Sophocles, a student of Aeschylus, is considered by many to be the most successful of the Greek tragedians. Like Aeschylus, Sophocles lived during a time of many wars, including the Persian Wars (546–479 B.C.) and the Peloponnesian War (431–404 B.C.). Sophocles' work was influenced by this strife.

Life

Sophocles came into the world in 496 B.C., in a village outside of Athens. Born into a wealthy family (his father manufactured armor), Sophocles was sent to Athens to receive a good education. He studied military technique, science, mathematics, philosophy, government, law, astronomy, and the arts. It is widely believed that Sophocles studied under Aeschylus.

Sophocles was a talented and popular man who excelled in nearly everything he did. He was handsome and widely respected. He held many public offices and was a patron of the arts. Sophocles also took part in the Great Dionysia, winning his first victory in 468 B.C. at the age of twenty-nine. He went on to win this competition eighteen times (some sources say twenty-four times).

Sophocles died around 409 B.C. at the age of ninety. As with Aeschylus, unlikely rumors circulated about the cause of his death. One rumor humorously claimed he died during an attempt to recite a long sentence from one of his plays without stopping to take a breath; another said he died of happiness after winning the Athens Dionysia competition one last time. A third rumor had him choking on some grapes. However he died, it is certain that Sophocles lived a long, full life and made a significant contribution to Greek literature and our understanding of mythology.

Works

During his long life, Sophocles wrote an estimated 123 plays. Today, only seven have survived intact: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone, Ajax, The Trachiniae, Philoctetes, and Electra. Each of these plays is built on a foundation of mythology.

War and conflict are frequent themes in his plays, and this conflict causes his characters much pain and suffering. The plays suggest that it is through this pain and suffering that people become more human.

Thanks to Sophocles, the character of Oedipus is widely known. Sophocles began with the basic myth of Oedipus and expanded on it, creating three of his most famous tragedies: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. The gods also appear throughout his works. Sophocles saw the gods as higher beings, and humans as subject to their decisions. If the gods felt a man should be punished, for example, he was indeed brought to justice. If the gods felt a man should be rewarded for his pain and suffering, he was aptly rewarded. The gods also took sides in human conflicts.