Sophocles Impact On Greek Theater

Sophocles had an enormous impact on Greek theater due to three theatrical innovations he made: the addition of a third actor, ending the custom of presenting tragedies as linked trilogies, and the increase of the chorus from twelve to fifteen. The three greatest classical tragedians are Sophocles, Aeschylus, and Euripides, but Sophocles is known as the greatest dramatist in Western literature. Due to innovations he made to Greek theater and the plays he wrote, Sophocles is a more successful dramatist than Aeschylus and Euripides. He wrote 123 plays during his lifetime and of those, seven survive to this day. Sophocles surviving tragedies are still known to this day because of “Sophocles' technical skill as a dramatist, unforgettable characters,

Sophocles, after finishing his education, competed in a playwriting competition at the dramatic festival of the Greater Dionysia. It was his first time to enter the contest and he ended up beating the renowned Aeschylus for first place in the tragedy category. Sophocles won first place 24 more times at this festival, and when he failed to win first place he always came in second, “This remarkable record makes Sophocles the most successful tragedian of his day; Euripides, by contrast, won first place only five times,” ("Sophocles." Encyclopedia of the Ancient Greek World, Third Edition). The awards he won reflect his talent, but his style is what truly reflects his greatness in

Unlike Euripides, Sophocles characterized his characters as good people with an excess of virtue. This separated Sophocles from Euripides because, “He drew men as they ought to be; Euripides as they are,” (Artistole “Poetics”). What made Sophocles incomparable was his “…ability to blend irony and poetry with effective dramatic technique,” ("Sophocles." Arts and Humanities Through the Eras).

Sophocles was known for his beautiful and splendid language. Aeschylus’s speeches were elegant, while Sophocles speeches were direct and understandable. The last thing that separates Sophocles from dramatists of the fifth century was his self-criticism. Unlike any other dramatist in the fifth century Sophocles left opinions on his own work. This allowed him to correct his mistakes and develop himself as a dramatist. There were multiple great dramatists during Sophocles time, but he was the best due to his uniqueness and