Hamlet

Oedipus Rex

What a glorious spring day! We have been celebrating the Great

Dionysia festival for the past few days. But today, we have risen early in

anticipation of being the first to view Sophocles’s new tragedy. He is

one of the three great artists who are presenting their tragedies in

the annual competition, to honor Dionysus as part of the ten-day

festival celebration.

The sun has barely risen, when I climb out of bed to get dressed. I

know exactly what I am going to wear. I had purchased a new chiton lined

with bright colors recently and was going to wear that. It was the

latest style in Athens. I quickly got everything together; I knew there

was going to be a large crowd at today’s presentation. I wanted to

make sure we got a good seat in the theater, so we started off on our walk to the theater.

When we arrived at the great theatre of Dionysus there was a huge

crowd. We were not the only citizens who anticipated a great day of

entertainment with today’s competition. As I scanned the crowd, I noticed

that it was not only citizens of Athens in attendance. There were

non-citizens and a few slaves who would view Sophocles’ new tragedy. I

was also relieved, to notice that the material of my new chiton fit in

perfectly. Noticeably, there were no women in attendance.

We entered the theater, and were lucky to get a great seat in the

center of the theatron and only about 10 rows up from the orchestra. It

had been a year since I had last been in this theater, and I had for

gotten how hard the stone seat is. I was thankful that we had remembered

our small cushions. It would be a long day. It was expected that the

performance would last till sunset.

A perfect day to sit in the open-air theater. As I looked around I

could see the beautiful blue skies of Greece as well as the groves of

olive trees that covered the countryside. Amazing! As I continued my

inspection of my surroundings I noticed something incredibly different.

Behind the stage in the area of the skene, the usual scenery was

different. I had heard rumor that Sophocles had changed tradition and was

going to have painted scenery in his play.

The crowd suddenly quiets, it is about to begin. An actor walks out

onto the stage just behind the orchestra. He is presenting the

prologue. He is costumed and has the usual painted mask with the large mouth.

As the actor starts to speak, I wonder at the acoustics of the

theatre. I can hear his words as if I was sitting directly in front of the

actor. Soon after the end of the prologue, the chorus enters the

orchestra from both sides via the parados. They are singing and dancing as

they enter. They remain in the front area of the orchestra, just below

the raised stage, for the duration of the play.

Sophocles’ drama is a tragedy. He focused on the mythical character

of Oedipus. Much of the main events in the play Oedipus Rex have

already occurred prior to the start of the actual acting. The chorus sets

it up with its song. The chorus is singing about the tragedy that has

befallen Thebes. It is suffering from a plague. Oedipus has been

King for many years and is married with children to Jocasta. The chorus

is crying out for a solution to their suffering.

On the stage is Oedipus and the priest of Zeus, here enters Creon, for

the first time there are three actors on the stage at the same time.

Amazing, I am witnessing the great Sophocles’ ability to change with

tradition to improve upon what is already great. All the actors are

male, dressed in costume, and wearing painted masks. They also seem very

tall. But as I look closer I notice it is because they are all

wearing a type of wooden platform sandal.

The play continues, Oedipus demands to know if Creon was successful in

his meeting with the oracle. The prophet Teiresius reveals that to

end the plague; the murderer of Laios must be found and punished.

Oedipus the ever-faithful king proclaims he