Oedipus Rex Questions
Oedipus Rex Questions
The Prologue (p5-12) 1. Where does the play take place? 2. Which character begins the play? 3. What is Oedipus’s attitude toward the suppliants seeking his help? 4. What does the priest ask Oedipus to do? 5. What has Oedipus already done? 6. Who is Creon? 7. What is the message from the oracle of Delphi with which Creon returns? 8. What prevented Thebes from tracking down the murderer of Laius at the time the murder occurred? 9. What does Oedipus promise to do? 10. The suppliants are carrying olive boughs (branches) which symbolize peace. Why do you think Oedipus tells the suppliants to take their branches of supplication off the alter? Parados (p12-14) 11. To which three gods and goddesses does the chorus appeal for rest from their suffering? 12. Describe the condition of the people of Thebes as the play begins. Scene One (p14) 13. What will happen to the guilty person if he comes forward and admits his guilt? What will happen if he doesn’t? 14. List some of the ironic statements made by Oedipus about the murder and Laius. 15. What is the Chorus’s response? 16. What might be an explanation for Oedipus having to send for Tiresias twice? 17. At his entrance, how is Tiresias described by the Chorus? 18. Why do you think Tiresias wants to leave? 19. What is ironic about Oedipus’s statement: “I understand it all”? 20. Explain the paradox (something that seems to be a contradiction but is not) of blindness of the following example: Tiresias [to Oedipus]: Listen to me. You mock my blindness, do you? But I say that you, with both your eyes, are blind.
Ode One (p27-28) 21. What does the chorus remind the audience about the murderer? 22. When the chorus debates whether to believe Oedipus or Teiresias, with whom do they side and what is their reason? Scene Two (p29-48) 23. What character trait of Oedipus is revealed by the fact that Oedipus accuses
The Prologue (p5-12) 1. Where does the play take place? 2. Which character begins the play? 3. What is Oedipus’s attitude toward the suppliants seeking his help? 4. What does the priest ask Oedipus to do? 5. What has Oedipus already done? 6. Who is Creon? 7. What is the message from the oracle of Delphi with which Creon returns? 8. What prevented Thebes from tracking down the murderer of Laius at the time the murder occurred? 9. What does Oedipus promise to do? 10. The suppliants are carrying olive boughs (branches) which symbolize peace. Why do you think Oedipus tells the suppliants to take their branches of supplication off the alter? Parados (p12-14) 11. To which three gods and goddesses does the chorus appeal for rest from their suffering? 12. Describe the condition of the people of Thebes as the play begins. Scene One (p14) 13. What will happen to the guilty person if he comes forward and admits his guilt? What will happen if he doesn’t? 14. List some of the ironic statements made by Oedipus about the murder and Laius. 15. What is the Chorus’s response? 16. What might be an explanation for Oedipus having to send for Tiresias twice? 17. At his entrance, how is Tiresias described by the Chorus? 18. Why do you think Tiresias wants to leave? 19. What is ironic about Oedipus’s statement: “I understand it all”? 20. Explain the paradox (something that seems to be a contradiction but is not) of blindness of the following example: Tiresias [to Oedipus]: Listen to me. You mock my blindness, do you? But I say that you, with both your eyes, are blind.
Ode One (p27-28) 21. What does the chorus remind the audience about the murderer? 22. When the chorus debates whether to believe Oedipus or Teiresias, with whom do they side and what is their reason? Scene Two (p29-48) 23. What character trait of Oedipus is revealed by the fact that Oedipus accuses