Notes of: Introduction

Introduction~
the introduction talks about the chorus. The chorus are the elders of Thebes. They tell what is happening in the play and they also talk with some of the charactors during it. They also forshadow.
Another thing in the introduction is how they talk about the life of Sophocles. They also give us clues to what will happen in the story. They also give the type of play it will be.

Mrs. Lebos notes::
Apocryphal: of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being trueEphemeral: lasting for a very short timeSophocles lead a life of privilege but was devoted to the service of state. He died, "leaving Athens materially exhausted and spiritually wrecked by the physical and moral strains of the conflict."Origins of drama stem from "not only the human instinct for narrative and impersonation, but also the instinct for the ritualistic expression and interpretation of the power of natural forces, the cycle of life and death, and the nexus of past, present, and future."nexus: a connection or series of connections linking two or more thingsChorus will function as an actor and commentator; will personify and "sing" the leading themes in the play; will stand aloof from the more highly developed plot and action while still unifying and commenting on the drama; will literally dance across the stage; offers commentary on the struggles the primary characters encounterReligion is essential to Greek Tragedy.**Dramatic Irony**Issue of "integrity of the state"principles of just and "right"piety: the quality of being religious or reverentGod's law/man's lawThe plays greatness lies in the "combination of a faultlessly articulated plot with the profoundest insight into human motive and circumstance."Issues of translation; no way to be perfect but what you read should recapture the essential voice and message of the original text"The theatre was a vast open-air arena, provided with a dancing-place (orchestra) in which the Chorus moved and chanted; a platform for the actors, probably raised by a few steps above the orchestra and communicating with it; and a building which afforded both a retiring-place for the actors and a background for their performance.