Reference no: EM133386737
Question: Read Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. You will then write a 3-5 pages analysis over the play. Focus on the Aristotelean structure of the play. Describe the Thought. What is Sophocles saying about humanity? Discuss how much like us the Characters are. Do they share our passions, fears, anxieties, triumphs? Discuss the Diction. How poetic is the language? When discussing Music keep in mind that these plays were typically sung or chanted. This is especially obvious for the Chorus, who is meant to speak (sing) in unison. When discussing Plot, do the events make logical sense? Do they affect each other as they progress? In what areas do you see potential for Spectacle? (For Aristotle, he would not have read Oedipus, only seen it, therefore he could comment on the Spectacle of the production. You have to speculate where it is.
Some things to keep in mind for the context of the play.
1.The audience was already familiar with the story of Oedipus. Oedipus is an old Greek story passed down through oral tradition.
2.No one in the audience would have ever read Oedipus. They are experiencing it only as spectators, so the Spectacle and the Music are part of the show experience, and not part of the script itself.
3.The play was written as part of a cycle for a competition of plays. (The Oedipus Cycle is actually the only surviving cycle from Athens. All others are incomplete or lost entirely.)
4.Women were not allowed to perform onstage.
5.Actors wore large masks/headdresses that expressed character (and helped with projection) to the back of the house.
6.Violence was NOT allowed onstage. It was considered barbaric to depict violence for amusement.
The Aristotelean structure:
1.Thought ( Theme )
2.Character - How lifelike are the characters? Should be anthropomorphic.
3.Music - How effectively is music used in the play? Greek plays were typically sung.
4.Diction - Or dialogue. How poetic in the language?
5.Plot - Series of events that happen in the story.
6.Spectacle - Entertainment value of the play.