oedipus rex introduction

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Oedipus Rex Lecture

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Page 1: Oedipus Rex Introduction

Oedipus Rex Lecture

Page 2: Oedipus Rex Introduction

SophoclesBorn 496 B.C.Wrote 113 plays, only 7 have survivedFrom an area outside Athens, GreeceWon 1st at the Dionysian 18 timesInnovator of drama: painted background scenery and 3speaking actorsInterested in character portrayalConcerned with the individual’s struggle with FateDied at 90 in 406 B.C

Page 3: Oedipus Rex Introduction

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

Page 4: Oedipus Rex Introduction

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, thus performance came 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 civilization’s first “stage”

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The First Theatre

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Theatre of Delphi

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Theatre Ruins

Theatre of Dionysus

Theatre at Epidaurus

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LSU’s Greek Theatre

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Characteristics of Greek Drama

Open to to the skySeats of stoneSimple props usedNo violence represented directly on stageRich citizens (patrons) funded the expense of putting on a playAwesome acoustics and visibilityTickets were freeOnly occurred once a year at the Feast of Dionysus

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Characteristics of Greek DramaWomen sat apart from menOnly men were actors or in the chorus: elaborate masks wornLively audience, ate and drank, quarreled, shouted, hissed, groaned, threw olives, figs, or stonesThree days of drama-on each day five plays were presented: 3 tragedies, a satyr play, and a comedyWinners chosen by a panel of 10 judges

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Greek Masks

Page 12: Oedipus Rex Introduction

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 alone—thus, the first actor

Originally, the Chorus consisted of about 50 people

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The Chorus

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

Chorus functions as another character in the play-sort of

Chorus sets the mood and atmosphere of the playEngages in dialogue with the characters through the Chorus LeaderComments on and emphasizes the main themes of the playOffers important background and provides summaries so that the audience might better understand the playModels an ideal audience’s response to the unfolding dramaForeshadows the outcome of the play

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Tragic Hero

A man of high birthHas great promise, ability, and integrity of characterNeither extremely good or evilHas a tragic flaw or weakness-sometimes seen in as an error in judgmentSuffers, does not endure passively, fights backHe must have a choiceDownfall (causes?)

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Characters in Oedipus Rex

Oedipus- “Pierced feet”- Current King of ThebesJocasta-Oedipus’ wife, widow of murdered King LaiusPolybus and Merope-Oedipus’ adoptive parents, king and queen of CorinthCreon-Jocasta’s brotherTeiresias-soothsayer

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Oracle at Delphi

Apollo’s oracle

Prophecies given by oracle

Oracle a priestess of Apollo

Natural gas

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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

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Things to Look for in Oedipus Rex

Irony, chiefly, dramatic ironyConcept of fateCharacterization of OedipusRole of and Belief in the godsBlindness, Truth, KnowledgeDiseaseNature of the conflictConcept of transgression-violation of a law, command, or duty