Greek Tragedies
Three plays by Sophocles
Ancient Greek
Drama
• Plays were performed
during the day in
outdoor theaters built
into hillsides.
Festival of Dionysus*
Each year, playwrights
were chosen to produce
three tragedies, along
with a satyr play (a comic
interlude) for a theatrical
competition at the
festival.
*the god of wine and fertility
Greek Tragedy
A tragedy is a play about
the downfall of a
dignified, superior
character who is involved
in historically or socially
significant events.
Elements of Tragedy
• Plot structure:
– Reversal: situation develops in one direction
and then changes quickly in another direction
– Recognition (anangnorisis): change from
ignorance to awareness
– Suffering: A destructive or painful act – usually
a public suffering
• Catharsis: Feeling of relief and exaltation
• Hubris: Hero’s Tragic Flaw
Elements of a Greek Tragedy
• The tragic hero must be a NOBLE MAN.
He must be someone with whom the
audience can identify. He is not perfect in
virtue, but nobel in character.
• The hero must possess a CHARACTER
FLAW which helps to bring about is
downfall. The character may make poor
decisions because of this flaw.
• The element of FATE plays a major role in
the hero's downfall. His downfall may
result from forces totally outside of the
character's control. Ultimately, the tragic
hero's downfall is brought about because of
poor judgement and accidental happenings.
• The hero's death must arouse PITY or
FEAR in the READER as well as leaving
the reader with more UNDERSTANDING
ABOUT THE WAYS OF MAN.
Tragic Heroes
The tragic hero (or protagonist)
is involved in conflict that
builds from one event to the
next until a catastrophe results.
Fate and a tragic flaw also play
key roles in the destruction of
the hero’s life.
Tragic Flaw
A tragic flaw is a defect that
brings about, or contributes
to, the tragic hero’s
downfall.
The tragic flaw is often a
positive trait that turns
negative, such as pride,
honesty, honor, confidence,
or generosity.
Ancient Greek
Actors
Men wore elegant robes with
huge masks and elevated
shoes to seem larger than life.
Sophocles used three actors per
play. They changed masks to
change roles.
The Chorus
The chorus was a group of 15
men who spoke between
scenes to comment on the
action.
They sometimes participated
in the dialogue as well.
The chorus was meant to
represent the audience’s
perspective and response.
The Cycle
Play # 1 = Oedipus Rex
(Oedipus the King)
Play # 2 = Oedipus at Colonus
Play # 3 = Antigone (441 B.C.)
Conflicts and Concepts
The play Antigone deals
with divided loyalties and
difficult choices: faith,
family, or kingdom?
Greek Culture
• “You can’t escape your fate.”
• Non es actus reus nisi mens sit rea (there is no
guilty act without a guilty mind)
• Family is everything (thus, Oedipus has
committed the WORST sins)
• Curses bear power (Oedipus had to carry out
his own curse.)
• Truth matters (Oedipus had to solve the riddle
of his own life by revealing a truth too awful to
bear.)
Antigone’s conflict deals with
differences among the following
principles:
• Loyalty / obligations to family
• Obedience to civil law
• Observance of religious law
• Protection of personal dignity
• Freedom
• Protection of community or nation
Civil Disobedience:
Rebellion with Purpose & Consequence
Choosing to disobey the law
as a matter of conscience,
and accepting the concenquences.
• Rosa Parks:
refusing to relinquish her bus seat = arrested
• Conscientious objectors:
refusing to fight = jail
• Henry David Thoreau:
refusing to pay taxes so that his money won’t support
programs he disagrees with = jail/fines
Characters
The tragic hero
Antigone (daughter of Oedipus & Jocasta)
Ismene (Antigone’s sensible sister)
Creon (Jocasta’s brother, Antigone’s Uncle)
Haemon (Creon’s son & Antigone’s fiancé)
Euridice (Creon’s wife)
Teiresias (a blind prophet)
Chorus (commentary/summaries in poetry)
Choragus (leader of the chorus)
A Sentry
A Messenger