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Oedipus Intro notes
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- 2. “Big 4 Playwrights” •Aeschylus •Euripides •Aristophanes •Sophocles
- 3. Sophocles • circa 496-406BC •most admired playwright • only 7 of his estimated 127 plays remain • won over 20 prizes in theater competitions • works explore “human suffering and despair”, dignity, morals • “the unsolvable dilemma”- tests faith in the gods, in justice, in morals
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- 5. Theaters • huge, outdoorfacilities • large audience capacity, all seats are good • natural acoustics • space also used for funerals of state, forums, meetings • Romans turned theaters into arenas for sports and gladiators • sometimes flooded for boat races
- 6. Major Themes •fatal flawvs. victim of fate •role of divine justice... is there free will? or are we pawns of fate? •roles of humans in the universe
- 7. Tragedy and the Tragic Hero •tragic flaw: character’s weakness, faults •Aristotle: tragedy is “when a hero goes through one or more reversals of fortune, leading up to a final recognition of truth”
- 8. Notes from Film •Role of theatre in ancient Greek society: illustrate the “how” and “why” of the human experience ✴structure of the universe ✴structure of gods and family groups ✴give people a sense of the universe and how they fit in ✴truth of the human nature and experience ✴values, models for community living
- 9. Notes from Film •Birthplace and Time: Athens, 4th or 5th century • Original function: celebrate/honor Dionysis, the god of wine, sex, revel • Schedule of Performances: seasonal, or part of theater competitions • Play Themes and Narratives: not “highbrow”, based on myths and historical events, usually tragedy or comedy • Actors: originally amateurs, then eventually professionals, then eventually acting troupes; low wages; only men
- 10. Notes from Film •TheSuperStars? playwrights! highest status in the theatre, did it all... wrote, acted, directed, costuming, wrote music •Audience/Cost: men only at first, then women eventually; cost about a day’s wages, the eventually free
- 11. • group speakingin unison or antiphonally The • speaks directly to audience Chorus • purpose of Chorus: ✴provide background ✴move plot along ✴state or reinforce values, themes ✴comment on human nature ✴misc remarks, information
- 12. Drama Terms toKnow... • Drama: art of writing or producing a story intended for performance • Protagonist: main character, principal figure in a story • Antagonist: character in opposition of protagonist or hero • Comedy: dramatic work that is light or humorous in tone • Tragedy: dramatic work in which the protagonist suffers sorrow or extreme ruin, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw or moral weakness
- 13. Drama Terms toKnow... • Theatre: “what is seen” (vs THEATER: the place where it is seen) • 3 Parts of Greek Theater • Scene/Sheenee: acting platform (later became a raised area, and called the stage) • Theatron: seating • Orchestra: where chorus stood • Altars: to honor gods
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- 15. Necessary Info... • firstof a trilogy about Thebes (Greek city/state) • Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone • Opening Situation: Thebes is suffering a great plague. Apollo says it will not end until the murderer of King Laius is found and punished. • Audience Familiarity: would have known story (see summary in packet) • Tight Dramatic Structure: very small range of time and space, can stand alone apart from rest of trilogy • Aristotle’s wholeness in literature: completeness of beginning, middle, and end
- 16. THEMES ๏quest for identity ๏natureof innocence and guilt ๏moral responsibility ๏human will vs fate, destiny ๏abuse of power ๏human weaknesses, flaws
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- 18. Terms • Dramatic Irony:when reader/audience knows or understands important point the character does not
- 19. Terms • Dramatic Irony:when reader/audience knows or understands important point the character does not ★ we already know Oedipus’ true identity before story begins!
- 20. Terms • Dramatic Irony:when reader/audience knows or understands important point the character does not ★ we already know Oedipus’ true identity before story begins! • Prologue/Prologos: opening, exposition (character, setting, conflicts)
- 21. Terms • Dramatic Irony:when reader/audience knows or understands important point the character does not ★ we already know Oedipus’ true identity before story begins! • Prologue/Prologos: opening, exposition (character, setting, conflicts) • Parados: entrance song of chorus
- 22. Terms • Dramatic Irony:when reader/audience knows or understands important point the character does not ★ we already know Oedipus’ true identity before story begins! • Prologue/Prologos: opening, exposition (character, setting, conflicts) • Parados: entrance song of chorus • Episodes (Scenes): action in the drama, performed by actors
- 23. Terms • Dramatic Irony:when reader/audience knows or understands important point the character does not ★ we already know Oedipus’ true identity before story begins! • Prologue/Prologos: opening, exposition (character, setting, conflicts) • Parados: entrance song of chorus • Episodes (Scenes): action in the drama, performed by actors • Stasimons (Odes): chorus passages, alternate with Episodes
- 24. Terms • Dramatic Irony:when reader/audience knows or understands important point the character does not ★ we already know Oedipus’ true identity before story begins! • Prologue/Prologos: opening, exposition (character, setting, conflicts) • Parados: entrance song of chorus • Episodes (Scenes): action in the drama, performed by actors • Stasimons (Odes): chorus passages, alternate with Episodes • Exodus: conclusion, ends usually with chorus singing final lines as they exit