Oedipus Rex Sophocles DR 2009Oedipus at Colonus Oedipus Rex Antigone.
Oedipus Rex
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Transcript of Oedipus Rex
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Oedipus RexOedipus Rexby Sophoclesby Sophocles
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SophoclesSophocles
•496 – 406 B. C.•a playwright who lived a long, comfortable, happy life
•grew up in a wealthy family in ATHENS, GREECE
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SophoclesSophocles
•his dramatic work portrayed misery and tragedy
•he also became a distinguished public official
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SophoclesSophocles•produced 123 plays (only seven survive today)
•the age of Sophocles in Greece was a time when anything seemed possible through human effort and reason
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SophoclesSophocles
•toward the end of Sophocles’ life, Athens raged a war against Sparta, their bitter rivals
•there also was a great plague in 430 B. C.
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SophoclesSophocles
Sophocles’ surviving plays (written after 440 B.C.) are deeply troubling
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SophoclesSophocles
These plays depict characters caught up in unsolvable dilemmas that test their faith in divine and human justice
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The Greek TheatresThe Greek Theatres
Orchestra- circular “dancing Place,” where the chorus performed.
Theatron: “seeing place,” where stone benches were constructed for the audience to sit.
Parados: extending from the orchestra to each side of the theatron, 2 broad aisles where the chorus entered and exited.
Often located in or around sanctuaries to the god’s.Skene: rectangular building with 3 doors in front, providing backdrop for the action of the polay, as well as an arena where actors entered and exited.
Proskenion: small platform errected to give actors more visibility; separate them fro chorus & orchestra
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Important Definitions: Important Definitions: ComedyComedy
• Greeks and Romans confined the word "comedy" to descriptions of stage-plays with happy endings. Aristotle, in the Poetics, states that comedy originated in Phallic songs and the light treatment of the otherwise base and ugly. He also adds that the origins of comedy are obscure because it was not treated seriously from its inception.
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Three Types of Comedy:Three Types of Comedy:
– Farce: a humorous play involving characters in unlikely and ridiculous situations
– Romantic: a popular genre that depicts burgeoning romance in humorous terms, and focuses on the foibles of those who are falling in love.
– Satirical: use ironic comedy to portray persons or social institutions as ridiculous or corrupt, thus alienating their audience from the object of humor
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TragedyTragedy
• A drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability
to cope with unfavorable circumstances. – Aristotelian- a great person who
receives a reversal of fortune.– Hegelian- G.W.F Hegel, German
Philosopher– Revenge
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Critical Terms to Know:Critical Terms to Know:
• Anagnorisis- revelation or recognition “knowing again,” “knowing back.”
• Hamartia- “mistake” “error”• Hubris- “excessive pride”• Nemesis- “divine retribution”• Peripateia-reversal of
circumstances, or turning point • Catharsis- “purification”
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Elements of Tragic HeroElements of Tragic Hero
• A mighty figure• Suffers reversal of fortune• Endures uncommon suffering• Recognizes the consequences
of his actions• Hero’s plight ennobles audience
.
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Role of the ChorusRole of the Chorus
• Characteristics– Group of about 15 men– Sang lyric poetry and danced to musical
accompaniment– Were unpaid, drawn from the citizenry at
large– Performing in the chorus was regarded as
a civic duty– Were trained and costumed– Wore the dress of the people they
represented and wore light masks.
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Functions of the Greek Functions of the Greek ChorusChorus
• Provided link from audience to actors, responding to the play in a manner the playwright hoped the audience would respond.
• Provided tension release• Reflected upon what has
happened, pondered what might happen, asked questions
• At times advised central characters
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Greek Chorus Cont’dGreek Chorus Cont’d
• Often functioned as the conscience of the people, establishing an ethical perception from which to view the action
• Helped to establish mood and to heighten the dramatic moments throughout movement and song.
• Added theatricality to performance
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• Helped establish important pacing of the play, pointing moments at which the audience should reflect upon what has occurred and what must yet transpire
• Could be in the play or outside of it, by either participating in the action of by commenting on the action as an observer
• Separated scene of action from another• Usually through a leader as spokesperson,
could interact with the central characters.
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OEDIPUS REXOEDIPUS REXINTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION
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OEDIPUS REXOEDIPUS REX
•one of the world’s greatest tragedies
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OEDIPUS REXOEDIPUS REX
•a TRAGEDY is a serious drama featuring a main character who strives to achieve something and is ultimately defeated!
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OEDIPUS REXOEDIPUS REX
•The main character’s downfall is often due to an inborn character flaw or weakness – the the tragic flawtragic flaw.
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OEDIPUS REX - OEDIPUS REX - BackgroundBackground
•During the early years of the Peloponnesian War, when Oedipus Rex was produced, Athens suffered from political instability and devastating plague.
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OEDIPUS REX - OEDIPUS REX - BackgroundBackground
•Sophocles opens his play with a situation that the people of Athens could identify with: a plague with no end in sight!
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Ancient Athens – 5th Century B. C.
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OEDIPUS REX-OEDIPUS REX-Prologue Prologue
•The city of Thebes is ravaged by plague
•Citizens beg King Oedipus for help
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OEDIPUS REX-OEDIPUS REX-Prologue Prologue
•Oedipus sends his brother-in-law, Creon, to the oracle of Apollo at Delphi.
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OEDIPUS REX-OEDIPUS REX-Prologue Prologue
•Creon returns and announces that the plague will end when the Thebans punish the murderer of the their previous king, Laius.
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OEDIPUS REX-OEDIPUS REX-Prologue Prologue
•Oedipus tries to take the role of savior and vows to do everything in his power to apprehend the murderer and save his people
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OEDIPUS REX-OEDIPUS REX-Prologue Prologue
•Oedipus does not realize that his vow will relentlessly lead him to an encounter with himself, his past, and his darkest secrets!!!
• . . . Read on to discover the truth along with Oedipus! (THE END)
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MAIN MAIN CHARACTERSCHARACTERS
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TeiresiasTeiresias•blind prophet and servant of Apollo
•reveals the reasons for the devastation and plague in Thebes
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TeiresiasTeiresias•one of the most powerful characters in the play
•tells Oedipus he will become blind and poor
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JocastaJocasta•the wife and mother of Oedipus
•she tells Oedipus not to trust in the oracles
•she tries to protect Oedipus from the awful truth
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JocastaJocasta•she alternately condemns and upholds the authority of the oracles as best suits the direction of the argument at the moment
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OedipusOedipus•protagonist•his name means “swollen-foot”
•he inspires both pity and fear
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OedipusOedipus•a hereditary curse has been placed on his family, and he unknowingly has fulfilled the terms of the prophecy that he would kill his father (Laius) and marry his own mother (Jocasta)
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OedipusOedipus•when he curses the murderer of Laius he is cursing himself and predicting his own exile and consequent life of “wretchedness.”
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OedipusOedipus•he is wise, revered by his subjects, and dedicated to the discovery of truth
•he wants to rid Thebes of the plague, but fate and the gods have other things in store for him
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Chorus of Theban Chorus of Theban EldersElders
•men of Thebes who honor and respect the king and the gods
•their odes reveal both a strong attachment to the king as well as grounding in religious culture
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CreonCreon•brother of Laius•Oedipus feels threatened
by Creon and believes that he covets the throne
•Creon defends himself saying he has no desire to be king and that Oedipus harms himself in making such accusations
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MessengerMessenger• tells Oedipus that King
Polybos of Corinth is dead•Oedipus learns from the
messenger that Polybos was not his father
• the messenger had been given Oedipus as an infant by one of Laius’ men
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Shepherd of Shepherd of LaiusLaius• reveals his information only
after Oedipus threatens his life• admits to receiving the infant
(he gave to Polybos’ messenger) from Laius and Jocasta
• Oedipus eventually realizes his own identity and his crimes of patricide and incest after hearing the shepherd’s story
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Second Second MessengerMessenger•announces and
describes Jocasta’s suicide
•predicts future sorrows for a people whose kings descend from this polluted line
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The ChorusThe Chorus•choral odes bring an additional viewpoint to the play
•offer a broader and more socio-religious perspective than those offered by individual characters
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THEMESTHEMES
•quest for identity and truth
•nature of innocence and guilt
•nature of moral responsibility
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ImageryImagery
•references to light and darkness to predict the future
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Example of ImageryExample of Imagery
•The priest says at the beginning: "All the house of Kadmos is laid waste; all emptied, and all darkeneddarkened”
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Example of ImageryExample of Imagery
•Oedipus promises Creon: “Then once more I must bring what is dark to light.”
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Example of Example of ForeshadowingForeshadowing
•Teiresias tells Oedipus that it is he who is blind
•“But I say that you, with both your eyes, are blind. You cannot see the wretchedness of your life”
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SUMMARYSUMMARY
•Oedipus Rex is the story of a king of Thebes upon whom a hereditary curse is placed and who therefore has to suffer the tragic consequences of fate.
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SUMMARYSUMMARY
•During the time of plague, fires ,and other forms of decimation, Oedipus decides to take action to restore life and prosperity to his kingdom.
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SUMMARYSUMMARY
•Oedipus discovers, through his quest for truth, that his identity is not what he thought.
•He learns he has killed his father, married his mother, and had children with her.
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SUMMARYSUMMARY
•Oedipus’ wife/mother – Jocasta – kills herself and Oedipus blinds himself and goes into exile
•Creon becomes King of Thebes