Oedipus Webquest

OEDIPUS REX by Sophocles WebQuest

INTRODUCTION
You are patrons at the Festival for Dionysus and will be witnessing the first public performance of Oedipus Rex. Your task is to record your findings on the festival itself, the components of
Greek theater, and how Oedipus Rex fit well into the classic definition of tragedy.
TASK
You will have three tasks to complete during this webquest:
1. The Festival of Dionysus
‐ You will travel to the below links and find information on the Festival of Dionysus. Take notes on your findings and specifically find the answers to these questions:
A. Who was/is Dionysus?
Dionysus was the god of the vine. He invented wine on Mount Nysa and spread the art of tending grapes around the world. Dionysus was one of the most influential deities of the ancient Olympians, and if he chose to do so, the god of wine could drive a person mad - no normal constraints could hold him or his followers. ("Myth Man's Dionysus." Myth Man's Dionysus. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.)
B. Why is there a festival in his honor?
It was held in honor of the gods. The festival of Dionysus was a religious event in which there were many events held in the theater. These included comedies, tragedies, and dramas. Dionysus was even portrayed in the theater with a mask. In addition, the theater of Dionysus was one of the largest in Greece. ("The Ancient Greeks - the Athenians of Ancient Greece." The Ancient Greeks - the Athenians of Ancient Greece. N.p., 1997-2009. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.)
C. What is another name for the festival?
It is also known as the Dionysia Festival. (http://t2henson.wikispaces.com/share/view/46284636)
D. When does the festival take place?
The festival was held three months after the rural Dionysia, through the month of Elaphebolion (the end of March and the beginning of April), most likely to celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of the new growing season.
(http://www.brighthubeducation.com/homework-help-literature/64195-festival-of-dionysus/)
E. What activities are associated with the festival?
During the festival many plays were performed and the participants in the festival celebrated Dionysus. (http://www.brighthubeducation.com/homework-help-literature/64195-festival-of-dionysus/)
F. Why would Oedipus Rex be presented at this festival?
Oedipus Rex was performed at the festival most likely because it was one of the most famous and successful tragedies in Greek theater. In addition, the play illustrates the relation between the power of the gods and the weakness of fragile mortals. This was also a central belief in Greek culture. (http://t2henson.wikispaces.com/share/view/46284636)
G. What are some other facts about the festival you feel readers should know?
Some other important facts about the festival is that it celebrated a less powerful and usually less prominent god in Greek culture. Dionysus was not as feared as other gods (Zeus in particular) so the festival illustrates that he wasn’t ignored, but was less prominent.
(http://t2henson.wikispaces.com/share/view/46284636)
2. The Greek Theater
‐ Theater was one of the most popular forms of art in ancient Greek times. It is important to understand the origins of Greek theater and information on Sophocles in order to better understand how the play Oedipus Rex would be performed. Use the provided links
(and other credible resources) to: ‐ Give a brief overview of Sophocles WEBSITE: (http://www.crystalinks.com/sophocles.html) *used only one website for responses below
A. When and where he was born?
The year of his birth is contested, with 488 BCE, 495 BCE, and 496 BCE each having advocates. 495 BCE however is preferred by most eminent historians. He was born in Colonus, Greece.
B. What was one of the titles he was given?
He is sometimes known as the Attic Bee for the "sweetness of his productions."
C. Where were most of his plays performed?
Festival of Dionysus
D. What are the names of his most famous plays?
The most famous of his surviving works are his famous three Theban plays, the tragedies surrounding Oedipus and Antigone. ‐ Give information on the Greek theater
A. Who performed these plays?
The actors were all men. Women were not allowed to participate. (http://www.arwhead.com/Greeks/)
B. Who attended these plays?
For ten days, Athenians filled the theatre to watch plays performed by their favorite poets and playwrights. (http://www.arwhead.com/Greeks/)
C. Where were they performed?
Theater of Dionysia (http://www.arwhead.com/Greeks/)
D. Who is the Chorus and how are they involved?
A Greek chorus is a homogeneous, non-individualized group of performers in the plays of classical Greece, who comment with a collective voice on the dramatic action. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_chorus) E 1‐5. Define five of the theater terms used in ancient Greek theater (refer to the below links)
Orchestra: The orchestra (literally, "dancing space") was normally circular. It was a level space where the chorus would dance, sing, and interact with the actors who were on the stage near the skene. The earliest orchestras were simply made of hard earth, but in the Classical period some orchestras began to be paved with marble and other materials. In the center of the orchestra there was often a thymele, or altar. The orchestra of the theater of Dionysus in Athens was about 60 feet in diameter. (http://english.tjc.edu/engl2332nbyr/Greektheaters.htm)

Theatron: The theatron (literally, "viewing-place") is where the spectators sat. The theatron was usually part of hillside overlooking the orchestra, and often wrapped around a large portion of the orchestra (see the diagram above). Spectators in the fifth century BC probably sat on cushions or boards, but by the fourth century the theatron of many Greek theaters had marble seats. (http://english.tjc.edu/engl2332nbyr/Greektheaters.htm)

Skene: The skene (literally, "tent") was the building directly behind the stage. During the 5th century, the stage of the theater of Dionysus in Athens was probably raised only two or three steps above the level of the orchestra, and was perhaps 25 feet wide and 10 feet deep. The skene was directly in back of the stage, and was usually decorated as a palace, temple, or other building, depending on the needs of the play. It had at least one set of doors, and actors could make entrances and exits through them. There was also access to the roof of the skene from behind, so that actors playing gods and other characters (such as the Watchman at the beginning of Aeschylus' Agamemnon) could appear on the roof, if needed. (http://english.tjc.edu/engl2332nbyr/Greektheaters.htm)

Parodos: The parodoi (literally, "passageways") are the paths by which the chorus and some actors (such as those representing messengers or people returning from abroad) made their entrances and exits. The audience also used them to enter and exit the theater before and after the performance. (http://english.tjc.edu/engl2332nbyr/Greektheaters.htm)

Prologue: Spoken by one or two characters before the chorus appears. The prologue usually gives the mythological background necessary for understanding the events of the play. (http://academic.reed.edu/humanities/110Tech/Theater.html)

3. Aristotle’s Poetics
‐ To be completed after we finish the play.
LINKS
General: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~loxias/oedipus/oedipusindex.htm
GREEK SOCIETY http://www.crystalinks.com/greece.html THE FESTIVAL OF DIONYSUS http://thanasis.com/dionys.htm http://www.suite101.com/lesson.cfm/18443/1786/2 http://www.knowledgerush.com/kr/encyclopedia/Festival_of_Dionysus/ http://www.arwhead.com/Greeks/index.html#Theater%20of%20Dionysia
SOPHOCLES
http://www.crystalinks.com/sophocles.html http://www.theatrehistory.com/ancient/sophocles001.html ANCIENT GREEK THEATER http://academic.reed.edu/humanities/110tech/Theater.html http://www.arwhead.com/Greeks/ http://upge.wn.com/?t=ancientgreece/index15.txt http://www.temple.edu/classics/dramaterms.html
THE OEDIPUS MYTH http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~loxias/myth.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/17709/myths/moedipus.htm http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classic/wilson/core/oedipus.htm http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/OedipustheWreck/backgrnd.htm
EVALUATION
You will be graded on the information you find.
Answers should be:
‐ written in full sentences
‐ complete and thorough
‐ focused on the question
‐ from reliable sources – cite your answers!
‐ free of spelling, grammar, and mechanics errors.
CONCLUSION
Upon completing this web quest, you should have a better understanding of the world in which
Oedipus Rex was originally presented and how, even after 2500 years, the play still has relevance to today’s readers. There are common themes in Ancient Greek life as well as modern American life that make this play very relatable for different audiences.