Oedipus the King
In just a few minutes we will have the exciting opportunity to see Sophocles play, Oedipus the King performed in the Dionysus Theater! Before we take our seats, though, I wanted to do a quick recap on the play so you know what is going on. The language is not as casual as we use today, and sometimes it is easy to not understand what the actors and actresses are saying. So let's do a quick story line summary and introduce Sophocles, the amazing man who wrote this, and then we can get on with the show!
The storyline:
Oedipus is the son of the King and Queen of Thebes. He was left on a mountain to die after it was prophesied that he would murder his father and marry his mother. He doesn't die, however, he is rescued by shepherds and taken to the King and Queen of Corinth. When Oedipus grows up, he hears about the prophesy, and unaware that he is adopted, leaves home because he doesn't want to kill his father. After leaving, he meets a stranger whom he argues with and kills. This stranger was actually his own father. Later he becomes King of Thebes and marries his birth mother, though he didn't realize at the time she was his mom. After a plague strikes, Oedipus sets out to find the cause. Eventually Oedipus finds out the truth, that he has killed his father and married his mother. In the end, his mother dies and he goes blind.
Interesting note before you watch this play, this is the only Greek Tragedy that conforms to Aristotle's elements of Tragedy.
This story is one of the first detective stories! Watch as Oedipus tries to unravel the mystery surrounding his life and his father's death.
Now that you know what to expect from the show, you can enjoy it to the fullest as we watch it at the Theater of Dionysus. Read the Full Text here!
The storyline:
Oedipus is the son of the King and Queen of Thebes. He was left on a mountain to die after it was prophesied that he would murder his father and marry his mother. He doesn't die, however, he is rescued by shepherds and taken to the King and Queen of Corinth. When Oedipus grows up, he hears about the prophesy, and unaware that he is adopted, leaves home because he doesn't want to kill his father. After leaving, he meets a stranger whom he argues with and kills. This stranger was actually his own father. Later he becomes King of Thebes and marries his birth mother, though he didn't realize at the time she was his mom. After a plague strikes, Oedipus sets out to find the cause. Eventually Oedipus finds out the truth, that he has killed his father and married his mother. In the end, his mother dies and he goes blind.
Interesting note before you watch this play, this is the only Greek Tragedy that conforms to Aristotle's elements of Tragedy.
This story is one of the first detective stories! Watch as Oedipus tries to unravel the mystery surrounding his life and his father's death.
Now that you know what to expect from the show, you can enjoy it to the fullest as we watch it at the Theater of Dionysus. Read the Full Text here!
Sophocles
This brilliant playwright was born in 496 B.C. and has written 123 plays in the course of his life. Unfortunately, only seven survive until the year 2010. Nevertheless, we know he was a great writer. Did you know that his plays won first prize eighteen times and second prize six times? Part of the reason that Sophocles was a good writer was his ability to act as well as write. Sophocles acted in his early dramas, creating characters that are still around today!
Sophocles also is credited for scene painting and for increasing the typical chorus size from twelve to fifteen members. He is also credited for inventing the third actor. By increasing the number of characters he increased the possibility of conflict. Sophocles placed great importance on the character and less importance on the chorus. If you notice, his characters are complex and drive the story. There isn't a lot of visual effects, but that isn't what this show is about. It is about the characters.
Sophocles is a great guy, very good natured and very talented. I hope you can see this talent as you watch Oedipus the King!
Now let's go take our seats, it looks as if the show is about to begin!
Sophocles also is credited for scene painting and for increasing the typical chorus size from twelve to fifteen members. He is also credited for inventing the third actor. By increasing the number of characters he increased the possibility of conflict. Sophocles placed great importance on the character and less importance on the chorus. If you notice, his characters are complex and drive the story. There isn't a lot of visual effects, but that isn't what this show is about. It is about the characters.
Sophocles is a great guy, very good natured and very talented. I hope you can see this talent as you watch Oedipus the King!
Now let's go take our seats, it looks as if the show is about to begin!
