Oedipus Rex
Unit Background
Greek Drama
In General
Conventions of Greek Drama
 Religion/Competition
 Outdoor
Theater (Amphitheater)
 Chorus/Stylized
Masks
Conventions – Religion/Competition

Based on
mythology/history

Performed in festivals to
honor Dionysus

votes cast and prizes awarded (first, second, third, etc.)

Sophocles wrote 123 plays during his lifetime; 24 won
first prize and the rest won second.
Conventions - Amphitheater
Theater of
Dionysus
in Athens
Parts of a Greek Theater

Orchestra – normally
circular; chorus used
this space to sing,
dance, interact with
actors on the stage

Theatron – spectator
section; usually part of
hillside sloping down
toward orchestra; often
wrapped around large
portion of orchestra;
held 14,000 to 15,000
spectators
Above

Section of Theatron,
including restored entrance
to stage left parados

In Epidavros
Parts of a Greek Theater

Skene – building behind the

Proskenion – wide shallow

Parodos – paths by which
stage; usually decorated as
setting (temple, palace); had
at least one set of doors;
access to roof
stage in front of the skene
chorus and some actors
(messengers, travelers) enter
and exit the stage; used by
audience to enter/exit theater
Conventions - Amphitheater
South Slope of
the Theater of
Dionysus
Athens
Conventions - Chorus





Group varying from three
to 50; believed to be 15
by the time of Sophocles
Main commentators on
character and events
Sung and danced in
unison
Sometimes exchanged
dialogue with main
characters
Rarely spoke individually
Conventions - Chorus

Functions of the Chorus
– An agent to give advice, ask questions, take part in
the action
– Establish ethical framework, and set up the standard
by which the action will be judged
– Ideal spectator – reacts as playwright hopes the
audience would
– Sets mood and heightens dramatic effects
– Adds movement, spectacle, song, and dance
– Rhythmical function – pauses/paces the action so that
the audience can reflect
Conventions - Masks
probably designed to
enhance projection
 allowed few actors to
play multiple roles

– only three actors for
each play (debatable)
– all performers were men
Greek Tragedy
In Particular
Aristotle’s Poetics

Brief book by Greek
philosopher and scientist,
Aristotle (384-322)

Includes first and most
influential analysis of
drama

Defines tragedy as an
“imitation of life”
Aristotle’s Poetics

Catharsis – an emotional purification or relief
brought about by viewing the tragedy

Hubris – reckless pride, sometimes brought
about by a belief the protagonist has that s/he is
above the fates or in control of destiny

Hamartia – a character fault or mistake (like an
Achilles heel rather than a flaw for which s/he
can be held directly responsible)

Anagnorisis – process of recognition, in which
the protagonist sees his/her own nature and
destiny more clearly than before
Aristotle’s Poetics
Elements
of
Drama

Six elements of tragedy

In Aristotle’s order of importance
– Subject Matter
 Plot
 Character
 Thought
– Language and Performance
 Diction
 Song
 Spectacle
Poetics Elements – Subject Matter

Plot – “the sole of tragedy”
– arrangement of the incidents to include a beginning, a
middle, and an end

Character – hero is “above the common level”
– should stress morality, be appropriate, be true to life, and
be consistent

Thought – is found “where something is proved to
be or not to be, or a general maxim is enunciated”
– main idea or concept that characters make concrete in
action of the drama
– Example: “Count no man happy till he dies, free of pain at
last.” (stated by chorus at the end of Oedipus Rex)
Poetics Elements – Language and
Performance

Diction – “the expression of meaning in words”
– Clear without being commonplace
Song – simply, music
 Spectacle – technical stagecraft

– “The spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of
its own, but of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and
connected least with the art of poetry… The
production of spectacular effects depends more on
the art of the stage machinist than on that of the
poet.”
Greek Tragedy - Structure

Prologue: spoken by one or two characters before the
chorus appears; usually gives background necessary for
understanding the events of the play

Parodos: the song sung by chorus as it first enters

Episode: a scene

Stasimon/Ode: chorus dances and sings after other
characters have exited; usually reflects on play’s action
and puts it into some kind of larger mythological
framework

Exodos: chorus exits singing a processional song which
typically offers words of wisdom related to actions and
outcome of the play
Sophocles
In General
Sophocles

496
B.C.
B.C.(in
Athens) to 406
Founded Thiasos of Muses
(society for advancement of
music and literature)
 Very active in politics of the
new democracy
 Two sons: Iophon (with
wife, Nicostrate), and
illegitimate Ariston (with
Theoris)
 “Theban Trilogy” – Oedipus
Rex, Oedipus at Colonus,
Antigone (written first)

Sophocles – Characteristics of Plays
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
emphasis on individual characters
reduced role of chorus
complex characters, psychologically well-motivated
characters subjected to crisis leading to suffering and
self-recognition - including a higher law above man
exposition carefully motivated
scenes suspensefully climactic
action clear and logical
poetry clear and beautiful
few elaborate visual effects
theme emphasized: the choices of people
Sophocles – “Sophoclean Heroes”
Stubborn and self-willed
 Reject advice
 Cut off from family or society
 Pursue own purposes and form own
identities

Oedipus Rex
In Particular
Oedipus Rex - Overview
Oedipus Rex – Dramatic Structure

Setting: palace at Thebes over the course of a day

Prologue
– Details problem and steps Oedipus has taken to correct it

Parodos
– Chorus’ lament, and prayer to various Gods

First Episode/Scene
– Oedipus and Tiresias’ argument over prophecy

First Stasimon/Ode
– Chorus sides with Oedipus

Second Episode/Scene
– Oedipus and Creon conflict
– Jocasta tells her story

Second Stasimon/Ode
– Choral response critical of Oedipus
Oedipus Rex – Dramatic Structure

Third Episode/Scene
– Jocasta appeals to gods
– Corinthian messenger arrives with news

Third Stasimon/Ode
– Chorus appeals to Dionysus

Fourth Episode/Scene
– Shepherd is brought
– Oedipus realizes his identity

Fourth Stasimon/Ode
– Chorus expresses pity for Oedipus

Exodos
– Messenger reports fates of Jocasta and Oedipus
– Creon banishes Oedipus
– Choral Leader censures people
Oedipus Rex – Thematic Topics

Knowledge and
Ignorance

Public vs. Private
Life

Choices and
Consequences
Oedipus Rex – Historical Context

Civil and Moral Unrest
– City-states competing for trade, commerce,
artistic superiority
– 429 B.C. - great plague kills 2/3 population of
Athens

Democracy and Government
– Full citizenship given only to men
– Women and slaves followed different code of
conduct
Oedipus Rex – Historical Context

Playwrights and Drama
– Established traditions of comedy and tragedy
– The Great Dionysia festival competition

The Sophists
– Group broke with tradition
– Focused more on the study of the actions of
humankind than on standard legends of gods
and goddesses
Works Cited
Abel, Lisa, ed. Theatre: Art in Action. Lincolnwood: National Textbook Company, 1999. 66-68, 530-532.
“Ancient Greek Theater.” 27 Nov 2007. <http://academic.reed.edu/humanities/110tech/Theater.html>
Best, Michael. “Greek Terms Used in Tragedy.” Shakespeare's Life and Times. 2001-2005. 27 Nov. 2007.
<http://ise.uvic.ca/Library/SLT/intro/introcite.html>.
Englert, Walter. “Ancient Greek Theater”. 28 Nov 2007.
<http://academic.reed.edu/humanities/110tech/Theater.html>
Johnson, William. “Oedipus The King, by Sophocles.” Fall 2006. 28 Nov. 2007.
<http://classics.uc.edu/~johnson/tragedy/oedipus_king.html>
“Masks.” 27 Nov. 2007. <http://www.greekhandicraft.com/mask.html>
“Offerings Made Before the Image of Dionysus”. Dionysus. Fall 1997. 27 Nov. 2007.
<http://www.holycross.edu/departments/classics/jhamilton/mythology/dionysus/>
Reynolds, Will. “The Republican Chorus.” Online blog. Where there’s a Will, there’s a way. 3 Nov. 2006. 27 Nov.
2007. <http://www.thereisaway.us/campaigning/>
Siegel, Janice. “Dr. J’s Illustrated Greek Theater.” 27 Nov. 2007.
<http://people.hsc.edu/drjclassics/lectures/theater/ancient_greek_theater.shtm>
“Sophocles.” Ancient/Classical History. 2007. 27 Nov 2007. <http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/events/ig/5thCentury-Greece-and-Rome/Sophocles.--1B.htm>
“Sophocles.” Perseus Encyclopedia. 28 Nov 2007. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgibin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0004&layout=&loc=sophocles>
Stenudd, Stefan. “Aristotle’s Writing.” 2006. <http://www.stenudd.com/myth/greek/aristotle/aristotle-06-writing.htm>
Trumbull, Eric W. “Ancient Greek Theatre.” Introduction to Theatre. 1998-2007. 27 Nov. 2007.
<http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/ancientgreek.htm>
Weimelt, J. “The Classical Greek Chorus” 28 Nov. 2007.
<http://www2.selu.edu/Academics/Faculty/jwiemelt/classes/engl230/chorus.htm>
strophe
• Greek: turn, bend, twist
• forms the first part of the ode in Ancient
Greek tragedy
• "strophe, antistrophe and epode were a
kind of stanza framed only for the music,"
with the strophe chanted by a Greek
chorus as it moved from right to left across
the scene. (John Milton)
antistrophe
• Greek: a turning back
• the portion of an ode sung by the chorus in
its returning movement from west to east,
in response to the strophe, which was
sung from east to west
• has the nature of a reply and balances the
effect of the strophe