Ancient Greece Sophocles and Oedipus Rex T= Oedipus the King A= Sophocles (496 B.C. – 406 B.C.) N= Greek G=Drama Pages 204-262.

Ancient Greece

Sophocles and Oedipus Rex

T= Oedipus the King A= Sophocles (496 B.C. – 406 B.C.)

N= Greek G=Drama

Pages 204-262

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

Greece in the 4th Century B.C

Greece was the superpower of the known world

The Greeks worshipped many gods: Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo, etc.

Greek citizens were required to attend festivals to worship and honor the gods.

The origins of ancient Greek drama (theatre) began with dances and songs.

Theatre was used to honor gods. Dionysus was specifically honored for being the

god of wine and procreation. The official debut of theatre records was during

the sixth century. Greek theatres were held outdoors. Competitions for tragedy and comedy sponsored

three week-long festivals.

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

Library Research

Today we will go to the library, and you will complete a sheet while researching different Greek gods.

You will work in pairs with NO TALKING! First team with completed sheet wins a No

Homework Pass!!! If you talk you will be disqualified.

Homework

Zeus is hiring. In fact all the gods and goddesses are looking for assistants. (Controlling the world and everything on it is hard work!) Create a Help Wanted Ad for the Greek god or goddess of your choice. If your god or goddess needed help, what type of person would be suitable for him or her? For example, Poseidon is the god of the water, hurricanes, etc. what qualities would he be looking for in an assistant. Make sure you include at least 6-8 required skills and of course contact information (the applicant needs to know how to get in touch with his or her future employer!) If this is handwritten it MUST be neat. Typing is better and colorful is even better. In other words, I want CREATIVE!!!! DUE Friday!! October 08, 2010

Tragedy: 1) a play in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers a great sorrow. 2) The main character is usually a hero. 3) The downfall is usually caused by a tragic flaw. 4) The purpose of tragedy is to arouse pity and fear in the audience.

Tragic flaw: personality trait that leads to the downfall of the personality trait that leads to the downfall of the herohero

en media res: (Latin for “in the middle of things”) when the story Latin for “in the middle of things”) when the story starts in the middle of events, flashes back, then picks back up starts in the middle of events, flashes back, then picks back up in real timein real time

turning point: point of great tension and determines which direction the action will take

epithet: epithet: a way of naming that provides an important description a way of naming that provides an important description (“gray-eyed Athena”)(“gray-eyed Athena”)

epiphany: epiphany: a great realization of the lesson to be learned (when a great realization of the lesson to be learned (when the light bulb comes on) the light bulb comes on)

Chorus: a performer or group of performers whose function is to comment on the action that has just occurred in a drama. (They may sing and dance.)

Foreshadowing: clues that hint to what will happen in a work of literature

Dramatic irony: the reader or audience knows something that a character does not know.

Personification: when human qualities or thoughts are given to an animal, object, or idea

Symbolism: when a person, place, or thing stands for something else in addition to itself

Protagonist: the main character. The action will follow this character. (It is not always the good guy.)

Antagonist: a person or force in conflict with the protagonist. (Not always the bad guy.)

Drama-- a story acted out on a stage by actors and actresses who take parts of specific characters (a play)

Dialogue--conversation held by the characters which serve to advance the story’s action

Stage Directions--words that tell actors where to go, how to move, and how to say their lines

Aside--words spoken by a character in a play in a low voice, not to be heard by other characters

Monologue--long, uninterrupted speech that is spoken in the presence of other characters

Soliloquy--a speech usually long in which a character is alone on stage and expresses his/her thoughts aloud

It was a citizen’s civic duty to participate in Greek dramas. Women were not allowed to act. They were excluded from

the audience or made to sit in the upper rows of the theatre. Costumes were worn to add size and distinction. Masks were the most distinctive features.

The five uses of masks were: helping identify the specific character, use as a megaphone, distinguish a role, help the audience to glean the personal message, and identify age, sex, mood, and rank.

Masks were made of: bark, cork, leather, and linen.

A mask was called a persona.

Theater of the Greeks

Every show was done during the day Audiences could be as many as 14,000 Minimal, if any set Only the “chorus” Thespis – first “actor” All the actors were men – wore masks Never showed any violence on stage.

More Theater of the Greeks

The Chorus A group of about 15 men Speak in one voice as one “character” Represent the people – in this case the people

of Thebes Offer prayers to the gods Summarizes the action

Oedipus Rex Notes…

Background Oedipus leaves his home city of Corinth to go

wandering Comes to a cross road and kills a man who

wouldn’t get out of his way 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

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

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

Apollo…

Greek god of music, medicine, light, truth, and poetry Also the sun god

(sorta)

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

Oedipus Rex Notes…

Themes Willingness to ignore the truth Limits of free will Human pride

Symbolism Sight and Light = Truth Blindness and Dark = Ignorance/lies

Motifs (when an author uses a literary element over and over – in this case symbols and irony – that emphasize the themes) Sight vs. Blindness / Light vs. Dark Dramatic irony

Literary Terms to pay attention to…

Irony – when the opposite of what is expected happens Situational Irony – when a character or reader

expects one 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

Assign parts: Oedipus – King of Thebes (Quinton) Josh A priest of Zeus (John) Zachary Creon- brother of Jocasta (Sean) Damian Chorus- Theban citizens (Whitney Hannah Jay ) Pea, Ashley Kelsey Tiresias- blind prophet (Terrel) Trent Jocasta- queen, wife of Oedipus (Alexis) Simone Messenger from Corinth (Mr. Page) Brent Shepherd (Timothy) Brandon ,Maria Messenger of Thebes (Tyler D.) Steffone Antigone and Ismene- Jocasta and Oedipus’ daughters (Chelsea G., Jarely) Jennifer, Krysten Guards and attendants (Aaron, David) Jonathan, Michael

List clues to the killer. Apply literary terms.

Our characters will learn many things about themselves that are surprising. What is the most surprising thing you have ever learned about yourself? Write a quickwrite paragraph about this experience.

Oedipus the King, Act I1) What walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the

evening?2) In what city does the drama occur?3) What four disasters are occurring in Thebes? (lines 31-33)4) What did Oedipus save the city from years ago? (line 44)5) How does Oedipus feel about what is happening to his city? (page 266)6) Who did Oedipus send to Delphi and why?7) What set the plague upon the city?8) Who was Laius?9) “Where on earth” are the murderers?10) Who did the witness say attacked Laius?11) Who persuaded the city “to let mystery go”?12) Oedipus says he is a “to the story, a to the crime.”13) Oedipus’s curse on the murderer is to live “his life in.”14) Oedipus says, “So I will fight for him as if he were my.” (line 301)15) Creon sent for, the blind prophet.16) What does Tiresias in lines 374-375?17) Who did Oedipus blame in lines 395-397?18) Who did Tiresias blame for the murder?

Analyze the incidents of dramatic irony in part one. Draw and fill out the T-chart below to indicate what Oedipus knows opposed to what the audience knows.

What Oedipus Knows What the audience knows

You must create a map telling the story of Oedipus’s life. Make sure you label the places Oedipus traveled and tell the importance of the events that took place there.

Your map MUST include: Oedipus’s birth *the murder of King Laius The shepherd *the sphinx Mt. Cithaeron *Oedipus as king, married to Jocasta the messenger *Thebes Polybus and Merope *Corinth The drunk man *Delphi Apollo’s oracle *Daulia

*Phocis