The Literature Book

37

Writers submitted work to be

performed at the festival, in the

form of a trilogy of tragedies

followed by a comic play, and

competed for prestigious prizes.

Three dramatists dominated

the prizewinners’ list for much

of the 5th century bce: Aeschylus

(c.525/524–c.456/455 bce), Euripides

(c.484–406 bce), and Sophocles

(c.496– 406 bce). Their contribution,

which amounted to several

hundred plays, set a definitive

standard for the art of tragedy.

Aeschylus, as the earliest of the

three great tragedians, is generally

considered the innovator, initiating

many of the conventions associated

with the form. He is credited with

expanding the number of actors in

his plays, and having them interact

in dialogue, which introduced the

idea of dramatic conflict. Where

formerly the chorus had presented

the action of the drama, the actors

now took center stage, and the

chorus took on the role of setting

the scene and commenting on the

actions of the characters.

The move toward a greater

realism was sustained by Euripides,

who further reduced the role of the

chorus, and presented more three-

dimensional characters with more

complex interaction.

Breaking with convention

Of the three great dramatists, it is

Sophocles whose tragedies have

come to be regarded as the high

point of classical Greek drama.

Sadly, only seven of the 123

tragedies he wrote have survived,

but of these perhaps the finest is

Oedipus the King.

The play was one of three

written by Sophocles about the

mythical king of Thebes (the others

being Oedipus at Colonus and

Antigone), known collectively

as the Theban plays. Breaking

with the convention of presenting

tragedies in trilogies established

by Aeschylus, Sophocles conceived

each of these as a separate entity,

and they were written and

produced several years apart

and out of chronological order.

In Oedipus the King (often referred

to instead by its Latinized title

Oedipus Rex), Sophocles created

what is now regarded as the

epitome of classical Athenian

tragedy. The play follows the

established formal structure:

a prologue, followed by the

introduction of characters and

the unfolding of plot through ❯❯

See also: Iliad 26–33 ■ Aeneid 40–41 ■ Odyssey 54 ■ Oresteia 54–55 ■ Medea 55 ■ Wasps 55 ■

First Folio 82–89 ■ The Misanthrope 90

HEROES AND LEGENDS

The chorus presented the tragedies,

narrating the action; even in later

times, the chorus always set the

scene and gave the characters’

internal thoughts, which could

not be acted on stage.

The tritagonist, a third actor

introduced by Sophocles, took on

the role of adversary, while the

deuteragonist became a support

role for the protagonist, such

as an aide or advisor.

The protagonist, introduced by

Thespis, performed the part of

the main tragic character, thus

initiating the birth of acting.

The deuteragonist, a second actor

introduced by Aeschylus, usually

performed the role of the antagonist

in the drama. Characters could now

interact in dialogue, introducing

the idea of dramatic conflict.

The development of Greek tragedy

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