Playwrights / Dramatists - 01 - Sophocles (496-406 B. C.)

The glory of ancient Greece survives in its drama as well as in its epics, folktales, fables, and lyric poetry.

The fifth century B. C. was the golden age of Greek drama when the most famous Greek dramatists Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides – were writing.

Beloved and revered as a playwright in his own time, Sophocles is one of the greatest tragic dramatists of all time.

Sophocles was born in the ancient city of Sophilus in 496 B. C. His father was a wealthy nobleman. He gave his son a good education to make him an ideal Greek citizen.

Sophocles lived up to his father’s expectation perfectly well. He lived in Athens and once served as the Commissioner of Public Affairs. In 440 B. C. when he was about fifty five he served as a General in the Greek Army and fought in many battles.

Sophocles’ influence on western culture is seen in his plays. He is said to have written 125 plays but only seven have survived. The most famous of his plays are the tragedies ‘Oedipus Rex’, ‘Electra’ and ‘Antigone’.

More than twenty of his plays won first prize at the annual dramatic competition in Athens, and many more won second prizes.

Today Sophocles’ plays are performed around the world from Greek festivals where they are presented in Modern Greek language in the ancient open air theatres, to experimental productions in English in modern playhouses.

Greek drama began in the seventh century B. C. as a part of religious rituals surrounding birth and death. Soon drama contests were held in honour of the god Dionysus, and by 534 B. C. the first contest for tragedy was held in Athens. Originally consisting of the chorus and a single actor, Greek drama gradually added more actors. Sophocles is credited with introducing a third actor to the stage and initiating the use of painted sets.

For the subject matter of his plays Sophocles drew upon ‘legends’ or tales handed down for generations among the people of a certain region.

The plots of ‘Antigone’ and ‘Oedipus Rex’ are based on the legends of the city Thebes. Sophocles knew that his audiences were familiar with these legends. Further he knew well that theatregoing for the Greeks was more than entertainment. Considered a part of a citizens’ education and supported by the state Greek drama allowed mass participation in the tragedy and comedy of human experience. Sophocles did his best to give his countrymen the experience and education they expected.

Sophocles died in Colonus, Attica, Greece in 406 B. C. and was buried at Decelea.

Hive account@juanmanuellopez1 Hive account@coolguy222 Hive account@newageinv Hive account@gowealth Hive account@blessed-girl Hive account@cruis Hive account@lexymaine Hive account@alokkumar121 Hive account@aceandnotes Hive account@darlenys01 Hive account@rafique1953 Hive account@marvyinnovation Hive account@wems Hive account@ajks Hive account@alaisguineasis Hive account@amnlive Hive account@kimmysomelove42 Hive account@praditya Hive account@tommyl33 Hive account@samryan Hive account@vickykarma Hive account@brightsun Hive account@oppongk Hive account@kryp70kn1gh7 Hive account@hobo.media Hive account@theticket Hive account@royer94 Hive account@mentalhealthguru Hive account@bradley028 Hive account@nummulshrma Hive account@maxijgcomm Hive account@maikelblogo Hive account@mrblu Hive account@nancymj Hive account@petervi Hive account@mcoinz79 Hive account@missabigail Hive account@saludoalalma Hive account@mcnestler Hive account@moarafatshow Hive account@gargi Hive account@luis402 Hive account@sumon-ar-vines Hive account@naijauser Hive account@yantrax Hive account@josema.saborido Hive account@khan.dayyanz Hive account@shapescooper Hive account@aceofhearts Hive account@marcocosta Hive account@rvag5 Hive account@fusroj Hive account@cashlane Hive account@borrowedearth Hive account@michaeljn Hive account@kchitrah Hive account@mitchhunter Hive account@nataliaeline Hive account@cherlianny Hive account@unknownphoton Hive account@unclefz Hive account@gardengranny Hive account@bettyamv Hive account@ghostwriter9 Hive account@nancybriti Hive account@missladybug Hive account@shirophantomhive Hive account@rvag5 Hive account@ankitjnv Hive account@marvyinnovation Hive account@tommyl33 Hive account@gowealth Hive account@ustaadonline Hive account@daio Hive account@brightsun Hive account@mzubairch Hive account@amit1995 Hive account@starapple Hive account@treodecimo Hive account@edinhazard Hive account@maxijgcomm Hive account@wasito Hive account@mariita52 Hive account@maroni55 Hive account@nataliaeline Hive account@ajtech2596 Hive account@keithf Hive account@wesleyvanderstel Hive account@grainsofsand Hive account@mariita52 Hive account@naijauser Hive account@castleirwell Hive account@juanmanuellopez1 Hive account@coolguy222 Hive account@newageinv Hive account@gowealth Hive account@blessed-girl Hive account@cruis Hive account@lexymaine Hive account@alokkumar121 Hive account@aceandnotes Hive account@darlenys01 Hive account@rafique1953 Hive account@marvyinnovation Hive account@wems Hive account@ajks Hive account@alaisguineasis Hive account@amnlive Hive account@kimmysomelove42 Hive account@praditya Hive account@tommyl33 Hive account@samryan Hive account@vickykarma Hive account@brightsun Hive account@oppongk Hive account@kryp70kn1gh7 Hive account@hobo.media Hive account@theticket Hive account@royer94 Hive account@mentalhealthguru Hive account@bradley028 Hive account@nummulshrma Hive account@maxijgcomm Hive account@maikelblogo Hive account@mrblu Hive account@nancymj Hive account@petervi Hive account@mcoinz79 Hive account@missabigail Hive account@saludoalalma Hive account@mcnestler Hive account@moarafatshow Hive account@gargi Hive account@luis402 Hive account@sumon-ar-vines Hive account@naijauser Hive account@yantrax Hive account@josema.saborido Hive account@khan.dayyanz Hive account@shapescooper Hive account@aceofhearts Hive account@marcocosta Hive account@rvag5 Hive account@fusroj Hive account@cashlane Hive account@borrowedearth Hive account@michaeljn Hive account@kchitrah Hive account@mitchhunter Hive account@nataliaeline Hive account@cherlianny Hive account@unknownphoton Hive account@unclefz Hive account@gardengranny Hive account@bettyamv Hive account@ghostwriter9 Hive account@nancybriti Hive account@missladybug Hive account@shirophantomhive Hive account@rvag5 Hive account@ankitjnv Hive account@marvyinnovation Hive account@tommyl33 Hive account@gowealth Hive account@ustaadonline Hive account@daio Hive account@brightsun Hive account@mzubairch Hive account@amit1995 Hive account@starapple Hive account@treodecimo Hive account@edinhazard Hive account@maxijgcomm Hive account@wasito Hive account@mariita52 Hive account@maroni55 Hive account@nataliaeline Hive account@ajtech2596 Hive account@keithf Hive account@wesleyvanderstel Hive account@grainsofsand Hive account@mariita52 Hive account@naijauser Hive account@castleirwell Hive account@isabelpereira Hive account@nulifeiq Hive account@royer94 Hive account@yaleal Hive account@ushmil Hive account@nisiryan0522 Hive account@reveurgam Hive account@certain Hive account@kkins Hive account@nurseanne84 Hive account@hemi Hive account@amar Hive account@supportweku-io Hive account@whitelist