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.

at several points in the play such as the time Jocasta begs Oedipus to stop his protrusion into the past. "Since now we are all frightened, seeing him - The vessel's pilot, as 'twere - panic stricken."(51) The lofty language used is a fancy way of telling the reader that Oedipus has indeed fulfilled the second prophecy of the oracle.

is described as a scene where the hero goes from ignorance of the truth to knowledge of the implications of the tragedy and his involvement in it. For Oedipus this occurs after the Old Man helps him to piece the tragedy together. "Woe! woe! It is all plain, indeed! O Light, This be the last time I shall gaze on thee,"(67). Because Oedipus the King has a recognition it is also considered a complex tragedy. Immediately following his recognition Oedipus fulfills the final part of a tragedy by committing the tragic incident. Offstage, in true Greek tragic fashion Oedipus is described to have outraged his own eyes, an incident meant to evoke pity from the audience.

Known as the "soul of tragedy," the plot, is the arrangement of incidents. Aristotle wrote that the ideal tragic plot should consist of three things, a reversal, a recognition, and a tragic incident. The reversal, is the point in a tragedy where the action turns and the hero's fortune begins downward. In Oedipus' case, the reversal is when Tiresias says that Oedipus himself is the abominable contaminator that has plagued the city. It is at this point in the play that Oedipus starts to make enemies as he accuses Creon and Tiresias of conspiring to take the thrown. His over pride also shines through as he states, "You cannot hurt me, Nor any other who beholds the light,"(22) The arrogance shown by Oedipus here is means for his fall to come. The recognition

Aristotle also states that the purpose of a tragedy is to overall entertain the audience by uplifting it, but that the play may also have a lesson involved. The play should elect fear, pity and should affect a public catharsis. The audience should be better havi

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