SOPHOCLES

    Sophocles (c.497/6 –winter 406/5 BC) is one of three ancient Greek tragedians. Aeschylus and Euripides were his contemporaries. For almost fifty years, Sophocles was the most celebrated playwright in the dramatic competitions of the city-state of Athens which took place during the religious festivals of the Lenaea and the Dionysia. He competed in thirty competitions, won twenty-four, and was never judged lower than second place. Aeschylus won thirteen competitions and was sometimes defeated by Sophocles; Euripides won four.

    The most famous tragedies of Sophocles are Oedipus and Antigone. They are generally  known as the Theban plays. Sophocles influenced the development of drama, most importantly by adding a third actor (attributed to Sophocles by Aristotle; to Aeschylus by Themistius), thereby reducing the importance of the chorus in the presentation of the plot. He also developed his characters to a greater extent than earlier playwrights.

Antigone

    Antigone is an Athenian tragedy written by Sophocles in (or before) 441 BC and it was first performed at the Festival of Dionysus of the same year. It is thought to be the second oldest surviving play of Sophocles. The play is one of a triad of tragedies known as the three Theban plays, following Oedipus Rex and  Oedipus at Colonus. The story expands on the Theban legend that predates it. The play is named after the main protagonist Antigone.

    After Oedipus' self-exile his sons Eteocles and Polynices engaged in a civil war for the Theban throne, which resulted in both brothers dying fighting each other. Oedipus' brother-in-law and new Theban ruler Creon ordered the public honor of Eteocles and the public shame of Thebes' traitor Polynices. The story follows the attempts of Antigone to bury the body of her brother going against the decision of her uncle and placing her relationship with her brother above human laws.                                                                     

                   

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