Prentice Hall Literature World Masterpieces
 enjoyed a comfortable life in a well-to-do family
 age 28--won the wreath in his first play
competition --Antigone
 wrote 123 plays/7 survived intact
 end of Sophocles' life--Peloponnesian War/time
of political turmoil
 (tragedy) - a serious drama featuring a noble,
dignified main character (often a member of royalty)
who strives to achieve something and is ultimately
defeated
 (tragic flaw) - a character flaw or weakness that
eventually leads to a character's downfall
Aristotle’s Definition of a Tragic Hero
 1. Should be ruler or leader
 2. Of good character (neither exceptionally
virtuous nor exceptionally evil)
 3. Tragic hero goes through one or more reversals
of fortune, leading to a final recognition of truth
Aristotle’s Definition of a Tragic Hero (cont.)
4. His/her misfortune brought about by some error
of judgment or frailty – “hamartia” (tragic flaw)
5. Tragic hero experiences profound suffering in
this process
6. Audience should be moved by pity and fear
Festival of Dionysus
 4 day celebration in honor of Dionysus, god of wine
and revelry
 plays were performed/competition—highlight of the
Festival
 Also called Oracle of Apollo
 Located in Delphi; priests/priestesses of Apollo were
believed to have divine knowledge from Apollo
 Common themes in Greek tragedy involve characters
who attempt to circumvent the prophecies of Apollo,
always unsuccessfully
 Theme: No mortal can avoid his/her fate
 Irony is the contrast between what appears to be and what
actually exists.

 3 Types of Irony.....
 (verbal
irony)—when a character says one thing but
means another
 (situational
irony)—what happens is different from
what’s expected to happen
 (dramatic
irony)—the audience or reader is aware of
critical information that a character does not know
 Sophocles wrote the 3 plays over a 36 year period
 Antigone was written first
 1. --Oedipus Rex (written second)
 2. --Oedipus at Colonus (written last)
 3. --Antigone (written first)