Prentice Hall Literature World Masterpieces

 enjoyed a comfortable life in a well-to-do

family age 28--won the wreath in his first play

competition --Antigone wrote 123 plays/7 survived intact end of Sophocles' life--Peloponnesian

War/time of political turmoil

 (tragedy) - a serious drama featuring a

noble, dignified main character (often a member of royalty) who strives to achieve something and is ultimately defeated

 (tragic flaw) - a character flaw or weakness

that eventually leads to a character's downfall 

1. Should be ruler or leader

2. Of good character (neither exceptionally virtuous nor exceptionally evil)

3. Tragic hero goes through one or more reversals of fortune, leading to a final recognition of truth

4. His/her misfortune brought about by some error of judgment or frailty – “hamartia” (tragic flaw)

5. Tragic hero experiences profound suffering in this process

6. Audience should be moved by pity and fear

4 day celebration in honor of Dionysus, god of wine and revelryplays were performed/competition—highlight of the Festival

Also called Oracle of Apollo

Located in Delphi; priests/priestesses of Apollo were believed to have divine knowledge from Apollo

Common themes in Greek tragedy involve characters who attempt to circumvent the prophecies of Apollo, always unsuccessfully

Theme: No mortal can avoid his/her fate

Irony is the contrast between what appears to be and what actually exists.

 3 Types of Irony.....

(verbal irony)—when a character says one thing but means another

(situational irony)—what happens is different from what’s expected to happen

(dramatic irony)—the audience or reader is aware of critical information that a character does not know

Sophocles wrote the 3 plays over a 36 year period

Antigone was written first

1. --Oedipus Rex (written second)2. --Oedipus at Colonus (written last)3. --Antigone (written first)