ENGL220 Greek Drama

Greek Drama

Early Greek Theatre

The Amphitheatre

Greek Comedy

Thalia, muse of comedy

An actor playing Zeus in a comedy

Early comedies were much like burlesque—crude humor and lots of sexual antics

Later, when Athens became a democracy, plays began to incorporate political satire

Lysistrata, by Aristophanes, is a comedy still performed frequently today

The women of Greece, tired of war, go on a sex strike for peace.

The men suffer, but the women are adamant.

Tragedy

A key part of tragic drama was the chorus

All the actors were men, and all wore masks

Oedipus Rex (the king) or Oedipus Tyrannus (the tyrant)

The action takes place in front of the palace in the Greek city of Thebes

Thebes was founded by Cadmus, cursed because he killed a dragon

An Oracle consulted at Oedipus’ birth said the child would murder its father

The child was taken to the mountains

Its ankles were pierced, and it was left to die

Oedipus is known in Greek mythology for being declared a Greek hero. In the myth of Oedipus, he lived up to the requests of what was called the Delphic oracle and murdered his father, King Laius out of pure rage and jealousy. As the story evolves, Oedipus unknowingly marries his own mother, Queen Jocasta and creates a family with her (Freeman and Strean 13).

Resulting from his marriage, Oedipus created three intersecting crossroads. In stating this, it is meant that he engaged in sexual activity with Jocasta and had children as an outcome of their copulation.. Therefore, Oedipus helped to create three generations (or crossroads) in which he was a part of all of them (Rudnytsky 265).

The Greek meaning of Oedipus’ name is "swollen foot". Oidus means swollen and pous means foot. The first syllable of Oedipus’ name, ‘oido’, means "I know." Thus his full name could be depicted as know-foot (Rudnytsky 266). The meaning of his name reverts to his feet so much particularly because of a special marking he received when he was an infant. When he was young, he had his ankles pierced, therefore, he lives up to his name of "swollen foot" and he even had difficulties in walking (Rudnytsky 265).

Ironically enough the term "swollen foot" is meant to be an allusion of an erect penis (Rudnytsky 261). Because of this association, it would be simpler to decipher the true meaning of the Oedipus myth. Overall, it has evolved into an entire story about how a boy feels towards his father in a jealous way and how a boy feels towards his mother in a sexual way.

Works CitedFreeman, Lucy, and Dr. Herbert S. Strean. Freud and Women. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1981.Rudnytsky, Peter L. Freud and Oedipus. New York: Columbia University Press, 1987.

Oedipus was adopted by the King and Queen of Corinth, but left Corinth as a young man when he heard what the oracle had to

say

At a place where three roads met, he killed some travelers who would

not give way

When Oedipus came to the city of Thebes, he found it without its king and under the curse of a sphinx.

The sphinx killed any passer-by who could not answer her riddle

Oedipus confronted the monster

He was able to solve the riddle

The sphinx threw herself into the sea and Thebes was saved

King Laius having been found murdered, Oedipus was named king

He married Queen Jocasta

Oedipus and Jocasta had 2 sons and 2 daughters

His most famous child was his daughter Antigone

The action of the play begins when Thebes is suffering a terrible plague

Priests and citizens come to beg Oedipus for help

Oedipus has sent his brother-in-law (and uncle) Creon to an oracle to ask

how to rid the kingdom of disease

Creon returns, telling Oedipus and the people that the murderer of Laius must be

found and removed from the city

Oedipus vows to find and punish the murderer

He sends for a witness to the murder and for the blind seer Tiresias

Oedipus questions Tiresias

Tiresias refuses to name the murderer

The furious Oedipus demands an answer

Tiresias tells the king that he murdered Laius

Oedipus refuses to believe Tiresias

He accuses Creon of plotting to seize the throne of Thebes

Jocasta reveals information about the murder of her first husband

The witness admits that Laius and his men were killed by one man

The murder occurred at a place where three roads meet

Oedipus becomes worried

A messenger arrives from Corinth

He reveals that Oedipus was adopted by the king and queen of Corinth

The shepherd who brought the child to Corinth is sent for

Jocasta gets nervous

Jocasta urges Oedipus to ignore oracles

But Oedipus presses on

The shepherd is questioned and admits to taking Jocasta’s child to Corinth

As Oedipus realizes it is he who indeed murdered his father and married his mother, he receives news of Jocasta’s suicide

Oedipus blinds himself with the brooches from Jocasta’s robe

He requests exile from king Creon

He will be guided by his young daughters

He leaves Thebes, and the plague ends