Sophocles

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Sophocles Oedipus the King

• Ancient Greek drama
• Oedipus is one of a trilogy
• Antigone andOedipus at Colonus are the other two
• Easily one of the most famous of the Greek plays

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Greek Drama

• Performed in large, open-air theaters
• Theater of Epidauros

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Greek Drama

• Theater of Epidauros

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Greek Drama

• Players used masks to depict emotions

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Greek Drama

• A timeline
• http//www.arlymasks.com/timeline.htm

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Oedipus confronts the Sphinx

• Detail from a vase painting

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Oedipus confronts the Sphinx

• Another vase detail.
• How is the emphasis of this depiction different
  from the previous vase?

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Oedipus confronts the Sphinx
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The Sphinx

• A statue of the Sphinx, called the Naxian Sphinx
  (made from Naxian marble)
• Created 570-560 B.C.
• Discovered at Delphi in 1861

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Oedipus the King

• The kingdom of Thebes is suffering from a
  terrible plague.
• For the citycan no longer lift her head from
  beneath the angry waves of death.

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Oedipus the King

• The kingdom of Thebes is suffering from a
  terrible plague.
• A blight has fallen on the fruitful blossoms of
  the land, the herds among the pastures, the
  barren pangs of women.

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Oedipus the King

• The kingdom of Thebes is suffering from a
  terrible plague.
• And the flaming god, the malign plague, has
  swooped upon us, and ravages the town he lays
  waste to the house of Cadmus, but enriches Hades
  with groans and tears.

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Oedipus the King

• Oedipus sends Creon to visit the oracle at
  Delphi--the temple of Apolloto discover how
  Thebes can be saved.

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The Temple of Apollo
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The Temple of Apollo
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Oedipus the King

• The oracle at Delphi tells Creon that the
  murderers of Laius, the previous king of Thebes,
  must be brought to justice or the plague will
  continue.
• What is sought for can be caught only that
  which is not watched escapes.

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Oedipus the King

• Oedipus vows to seek the murderers out himself.
• Avenging Laius, therefore, I serve myself.
• But is he asking for trouble?
• For with the god's help our good fortune--or
  our ruin--will be made certain.