thebes  Our story begins years later A blight has stricken Thebes Crops won’t grow, babies die in mothers’ wombs Oedipus sends brother-in-law (Creon) to oracle of Apollo to find a cure for Thebes. The answer: find Laius’ murder

10. Characters  Oedipus  Jocasta  Creon  Tiresias  Laius  Polybus  Merope  Chorus  Leader of Chorus  Messenger (Thebes)  Messenger (Corinth)  Old Shepard  Antigone  Ismene  Polynices  Eteocles