Antigone And Sophocles Research Paper

During the 5th century BCE, Greek tragedy was the most popular and influential form of drama performed in theaters in ancient Greece. The most commended playwrights of Greek tragedy are Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles. And although Aeschylus was the one to first establish the basics of a Greek tragedy, Sophocles reformed it to become the model of the ideal tragic drama. Sophocles was an important influence in the development of drama, most importantly by adding a third actor, scene painting, increasing the number of the chorus, as well as emphasizing the poetic and emotional possibilities of tragedy. Previously, in Greek dramas, there was a pair of masked actors, a twelve-membered chorus, and no scenery in the background. Wanting to develop the plot even more, Sophocles introduced a third actor. This allowed him to create “more complex dramatic situations and deepen psychological penetration through relationships and dialogue among the characters” (Burt 3). In Antigone, the main conflict is between the Antigone

Sophocles introduced a new kind of drama that evoked strong emotions out of an audience, catharsis. Sophocles’ tragedies are essentially “moral and religious dramas that pit the tragic hero against unalterable fate and the divine will of the gods” (Burt 5). In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is a respected king who neither purely good nor purely evil, making him likeable to the audience but also relatable. However, Oedipus has a fatal flaw that proves to be the cause of his downfall. His pride is revealed to be the root of his tragic fate. The murder of Laios, his father, and the incest with his mother all occurred because of Oedipus’ pride. The play dramatizes Oedipus’ journey to self-understanding and his inescapable fate, evoking the pity and fear from the