Download Oedipus Report Handout

Oedipus Report Handout:
A Historical Timeline
Greece
(The Classical Period; 500-401 B.C.)
Key
Major Arts (Painting, Music,
Literature)=Blue
Sciences=Green
Politics/Government=Red
Society=Purple
485 BC: Accompanying the peak of democracy in Athens is a Greek intellectual
revolution, with it’s beginnings in Sophism.
451 BC: Pericles, the radical democrat, was the leading politician in Athens. Almost
every year, he was reelected as general, and controlled the people's assembly.
450 BC Anaxagoras of Athens taught that the moon shines with the light of the sun and
so was able to explain the eclipses.
449-432 B.C. Greek architects Iktinos and Kallikrates design and build the Parthenon, the
Temple of Athena Parthenon on the acropolis at Athens.
449 B.C. Sophocles produces tragedy “Ajax”
446 Thirty-year peace treaty signed between Athens and Sparta in winter 446/445
446 BC: Phidias sculpts a huge statue of the goddess Athena, to be the central feature of
the new Parthenon.
445 BC: Lex Canuleia allows patrician-plebian intermarriage.
443 BC: Establishment of the censorship.
441 BC: Sophocles wrote “Antigone”
441-440 BC: Sophocles is elected onto board of ten generals to the revolt on the Island of
Samos.
438 BC: Euripides wrote “Alcestis”
435 BC: The Statue of Zeus at Olympia by Phidias, one of the seven wonders of the
world, is completed.
433 BC: Revolt of Potidaea.
433 BC: Establishment of Temple of Apollo.
432-431 BC: Corinth and Corcyra begin fighting. Battle of Potidaea.
431 BC-404 BC
: The Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta (the Delian
League and the Peloponnesian League) which involved all of Greece. 431 BC:
Athens invades Megara.
431 BC: Euripedes produces “Madea” in Athens
430 BC: Bubonic Plague epidemic in Athens
429 BC: Death of Pericles.
CLOTHING OF ANCIENT GREECE – 5TH CENTURY B.C.
There were primarily four articles of clothing for those living in the 5th century BC.
Chiton: the inner tunic worn by both men and women. Very long and made of either
linen or wool. There were two types of chiton:
Doric Chiton: simpler and had no "sleeves", being simply pinned, sewn, or buttoned at
the shoulder. Made of wool
Ionic Chiton: (came later) the more modern chiton, made of a much wider piece of
fabric, and was pinned, sewn, or buttoned all the way from the neck to the wrists. Made
of linen or silk, it was easier to manipulate
Peplos: Cloth that was folded over to create a double layer, called apoptygma, in the
upper part of the body. Peplos’ were also usually heavy and made of wool. Some
consider Peplos as the female cloak
Chlamys: a type of cloak, worn over the chiton. Particularly shorter and worn mostly by
military, horsemen, etc
Himation: another type of cloak. Worn in colder weather, usually made of heavier fabric,
such as wool
*Kolpos- the blousing of excess fabric of the chiton/peplos
*Strophion- breast band worn by women
*Epiblema- shawl worn by women
*Petasos- broad brimmed hate worn by men
*Korthurni- boots that the actors wore in order to elevate them from the audience.
*Prosterneda- wooden structure worn in front of chest by male actors to imitate breasts
Greek Music History:






Our knowledge of ancient Greek music comes from actual fragments of
musical scores, literary references, and the remains of musical instruments.
Although extant musical scores are rare, incomplete, and of relatively late
date, abundant literary references shed light on the practice of music, its social
functions, and its perceived aesthetic qualities.
Although the ancient Greeks were familiar with many kinds of instruments,
three in particular were favored for composition and performance: the kithara,
a plucked string instrument; the lyre, also a string instrument; and the aulos, a
double-reed instrument
Greek philosophers saw a relationship between music and mathematics,
envisioning music as a paradigm of harmonious order reflecting the cosmos
and the human soul.
Greek Theater History:
 Theatre was so important to the ancient Greeks that prisoners would be
released from jail temporarily, so they could also attend. Because so many
people came to see the plays, the Greeks built huge outdoor theatres on
hillsides, so that people could be seated in a way that let them see what
was going on down in the orchestra pit - the stage area.
 The entire seating section was called the Theatron, which is the origin of
our word "theatre".
 For almost 50 years sophicales was the most celebrated playwrite in
dramatic competitions of the city of athens that took place during the
religious festivals of dionysia.
 Aeschylus (Aiskhulos) was the first of the three ancient Greek tragedians
the others being Sophocles and Euripides.
 When Aeschylus (Aiskhulos) first began writing, the theatre had only just
begun to evolve.
 Plays were little more than animated oratorios or choral poetry
supplemented with expressive dance. His most famous plays are the three
plays Agamemnon, the Libation Bearers, and the Eumenides.
Sophocles Facts:
Sophocles grew up in the town of Colonus, just outside Athens.
He competed in around 30 competitions and won 24.
It is believed that his work went in this chronological order - Ajax , Antigone,
Oedipus the King, Trachiniae, Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus.

Sophocles increased the number of actors to 3 (thereby reducing the importance
of the chorus).