Sophocles brief biography of martin
The Rise of Sophocles as a playwright
- Period: 496 BCE to 406 BCE
The Life of Sophocles
Sophocles was born in Clonus, near Athens, Greece. His father was Sophillus, and he was the son of a successful armor manufacturer. Therefore, he grew up wealthy and was able to afford an excellent education.
Sophocles approximately died at the age of 90. The cause of his death remains unknown. Many believe he died by choking on a grape; others think he died reciting the Antigone or by laughter. All these causes indicate that he died joyfully. Sophocles Wife's
Sophocles had two sons, Iophon and Sophocles, by his first wife, Nicostrata. He had a third son, Ariston, by his second wife, Theoris. And both his sons became playwrights.
"Sophocles ." World Encyclopedia. . Encyclopedia.com. 10 Jun. 2022 https://www.encyclopedia.com.- Period: 496 BCE to 406 BCE
The Greatest Innovation
One of Sophocles' greatest innovations was the creation of "a third actor." His goal was to expand the character interactions and to have a more complex theatrical production.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Martin Opitz". Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Dec. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Martin-Opitz. Accessed 16 June 2022. - Period: 496 BCE to 406 BCE
Overall Acheivements
Sophocles wrote over 100 plays and was one of the three famous Greek tragedians (along with Aeschylus and Euripides). He created tragedies but he also helped increase the number of speaking actors, and the number of chorus members, and used painted scenery.
Taplin, Oliver and Woodard, Thomas M.. "Sophocles". Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Jan. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sophocles. Accessed 16 June 2022. - Because of his skill and talents in music and playwriting he was chosen at 16, to lead the paean (choral chant to a god) celebrating the decisive Greek sea victory over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis.
Taplin, Oliver and Woodard,Antigone by Sophocles
Topics on the Page
Biographical Information on Sophocles
The Oedipus Cycle
Summary of the Play
Text of Play
Civil Disobedience in Antigone
(Antigone over Polynices' body)
Biographical Information on Sophocles
Sophocles (b. ca. 496 bce- d. 406)
Sophocles was a celebrated tragedy writer in Ancient Greece. He is one of three great tragedians, along with Aeschylus and Euripides.Unlike many other great ancient writers, who would become famous and well known post-mortem, Sophocles was very popular in his own time, while still alive.
Few facts are known about Sophocles' life, however what is known is documented below:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sophocles
The Oedipus Cycle
Antigone is the third and final play in The Oedipus Cycle, a series of plays depicting the life of Oedipus Rex and his children in Ancient Greece.
To understand the play Antigone, one must have an understanding of the prior events in the Oedipus Cycle to build the context of the play. &nb
- Biography. brief introduction to
Sophocles
Sophocles, son of Leon
Sophocles (2), son of Xenocles
Sophocles (3), tragic poet
Life
As with most authors of this period, our sources for the life of Sophocles are late, fascinated with witty stories or scandalous details, entertaining but not very trustworthy. Such contemporary testimony as survives suggests that Sophocles was a man of great personal charm.The Frogsof Aristophanes, was a comedy produced shortly after the deaths of Sophocles and Euripides. Dionysus, the patron god of tragedy, becomes frustrated with the lack of decent playwrights, proposes to descend into the underworld and bring Euripides back to life. The play evolves into a contest between Aeschylus and Euripides, whose styles most violently clashed, but Sophocles is mentioned three times during the play. Dionysus explains that he will not attempt to bring him back from Hades. Euripides was a scoundrel and would inevitably try to escape from Hades, but “Sophocles was good-natured here (i.e., on earth) and will be good-natured there (i.e., in the underworld)” (Aristoph. Frogs 82: ὁδ᾽εὔκολοςμὲνἐνθάδ᾽, εὔκολοςδ᾽ἐκεῖ). When Euripides first entered the underworld, he seized hold of Aeschylus’ seat and claimed primacy as chief poet in the underworld. Sophocles, however, who died shortly before Euripides, greeted Aeschylus with a kiss and clasped his hand. Should Euripides be victorious, then Sophocles would challenge Euripides, but if Aeschylus defeats Euripides, Sophocles would be content (Aristoph. Frogs 771-794). When Aeschylus, triumphant in the end, is about to leave Hades and return to earth, he explicitly entrusts his seat of honor to Sophocles(Aristoph. Frogs 1515-1519). At Plat. Rep. 329B, Kephalos, an old man and the father of the orator Lysias, defends old age. Those who are good-natured have no cause to condemn their situation when they grow old. He cites a time when he heard someone ask the aged Sophocles whether he could still sleep with a woman. “Hush,Antigone (Sophocles play)
Tragedy by Sophocles
This article is about the play by Sophocles. For the main character in the play, see Antigone.
Antigone (ann-TIG-ə-nee; Ancient Greek: Ἀντιγόνη) is an Atheniantragedy written by Sophocles in (or before) 441 BC and first performed at the Festival of Dionysus of the same year. It is thought to be the second-oldest surviving play of Sophocles, preceded by Ajax, which was written around the same period. The play is one of a triad of tragedies known as the three Theban plays, following Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus. Even though the events in Antigone occur last in the order of events depicted in the plays, Sophocles wrote Antigone first. The story expands on the Theban legend that predates it, and it picks up where Aeschylus' Seven Against Thebes ends. The play is named after the main protagonist Antigone.
After Oedipus' self-exile, his sons Eteocles and Polynices engaged in a civil war for the Theban throne, which resulted in both brothers dying while fighting each other. Oedipus' brother-in-law and new Theban ruler Creon ordered the public honoring of Eteocles and the public shaming of Thebes' traitor Polynices. The play follows the attempts of their sister Antigone to bury the body of Polynices, going against the decision of her uncle Creon and placing her relationship with her brother above human laws.
Synopsis
Prior to the beginning of the play, the brothers Eteocles and Polynices, leading opposite sides in Thebes' civil war, died fighting each other for the throne. Creon, the new ruler of Thebes and brother of the former Queen Jocasta, has decided that Eteocles will be honored and Polynices will be in public shame. The rebel brother's body will not be sanctified by holy rites and will lie unburied on the battlefield, prey for carrion animals, the harshest punishment at the time. Antigone and Ismene are the sisters of the dead Polynices and Eteocles.