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Relationship:
Oedipus and Jocasta: husband/wife and mother/son
Oedipus and Creon: Nephew/ Uncle and Brother in laws
Oedipus and Polybus/Merope: Adoptive son of Polybus
Key Ideas
Fate: Greeks believe their lives were predetermined by the 3 Fates (predestined)
Hubris: Excessive pride or self confidence
Hamartia: A fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine
Hero/Heroine
Nemesis: Long-standing rival or arch enemy
Greek Theater
Catharsis: Process of releasing and getting relief from repressed or strong emotions
Each person has a "Fate" assigned to him or her. If you overstep your fate you would be guilty of "hubris" (excessive pride).
Gods were interested in human affairs: Success was "divine favor" and Failure was "divine anger".
Elements of a Tragedy
Tragedy means "goat" which was sacred to Dionysus. Tragedy triggers 2 emotions: pity and terror
The Festival of Dionysus was a religious festival in Athens each Spring that everyone attended to honor Dionysus the god of wine and fertility. The competition for the best play was held during this festival.
During Sophocles time the Plague killed 1/3 of the population.
Sophocles was from a privileged family. His father was a wealthy arms dealer.
He was well educated, was known for his great physical beauty, and was very popular with the people of his time.
Sophocles also acted in his own plays and was a "Rockstar" in his time.
Oedipus is well known because of the "Oedipal Complex" that the famous psychiatrist, Sigmund Freud, coined in his work.
Chorus
Oracles were believed to speak for Appollo and communicate the will of Zues. Prophets were called "Seers" and interpreted future events.
Greek Theater
Audience knows the story and interacts with pity and fear
Characters
Tragic Irony occurs when the audience understands the irony which a character in the play does not.
In Oedipus the King we have a supreme example of "tragic irony" which creates suspense and drama as the king becomes aware of the tragic irony of his life.
Sophocles 496-406 B.C.
A Greek playwright who wrote Oedipus Rex and gave form to Greek Tragedy.