Information on Greek theatre Oedipus n Oedipus Rex

Information on Greek theatre, Oedipus, n Oedipus Rex – written around 441 B. C. by Sophocles

Sophocles the Playwright n Athens, Greece. Produced 100+ plays, seven of which survive today (all of which are deeply troubling). n Greek culture believed that anything was possible through human effort and reason – Sophocles presented the opposite in Oedipus Rex. n This play involves characters that are caught up in unsolvable dilemmas causing them to challenge their faith in the gods as well as humanity. n Oedipus Rex is one of the world’s greatest tragedies.

Another Interesting Guy… Thespis – was an actor/ director/ producer. Very arrogant and wanted to stand out. He evolved the protagonist. Three actors were on stage at a time. Used chorus to connect the plot between scenes with actors. n (This is where the term ‘thespian’ comes from meaning ‘actor’) n

Given the form of this play, what is it telling us about the culture and point in history when it was performed? n The play was performed as a celebration to Dionysus (the god of fertility, sex and theater). The event was a three-day celebration where three playwrights presented… tragedies. . . Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschylus were three of the most celebrated and successful playwrights…everyone went. It was one event that they all celebrated.

n Also keep in mind the importance of myth in the Greek culture. Gods, heroes, and storytelling dominated their world and most of it was oral.

The Stage n n Skene (skay-nay) scene hut located on stage Periaktoi – (pear-ee-ack-toy) triangular prisms or scenery – country/city/other

Can you speak to the acting that was involved and how actors tackle a work like Oedipus today? n This Greek text is extremely demanding on modern actors. Actors were very skilled and trained 2, 500 years ago. They’d have to be! Some audiences were 20, 000 -60, 000 strong! They would need to have well trained voices and bodies in order to effectively communicate.

That is like performing to a sold out crowd at Yankee Stadium. WITHOUT A MICROPHONE!

The Orchestra n n Dithyramb (dith –eh-ramb) synchronized chanting [think iambic pentameter] Chorus – singers and dancers. Few women. Dancing circle would perform on stage before actors came along. Then they got bumped to the pit. Also reduced in scope with the addition of actors. 60 40 20.

…what is difficult about directing this play? n They lack a lot of what we call dramatic action! The Greeks didn’t show you much. They TALK about what has just happened but show you very little.

Terms to Recap: n Tragedy: a serious drama with a protagonist who struggles to achieve one thing and is ultimately unable to attain it, failing deeply. n Tragic Flaw: a weakness that the protagonist has, leading to his or her downfall. n In Greek tragedy this is referred to as Hamartia – (ha -mar-tia) meaning “to miss the mark” the tragic flaw causing the down fall.

The Challenge: n Oedipus Rex was a story that everyone in the audience would have known. How do you retell and make it interesting? Think Romeo & Juliet for today. Consider how the audience’s previous knowledge of the story would increase the level of tragedy.

The Story Before the Story What happened before the play Oedipus Rex begins…

A long time ago in a land far, far away…(Greece) n Cadmus was told by the Oracle at Delphi to follow a cow and where the cow stopped he should build a city and call it Thebes. n So he did.

Everything was going well n n n Until Cadmus discovered a nasty dragon who was guarding the well. So, he killed it. Unfortunately, this particular dragon was the god Apollo’s favorite.

Apollo got really mad n n And cursed Cadmus’ family for generations to come. The Oracle at Delphi (Apollo’s oracle) said that at some point in time a king and queen of Thebes would have a son who would kill his father and marry his mother. Apollo God of light and the sun. Also of truth, prophecy, healing, plague, and music.

Fast Forward several generations

Once upon a time there were a King and Queen of Thebes… n King Lauis and Queen Jocasta had a baby. Sadly, King Lauis knew of the curse put on his family by Apollo.

So they did what any parents would do… And put a metal bar between the baby’s feet and gave him to a Messenger (#1) who put the baby out in the woods to die. Feeling sorry for the baby, the Messenger (#1) gave the baby to a shepherd who took him home.

Nearby, the King and Queen of Corinth were also having baby troubles… The Queen, Merope, was having trouble conceiving The Shepherd gave the baby to Queen Merope and King Polybus The King and Queen were elated and never told the baby he was adopted. The named him Oedipus or “Swollen foot”

The teen years are always awkward… …But poor Oedipus had to deal with rumors that he was not his parents’ real son. He defied their wishes and went to the Oracle at Delphi for answers. They told him that he would murder his father and marry his mother.

So Oedipus ran away from home n n n He traveled away from Corinth and got into a fight with a man on the road Oedipus, enraged that the man would not move out of the way, killed him The next town he came to was Thebes.

Sphinxes are the worst n And poor Thebes was dealing with one who went about burning buildings and killing people. n According to legend, a sphinx has the head of a woman, body of a lion, tail of a serpent and wings. n No one could solve her riddle: What goes on four legs in the morning, two at midday, and three in the evening? ”

“A man, of course!” n n Said Oedipus and so they made him King of Thebes, since the previous king had never come back from a trip he had taken. Oedipus also married the Queen, Jocasta, and had several children.

And yet… n Even after the sphinx left town there was still a plague. People were dying, crops were failing, and nothing seemed to be going right. n So begins Oedipus Rex

The Play Begins… n n n Sophocles opens his play with a relatable issue to the people of Athens: a plague! Setting: Ancient Athens (5 th century B. C. ) The city of Thebes is ravaged by a seemingly never-ending plague and the people beg their King Oedipus to save them. King Oedipus sends his brother-in-law, Creon, to the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi for answers.

Continued… n The Oracle tells Creon that the plague of Thebes will end when the murderer of the previous king, King Lauis, has been punished. King Oedipus tells the people he will apprehend the murderer and save Thebes.

Main Characters n Oedipus – protagonist, name means swollen foot, suffers from Hubris – (hew-bris) overbearing pride. He is a good King and cares for his people but again, is full of himself. n Jocasta – the wife and mother of Oedipus, tries to protect Oedipus from the truth. Seems to change her opinion on whether to trust or ignore the Oracle.

Main Characters n Teiresias – a blind prophet who tells Oedipus he will become blind and poor. One of the most powerful characters. n Theban Elders – They honor King Oedipus and the gods. When they speak they reinforce their support for the king and the importance of respecting the gods.

Main Characters n Creon – brother in law of Oedipus fears Creon wants the crown but Creon denies this. n Messenger 1: Tells King Oedipus that King Polybos of Corinth is dead and that he was not his real father. Baby Oedipus had been given to the messenger by someone from Lauis’ household.

Main Characters n Sheperd of Lauis: After Oedipus threatens his life, he admits giving Baby Oedipus to Messenger 1 after Lauis and Jocasta told him to put the baby in the woods. n Messenger 2: Describes Jocasta’s suicide, predicts the people of Thebes will suffer because of King Oedipus’ sins.

And the Chorus… n Two groups called Strophe and Antistrophe. Their chants recap what has happened and ask questions to the characters that have not been answered. Often it sounds like they are speaking their thoughts aloud.

Can you explain the Strophe and Antistrophe a little bit more? n Literally, the strophe and anti-strophe are (poetic) stanzas. With regards to dramatic movement within them, the chorus would have moved to CONTRAST form one another. The antistrophe was an answer or a response to the strophe and therefore the movement would have mirrored and supported that concept.

Concepts that will turn into Themes: Power of the gods n Quest for identity and truth n Nature of innocence and guilt n Nature of moral responsibility n The ability to control one’s fate n

Imagery: References to light and darkness to predict the future n References to being able to see and blindness n

Image Links n n n http: //bananamagic. files. wordpress. com/2010/04/oedipus. jpg http: //ibrahims 2. tripod. com/background. jpg http: //www. mlahanas. de/Greeks/LX/Images/Theater. Terms. jpg http: //www. mlahanas. de/Greeks/Technology/Tech 0018. jpg http: //farm 4. static. flickr. com/3070/2818328540_c 65 d 9 f 0 fa 3_o. jpg http: //static. guim. co. uk/sys-images/Arts_/Pictures/2006/07/06/bacchaitk 372