Sophocles was born in 496 BC in Colonus, a village just outside Athens, to a wealthy arms maker and prominent citizen. As a young man, Sophocles was talented in music and dancing. He was interested in playwriting and began studying The Odyssey and The Iliad. An anonymous biographer of the time called him "Homer's pupil", suggesting that Sophocles' great power came from the greatest of the Greek poets. In 468 BC, Sophocles' play Triptolemus won first prize for tragedy, while his master's came second. Because Athens required its citizens to take part in all aspects of public life, Sophocles served as a diplomat, general, and even healer. Sophocles became treasurer of the Delian Confederation in 443 BC; the funds he raised strengthened Athenian glory at home and in the Mediterranean. Three years later, Sophocles was honored to have served as a general in the siege of Samos. Historians believe he may have served again 20 years later. He investigated the Athenian military defeat in Sicily in 413 BC. He also acted as a negotiator with the allies during the Peloponnesian War. His death in 406 BC inspired a national cult that venerated him as a cultural hero and dedicated a shrine to him. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Throughout his service, however, Sophocles remained primarily a playwright. In his life he completed more than 120 plays. Now, of most of these only titles and fragments can be found, since only seven complete tragedies survive: Ajax, Antigone, Electra, Oedipus the King, The Trachines, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus. However, in 1907, a papyrus with hundreds of verses from the Ichneutae was found in Egypt. This discovery provides hope of finding more works by the playwright in the future. By analyzing the themes found in Sophocles' personal life and in the society of Athens, we can identify where Sophocles found inspiration for his pieces; in particular, Electra. The story is based on "The Nostoi", a lost epic of ancient Greek literature and part of the "Epic Cycle", which roughly covers the period between Homer's Iliad and his Odyssey. Sophocles, as was stated in the previous paragraph, Sophocles studied Homer and was inspired by him. The character Electra is very emotional and stubbornly devoted to the principles of justice, reverence and honor, although her understanding of these principles seems questionable at times. These characteristics were precious in the eyes of Greek society. Major themes explored through the play include the conflict between justice and opportunity, as embodied in the characters of Electra and Chrysothemis respectively; the effects of revenge on its perpetrator, as the moment of revenge approaches, Electra becomes increasingly irrational, demonstrating a questionable understanding of the very principle of justice by which she claims to be motivated; and the degrading effects of dishonor. These are all themes that Sophocles would have studied during his education in Greek arts and society. Sophocles recognizes the "bad" sides of the "heroes" and the "good" sides of the "villains", effectively blurring the distinctions between these two categories and giving the play a morally ambiguous tone. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Many scholars are divided over whether Electra's victory over her mother represents the triumph of justice or the downfall, even madness, of Electra.