Quest for Understanding
Introduction to the play
Antigone

•	SOPHOCLES-
•	lived during the time of the Golden Age of Greek tragedy
•	He was both an actor and a playwright
•	GREEK DRAMA-
•	written to honor the gods
•	Annual competitions to ...

•	The god Dionysus
•	Sophocles had 120 plays to win 1st or 2nd place
•	CHARACTERISTICS OF DRAMA
•	open air theaters
•	few props

•	Sophocles introduced some stage machinery
•	contained a chorus of singers who stated the feelings of the playwright and themes
•	SOPHOCLES’ THEMES
1. Man’s life & destiny is divinely controlled

2.  People are responsible for discovering their place in the universe
3.  People must take moral responsibility
Add this vocabulary to your notes...
•	Catharsis-
•	a release of strong emotions by the audience during a play. 
•	Catastrophe-
•	conclusion of a tragic story,not always death

•	Tragic hero/heroine- 
•	person of high position, who is usually destroyed by a tragic flaw