Oedipus the King

             Aristotle's key principles as found in Oedipus the King
             Drama was an important way to transmit culture, education, morality and religion during the Golden Age of Greek theatre, which lasted from about 500bc to 400bc. There were three main tragedians in Greece at this time. Aeschylus, also know as the father of tragedy, who added a second actor to the original style of the genre, while also reducing the size of the chorus. Sophocles added a third actor and grew the beautiful language used by the performers. He emphasized on fate and free will of mankind and his work is considered the essence of Greek drama. Euripedes was different because he questioned the traditional ideas thus humanizing plays to appeal to the audience's emotions. During this era, festivals would be held in Athens' city center for which a dramatist would submit a collection of four plays. The collection would consist of a tragic; mind churning trilogy and a more light hearted satire at the end. One part of a trilogy by Sophocles that would eventually evolve into a classic was Oedipus the King, in which the author conforms to the five main key principles defined by Aristotle 100 years after the great tragedians passed.
             According to Aristotle a tragedy by definition is a dramatic form that imitates a serious action written in a lofty language. It should also contain examples of fate, pride, and free will. The story about a king's son who is destined to kill his father and marry his mother shows each of these parts. Oedipus' belief in fate at the beginning of the story leads him closer to fulfilling the prophecy. Thinking he has avoiding the oracle's prediction his pride leads him to depend on his free will more than he should bringing his downfall. The play's lofty language can be found
             at several points in the play such as the time Jocasta begs Oedipus to stop his protrusion into the past. "Since now we are a...

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