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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Oedipus say about the fact that Laius' death wasn't looked into before?

2. What does Oedipus ask Teiresias to do, after Teiresias says Oedipus is the murderer?

3. What does Creon say stopped the city from looking into the king's death?

4. What does the chorus leader rebuke both Oedipus and Teiresias for?

5. What is Oedipus' initial attitude toward the crowd that has gathered?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Oedipus respond to the townspeople's pleas for help?

2. What troubles have affected the people of Thebes?

3. Describe what the people of Thebes have with them at the beginning of the play.

4. Why are the people of Thebes reluctant to think Oedipus guilty of a crime?

5. Describe the message that Creon brings from the oracle.

6. What is Teiresias referring to when he says Oedipus and his children will be "equals"?

7. Describe how the townspeople view Oedipus.

8. Why doesn't Oedipus listen to Teiresias?

9. What does the priest appeal to in asking Oedipus to save the city?

10. What rumor does the chorus leader remind Oedipus of?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In OEDIPUS THE KING, much of the action takes place offstage or in different times, and is retold by the characters and messengers. Discuss how this affects the play.

1) How is hearing about Jocasta's suicide from the second messenger a different experience than seeing it?

2) How is hearing Oeidpus retell the story of meeting Laius on the road different from seeing it?

3) How effective is it for Oedipus to come on stage with his eyes gouged out at the end of the play? Is it more affecting since most of the violence of the play takes place offstage?

4) What other effects does the action taking place offstage have on the play?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Oedipus as a tragic hero.

1) What are the qualities of a tragic hero, and how does Oedipus embody those qualities? Are there any ways in which Oedipus is not a tragic hero?

2) What is Oedipus' tragic flaw? How does it contribute to his downfall?

3) The chorus comments on how far Oedipus has fallen in the end of the play. Why is it important for a tragic hero to be a mighty person who falls to a low position? How does Oedipus fulfill this aspect of the tragic hero?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the role of women in the play.

1) What is Jocasta's role as queen? How do the people seem to treat Jocasta?

2) Creon says that Jocasta and Oedipus rule as equals. Is this true? How does Oedipus treat Jocasta?

2) Why does Oedipus fear for his daughters more than his sons at the end of the play? What does this say about the treatment of men and women in the society?

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