Click on the link below and read the background on Ancient Greek Theatre, the Genres, Theories, Themes, Major Playwrights, Staging and Function. Be sure to click on the links within this article for further study and resources pertinent to your essay prompt.
Greek Theatre–Link (Links to an external site.) https://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/ancientgreek.htm
Next, watch Oedipus Rex (video below) and write your essay response to the prompt.
I have provided a synopsis of the Oedipus Rex Myth to orient your viewing of the play:
The son of Laius and Jocasta, King and Queen of Thebes, Oedipus is the unfortunate main protagonist of one of the best-known of all legends in Ancient Greek or any other mythology. Left, while still a baby, to die in the mountains by his father who had been warned that his son would kill him and marry his wife Oedipus was eventually adopted by the childless King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth. After accidentally finding about the gruesome prophecy himself, in fear and disgust, the young Oedipus fled Corinth and guided by cruel destiny wound up crossing paths with his real father at a narrow crossroad; after a brief argument with Laius charioteer over who had the right to go first, Oedipus killed both of them. Wandering aimlessly, he subsequently reached the city of Thebes where he encountered the monstrous gate-guarding Sphinx; after he answered her riddle, the Sphinx went mad and hurled herself to her death. As a reward for rescuing the city from this vicious beast, Oedipus was afterward offered the vacant throne of Thebes and the hand in marriage of the ex-kings widow, his very own mother. Jocasta bore her son four children Polynices, Eteocles, Antigone, and Ismene.
Sophocles’s play begins at this point. Oedipus is unaware that in trying to escape his fate (prophecy), he has run directly into it. The gods send a plague on Thebes for this taboo marriage and procreation, and Oedipus sends Creon (brother-in-law/uncle) to the Oracle at Delphi to gain some insight into how to rid Thebes of Plague.
And, so the play begins…
WATCH:Oedipus Rex–Full Play in Traditional Masks and Staging
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewPilBndT5c
Oedipus Rex— Full Text
Link (Links to an external site.)
http://classics.mit.edu/Sophocles/oedipus.html
Essay Prompt:
Discuss how effectively Sophocles is able to produce feelings of PITY for the Hero and FEAR in the audience through his crafting of character and plot in order to produce Catharsis–the purging of these emotions.
What specific qualities, as denoted by Aristotle in his Poetics, does Oedipus reveal that allows us to sympathize with his character and feel pity at his fall?
How is the plot and action constructed in such a way as to make Oedipus’ decisions, based on his character makeup, almost necessary and inevitable; thus, the audience suspends its disbelief, gets caught up in the events, because they are so plausible, and fears that they might act in the same way if they were the character in the tragedy?
Possible outline:
Thesis: State an evaluation of how effectively Sophocles produces catharsis through Pity and Fear. State that you will support your view through an analysis of Character and Plot based on Aristotle’s “rules” for each so as to produce pity and fear.
Body Paragraphs:
Character qualities and actions that inspire Pity
Support through citation reference to the Play
Discussion of support
Plot constructs based on cause of effect (possibility, probability, necessity) lending themselves to a realistic situation.
Support through citation reference to the Play
Discussion of support
Conclusion
Approx. 750 words.
Table of Contents
Rubric
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