King Oedipus and Greek Tragedies

3 characteristics of poetics

1) epic poetry 2) tragedy 3) comedy

According to Aristotle, what is the most important epic characteristic?

Tragedy

All art is _______ showing our human nature is to imitate

Imitative

Today, we still use the Greeks design of _______

Theaters

3 major divisions of Greek drama

1) tragedy 2) comedy 3) satyr (rude comedies)

Theater means

Watching place or to behold

Who wrote the Theban plays?

Sophocles

Writers of tragedy’s are called

Tragedians

Which is chronically the first of the Theban plays

King Oedipus

King Oedipus was the first of the Theban plays to be written

False

Imitation is something that comes _________ to human beings

Naturally

Oedipus means

Swollen foot

Oedipus grows up in Corinth, not knowing he is adopted

True

how does Oedipus become king of Thebes?

He solved the riddle of the sphinx, saving the people, who had no king at the time

Why did Thebes have no king when Oedipus came to them?

Their king, Laius, had been killed on the road by “robbers”

Jocasta

Oedipus’ mother and wife

What is the theme of king Oedipus?

fate vs free will

Oedipus Rex means

King Oedipus

Supplication

Asking earnestly or even begging

What kind of king is Oedipus

A hands on king; he cares for his people enough to go to them personally in their time of desperation

Founder of Thebes

Cadmus

“Young and old, from the tenderest of chicks to the age bent seniors.”

Example of embellished language

Oedipus is the __ king of Thebes

Fifth