Oedipus Rex Homework questions

Prologue and Prodos

1.Describe the effects of the plague that has struck Thebes.

2.What message about the plague does Creon bring? Where did he get this message?

3. What do the people think of Oedipus?

Scene I and Ode I

4. How is Oedipus's opening speech ironic?

5. Why do Oedipus and Teiresias quarrel?

6. Why doesn't Oedipus recognize the truth when he hears it?

7. How does the Chorus react to Teiresias's accusations?

Scene II and Ode II

8. Who stops the quarrel between Oedipus and Creon?

9. Why does Jocasta tell Oedipus about her baby? What detail of her story catches

Oedipus's attention? What does he begin to suspect?

10. Whom do Oedipus and Jocasta send for?

11. What does Jocasta say about oracles? How does the Chorus react to her words?

Scene III and Ode III

12. Who is the Messenger, and what has he come to tell Oedipus?

13. What connection does the Messenger have with Oedipus's past? Why does he

reveal it now?

14. Why does Jocasta suddenly beg Oedipus to forget all this and stop asking

questions?

15. How do Oedipus and the Chorus react to the questions about who Oedipus really

is?

Scene IV and Ode IV

16. How did the Shepherd they sent for know Laius?

17. What does the Shepherd finally reveal? Why is he so reluctant to say it?
18. How do Oedipus and the Chorus react to these revelations?

Exodos

19. How do we learn about Jocastas death and Oedipus's self-punishment? Why do
you think Sophocles used this method?

20. What do Jocasta and Oedipus do when they realize the truth?

21. Who does Oedipus say is responsible for his actions?

22. What 3 (or 4) requests does Oedipus make to Creon?

23. What moral does the Chorus see in all this? (The Choragos is the leader of the

Chorus and often speaks for it.)