By Sophocles

Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King)

This was written by the Greek playwright Sophocles

and first performed in 429 BCE. This was his
dramatic rendition of the already famous story of
Oedipus.
 Oedipus Rex

He was a tragic hero from Greek mythology. Homer

wrote about Oedipus, as did many storytellers of
Greek mythology.
 Tragedy
This is a genre of story in which a hero is brought down
by his/her own flaws, usually by ordinary human flaws –
flaws like greed, over-ambition, or even an excess of love,
honor, or loyalty.
 Elements of Tragedy

1. Anagnorisis: The moment when the

hero makes an important discovery.
 Elements of Tragedy

2. Catharsis: The audience’s feelings of

pity and fear.
 Elements of Tragedy

3. Hamartia: The hero’s flaw that leads

to his tragic downfall.
 Elements of Tragedy

4. Hubris: A hero’s extreme pride and

disrespect for the natural order of the
world.
 Elements of Tragedy

5. Nemesis: The unavoidable fate of

the hero, usually caused by his own
hubris.
 Elements of Tragedy

6. Peripeteia: The hero’s experience of

a reversal of fate or fortune.
 Plot
The chain of events that make up a story,
or the combination of plot points.
 Plot
1. Exposition: This is the story’s introduction,
where the author introduce his/her characters,
establish the setting, and begin to introduce
the primary conflict of the story.
 Plot
2. Rising Action: This begins with an
inciting incident, or a moment that sets the
story into action.
 Plot
3. Climax: This is the peak of tension, plot, and
character in the story. This is the point in the story
that everything changes, or where the main
character is forced to make a life-altering decision.
 Plot
4. Falling Action: This is the time when
conflicts are starting to be resolved.
 Plot
5. Resolution/Denouement: This is the end of
the story where the author ties up the final
loose ends and bring the story to its happy or
tragic ending.
Conflict in Literature

Conflict is a struggle between two

opposing forces.
Conflict in Literature
1. External Conflict: This takes place
outside the body; it’s between the
character and an outside force.
Conflict in Literature
2. Internal Conflict: This takes place
inside the character; it’s a struggle
within the character.
Types of External Conflict
1. Character versus Character: This occurs
when one character has a problem with
another character in the story. This could also
between many characters.
Types of External Conflict
2. Character versus Nature: This pits the
character against a natural force, like a blizzard,
a predatory animal or a contagious disease.
Types of External Conflict
3. Character versus Society: This happens
when the character has a problem with the
society in which they live, including laws, or
the beliefs of groups.
 Internal Conflict
Character versus Self: This happens within the
character’s mind. The character struggles with
a decision, or with his/her own identity.