Sophocles Use Of Pride In Greek Drama

In the years 480­-323 BCE, the Greek people lived in independently governed city­states around the Aegean Peninsula. This era, known as the Classical Period, was a time of much cultural development. The Greek value of balance — expressed in the forms of moderation, equality, and harmony — helped the Greek people become a more cohesive civilization while still realizing the benefits of individual strength.
Ancient Greek drama and theater taught a sensible balance between confidence and conceit through displays of rightful pride. Greek tragedies showed their audiences that one was successful only when he was prideful because he was skilled. In tragedies, Greek writers gave their heroes both special skills and a fatal flaw. While the heroes were
In this way, Greek dramas informed citizens of the benefits of the proper uses of pride, and warned that in excessive amounts, pride was detrimental. Sophocles’ Greek tragedy O edipus the King set the proper amount of arrogance for the Greeks to have. The tragedy contrasts “healthy strife" with “violent pride,” demonstrating the degree of pride that is acceptable. By denouncing a man who “cannot reap his profits fairly,” and “any man [who] comes striding, high and mighty in all he says
In the Classical Period, the Greeks began to realize that beauty did not necessarily have to come from overly large muscles, but could instead come from the use of proper proportions and ratios; the head was one­seventh of the total body height, and ratios were used to build straighter columns. The Greeks found a balance between idealism and realism by creating status that reflected natural beauty through lifelike poses, people, and movement. The Parthenon, a huge temple built for the goddess Athena by the city­state of Athens, was one of the Greeks’ most notable architectural achievements. The Parthenon was extremely extravagant and was built to bring pride to Athens, was meant to be seen for miles, and contained detailed paintings, designs, and rich statues. Nevertheless, the Parthenon was built in the simplest possible type of architectural design, the Doric order, proving that even in their greatest designs, the Greeks valued balancing extravagance with simplicity and that expression, such as in intricate designs, is not always the most practical method of building. Additionally, the Parthenon, this fundamentally balanced structure, was something that brought all of Athens together both to build and to visit, allowing them to become a more unified