Sophocles 496BC - 406BC
About the Author
The Greek playwright Sophocles was born in 496 BC at
Colonus, near Athens. Unlike his younger contemporary,
the often-misunderstood Euripides, Sophocles had the
fortune of being revered for his genius during his own
lifetime. He lived to the age of ninety, and his life
coincided with the great golden age of the city-state of
Athens. Sophocles came from a stable, well-to-do family,
and from the beginning, it seemed that he was blessed in
every way. Handsome, wealthy, and well-educated,
Sophocles lived and died as one of Athens' most beloved
citizens.
About the Author
Sophocles was an innovator in his art: he
improved stage scenery, reduced the importance of
the chorus, and, most significantly, added a third
speaking actor to the traditional two. He made
some of the best use of this last convention,
writing scenes that capitalized on the dramatic
potential of three on-stage actors. He is most
famous for the Theban Plays, also known as the
Oedipus Cycle: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus,
and Antigone.
According to legend, Oedipus was a
mythical king of Thebes. His fate had been
foretold by a fortune teller and is important
to know if we are to understand the context
in which the play was set. The fortune teller
predicted that he would kill his father and
have children by his mother. This, according
to the myth, did happen, when he
accidentally killed his father and married his
mother, Jocasta. They had four children,
Polyneices, Eteocles, Ismene, and Antigone.
This makes Oedipus both Antigone’s brother
and father and Jocasta both her mother and
grandmother.
Thebes, setting
for Antigone
Colonus, birthplace
of Sophocles
When Oedipus learns of his true heritage, he
blinds himself and goes into exile. Eteocles and
Polynices come of age and agree to rule Thebes
in alternate years. Eteocles, at the end of his
first year of rule, reneged on the agreement
and refused to step down. Polynices then
raised an army of traditional enemies of
Thebes and led them against his city. The
battle ends with the defeat of the invading
army, but Eteocles and Polynices are both
dead, killed by each other's hand. Their uncle,
Creon, becomes king. Creon decrees that
Polynices is a traitor and that he is not to have
a proper burial. This decree by Creon sets up
the context for the play, “Antigone.”
Themes and Subplots
•Religious v. Political duty
•Tyranny v. Democracy
•Indifference v. Awareness
•Conformity v. Individuality
•Law v. Morality
•Free will v. Fate
•Democracy v. Autocracy
•Feminism v. Male power structure
•Individual v. State
• Conscience v. Law
Additional Ideas
•families torn apart by political
differences
•gender bias
•the death penalty
•suicide
What is a tragic hero?
According to the Greek philosopher
Aristotle, a tragic hero possesses a
defect, or tragic flaw, that brings about
or contributes to his or her downfall.
This flaw may be poor judgment, pride,
weakness, or an excess of an admirable
quality. The tragic hero recognizes his
or her flaw and its consequences, but
only after it is too late to change the
course of events.
Tragic Heroes are:
•BORN INTO NOBILITY
•RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN FATE
•ENDOWED WITH A TRAGIC FLAW
•DOOMED TO MAKE A SERIOUS ERROR IN JUDGEMENT
EVENTUALLY BECOMING TRAGIC HEROES
•FALL FROM GREAT HEIGHTS OR HIGH ESTEEM
•REALIZE THEY HAVE MADE AN IRREVERSIBLE MISTAKE
•FACES AND ACCEPTS DEATH WITH HONOR
•MEET A TRAGIC DEATH
FOR ALL TRAGIC HEROES
•THE AUDIENCE IS AFFECTED BY PITY and/or FEAR
(catharsis)
What is Catharsis?
emotional purification through
Greek tragedy: according to
Aristotle, a purifying of the
emotions that is brought about in
the audience of a tragic drama
through the evocation of intense
fear and pity
Quotes by Sophocles
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•
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Ignorant men don't know what good they hold in their hands until they've
flung it away.
The keenest sorrow is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our
adversities.
The greatest grief are those we cause ourselves.
• Men of ill judgment oft ignore the good
That lies within their hands, till they have lost it.
King Creon
“I intend to give my brother burial. I’ll
be glad to die in the attempt,-- if it’s a
crime, then it’s a crime that God
commands.”