Sophocles was a playwright and the second of the 3 greatest Greek writers of tragedy (with Aeschylus and Euripides).He is known best for what he wrote about Oedipus, the mythological figure who proved central to Freud and the history of psychoanalysis.He lived through most of the 5th century from 496-406 BCE, experiencing the Age of Pericles and the Peloponnesian War. Nothing concrete is known about his education, though it is known that he had a reputation for learning and esthetic taste. - It is said he died while reading aloud Antigone, Sophocles, one of the most influential writers of Ancient Greece. Sophocles Facts study guide by kirch01 includes 11 questions covering vocabulary, terms and more. Cloudflare Ray ID: 5d9e8fbdfcbf0c71 In Antigone the protagonist is Oedipus' daughter. Since we have but a fraction of the plays he wrote, general comments on Sophoclean drama are based on the extant plays. [1] His birth took place a few years before the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC: the exact year is unclear, although 497/6 is perhaps most likely. Interesting Facts. The plot is about Oedipus, main character, who kills his father and marries his mother in an attempt to avoid the very prophecy he ultimately fulfills. As a young boy he performed in a play, naked, with shiny skin, - Sophocles gave up acting because of his weak voice, - He was the most-awarded writer in the dramatic competitions of ancient Athens.

After a while, he arrives to Thebes, kingdom that was kept under the curse of the Sphinx. He was born into a wealthy family (his father was an armour manufacturer), and was highly educated. He is credited with diverging from the typical format of a tragedy : he increased the number of speaking actors, increased the number of chorus members, and used painted scenery. His first artistic triumph was in 468 BC, when he took first prize in the Dionysia, beating the reigning master … This second shepherd carries the baby with him to Corinth.

Very suspicious, and because nobody conforms this hypothesis, he asks the Delphic Oracle whom his parents really are.

Sophocles, the son of Sophillus, was a rich member of the rural community of Colonus Hippius in Attica, which would later become a setting for his plays. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise. [2] Sophocles' first great play was in 468 BC when he took first prize in the Dionysia theatre competition over the reigning master of Athenian drama, Aeschylus. genre Antigone and Oedipus the King are tragedies; Oedipus at Colonus is difficult to classify.. language Ancient Greek. Oedipus dies and trouble begins between his sons Polyneices and Eteocles. author Sophocles. Sophocles was an ancient Greek playwright, born in Colonus near Athens, Greece in 496 B.C.E. Shortly after, Oedipus calls for the only surviving servant of Laius. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.

The prophet’s answer is that Oedipus is looking for himself, and as response, Oedipus accuses Tiresias of conspiring with Creon, Jocasta's brother, to overthrow him. Antigone decides to bury his body and face the results of her actions. Sophocles was the second of the three greatest Ancient Greek writers of tragedies, the others were Aeschylus and Euripides.. type of work Play. Sophocles was highly educated. Aristotle considered it a perfect tragedy. Here Oedipus is raised in the court of the childless King Polybus of Corinth, as if he were his own. - Sophocles was a very attractive man. Sophocles, one of the most influential writers of Ancient Greece. When Sophocles was still a child, the Greek city states won a decisive victory against the invading Persian armies in 490 BCE and again in 480. On the road to Thebes, he meets Laius, but he does not know he is in front of his true father. A blind prophet, Tiresias is called by the king to give help for the search.