Sophocles' Oedipus Rex Dramaturge
ÌÀÄ·ÊÓƵ the playwright
Sophocles was born in Colonus, a part of Athens, about 495 or 497 BC. He died about 406 BC, his life having spanned nearly the entire fifth century in Athens.
..... During his lifetime Pericles became leader of Athens; the Parthenon was built; the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta was fought (431-404 BC), and democracy took root and flourished.
..... As the son of a wealthy weapons-maker, Sophocles studied poetry, music, dancing and gymnastics - subjects regarded as the basis of a well-rounded education for a Greek citizen. This early schooling prepared him to serve as a leader in all aspects of public life, including the military, foreign policy and the arts. Sophocles lived during the Greek Classical Period (500 to 400 BC), a time of transition when political and cultural events were changing and reshaping Athenian culture. As a dramatist, Sophocles played an important role in the creation of this civilization, which included looking backward to ancient tradition and the works of Homer, which greatly influenced him. Sophocles also studied under the Greek playwright Aeschylus whose plays had won prizes at the Festival of Dionysus.
..... Over the years Sophocles actively participated in Athenian political and cultural life, often in positions of responsibility. In 443 BC, Pericles chose him to be treasurer of the Delian Confederation as a sort of tax collector. In 440 BC, Sophocles served as a general at the siege of Samos, an island that challenged the authority of Athens. Despite all his public service, though, Sophocles remained first and foremost a dramatist. Upon his death a national cult dedicated a shrine to his memory.