Who Was Sophocles?:
Occupation: Playwright
Sophocles - Basics:
Sophocles - Public Offices:
Sophocles - Religious Office:
Sophocles was a priest of Halon and helped introduce the cult of Asclepius to Athens. He was honored posthumously as a hero.
Source:
Greek Tragedy An Introduction, by Bernhard Zimmerman. 1986.
Accomplishments of Sophocles:
In 468, Sophocles defeated the first of the the three great Greek tragedians, Aeschylus, in a dramatic competition; then in 441, the third of the tragedian trio, Euripides, beat him. During his long life Sophocles earned many prizes, including about 20 for 1st place.
Sophocles increased the number of actors to 3 (thereby reducing the importance of the chorus). Sophocles broke from Aeschylus' thematically-unified trilogies, and invented skenographia (scene painting), to define the background.
Extant Plays by Sophocles:
Seven complete tragedies
- Oedipus Tyrannus
- Oedipus at Colonus
- Antigone
- Electra
- Trachiniae
- Ajax
- Philoctetes
Prize Dates When Known:
Ajax (440's)
Antigone (442?)
Electra
Oedipus at Colonus
Oedipus Tyrannus (425?)
Philoctetes (409)
Trachiniae
Greek Theater Study Guide:
Study Guides For Sophocles' Tragedies:
-
Robin Mitchell-Boyask's Study Guide for Sophocles' Ajax.
Robin Mitchell-Boyask's Study Guide for Sophocles' Ajax. -
Robin Mitchell-Boyask's Study Guide for Sophocles' Antigone.
Roger Dunkle's Study Guide. - Robin Mitchell-Boyask's Study Guide for Trachinian Women.
- Robin Mitchell-Boyask's Study Guide for Sophocles' Philoctetes.
Robin Mitchell-Boyask's Structural Guide for Sophocles' Philoctetes. - Robin Mitchell-Boyask's Study Guide for Sophocles' Electra.
- Robin Mitchell-Boyask's Study Guide for Sophocles' Oedipus Rex.
Roger Dunkle's Study Guide.


