Sophocles
497 BCE – 406 BCE Greek playwright
The tragedian of Oedipus and Antigone, master of dramatic irony.
- Religion
- Greek polytheism; he served as a priest of a healing cult.
- Affiliations
- Held public office in Athens. No secret society.
Sophocles brought Greek tragedy to its height with tightly built plots and characters caught between duty and fate. Oedipus Rex and Antigone remain benchmarks for the study of drama and moral conflict. He added a third actor and richer staging to the form.