Among all the famous Greek playwrights, Sophocles must be one of the best known of all. All seven of Sophocles' plays “are often considered the most perfect achievement of ancient Athens.” His works make the audience reflect on the character's actions, such as asking who was right and who was wrong. Sophocles' plays “are just as relevant today as they were in the fifth century BCE” (“Ancient Athenian Drama” 701). There are some connections between events in Sophocles' life and his plays Oedipus and Antigone. Not much is known about this brilliant playwright, but what is known about him is that he “had an unusually long, successful, productive and apparently happy life” (Ancient Athenian Drama” 701). Sophocles was born in the village of Colonus, near Athens, around 496 BCE (“Ancient Athenian Drama” 701). His father is believed to have made armor, which provided his family with a good income during the war all his life" Sophocles often acted in his own plays, but due to the weakening of his voice over time, he was forced to give up acting (Denault "The Glory that was Greece"). Sophocles not only participated in the theater, but was also politically active “under Pericles as treasurer in 443 and 442, and was elected general under him in 441” (“Ancient Athenian Drama” 703). “Sophocles married, had five children, and died at the ripe old age of 90 in 406 BC ("Ancient Athenian drama", Denault). It is sad to say, unfortunately, that only seven plays of Sophocles have survived of the 120 plays he wrote in his lifetime (“Ancient Athenian Drama” 702). Two of those surviving plays, Oedipus the King... middle of paper... his contribution to theater changed the way theater is written and performed. Oedipus the King will race to its gruesome conclusion as a messed-up murder mystery, leaving the audience to decide what Oedipus is like (“Ancient Athenian Drama” 705). Antigone's plot has the ability to divide a room into two sides depending on who, Antigone or Creon, did the right thing. Although Sophocles' work is ancient, his plays have stood the test of time and his plays continue to be read and performed to this day. Works Cited "Ancient Athenian Drama." The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Ed. Martin Puchner. 3rd ed. vol. A. New York: W. W. Norton, 2012. 701-05. Press. From the Beginning to 1650. Denault, Leigh T. “The Glory That Was Greece.” The glory that was Greece. Np, nd Web. April 19. 2014. .