Sophocles
Sophocles
was the creator of the memorable, suffering heroic characters ‑ Oedipus,
Ajax, Philoctetes, Electra.
He abandoned the trilogy, always
presented three separate plays. Suffering ‑ stergein ‑ pervades
his plays, making his heroes/heroines somewhat godlike.
His family was wealthy and civic minded; he participated in civic
leadership of Athens and was elected to the board of naval strategy. He was the favorite playwright of his own time,
winning 18 first prizes and more second place prizes at the Great Dionysia.