Greek Drama Test Review
Define the types of Greek Drama:
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Comedy- In general, a story that ends happily. The first comedies were mainly satirical and
mocked men in power for their vanity and foolishness. Much later, comedies were about ordinary
people and were more like sitcoms. (Greek Drama Notes)
Tragedy- Play, novel, or other narrative, depicting serious and important events, in which the main
character comes to an unhappy end. Tragedy dealt with the big themes of love, loss, pride, the
abuse of power and the fraught relationships between men and gods. The main protagonist of a
tragedy commits some terrible crime without realizing how foolish and arrogant he has been.
Then, as he slowly realizes his error, the world crumbles around him.
Fill in the blank:
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“Hubris”: according to its modern usage, is exaggerated self-pride or self-confidence (overbearing
pride), often resulting in fatal retribution.
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“Fate”: the will or principle or determining cause by which things in general are believed to come to
be as they are or events to happen as they do: destiny. The Greeks believed that everything
happened for a reason and that the path they led in life was prescribed for them by the Gods and
that there was no escaping their fate or destiny.
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Entertainment is a bonus for the ritual audience; the goal is to gain prosperity from the gods.
Modern Theatre must entertain.
Define the Following Greek Drama Terms (It may behoove you to be able to label them on an
Ode):
Chorus: made up of about fifteen elders of Thebes
Choragos: leader of the Chorus
Ode: These odes served both to separate one scene from the next, since there were no curtains, and also
to provide the chorus’ response to the preceding scene.
Prologue: a separate introductory section of a literary or musical work.
Strophe: Part of the ode that the chorus chants as it moves from right to left across the stage.
Antistrophe: Part of the ode chanted as the chorus moves back across the stage from left to right.
Epode: Final stanza of the ode, following the strophe and antistrophe.
Paean: Hymn in praise of a god—in this case Dionysos, in whose honor the Greeks performed their plays.
Exodus: The final, or exit, scene.
Identify the following characters to Sophocles’ Greek dramas (It may behoove you to make a
family tree): You do not have to draw a family tree on the board but they need to know how all
of the characters are connected in all of the plays that we have read. They can go online and look
for Oedipus Rex Family Tree in order to assist them further.
Oedipus, King Laius, Creon, Jocasta, Antigone, Ismene, Eteocles, Polyneices, Haimon, Eurydice, Tiresias
Text Summary: Answer the following questions concerning the text.
Oedipus the King
1. Where does the play take place? The story takes place in Thebes, Greece.
2. When first asked for help by Oedipus, what does Teiresias do? Oedipus asks Teiresias for help
because the city is in ruins. However, Teiresias warns Oedipus that this prophecy will not help but
hurt him so he initially refuses to tell Oedipus of his prophecy.
3. After hearing Teiresias’ proclamation, Oedipus declares that Teiresias is? He declares that Teiresias
is a liar and a fool. Oedipus throws Teiresias out of his house and curses him.
4. Oedipus left his kingdom because he learned what from the Oracle? The Oracle told Oedipus the
prophecy that he would unknowingly kill his father Laius and lay with his mother Jocasta.
5. What does Jocasta tell Oedipus’ to calm his fears? She tells Oedipus the story of how Laius was
killed.
6. Who is the person who reveals the final clue in the mystery of Oedipus’ identity? The Herdsman
revealed the final clue of Oedipus’ identity.
7. How does Jocasta commit suicide? Jocasta hangs herself to commit suicide.
8. What is Oedipus’ final request from Creon? Oedipus asks Creon to bury Jocasta and to look after
his two daughters Antigone and Ismene.
9. How does Oedipus blind himself? He stabbed himself in the eyes with Jocasta’s brooch.
10. What is the punishment Oedipus gives to himself? He goes into exile to the hillside where his
parents tried to kill him as a baby.
Oedipus at Colonus
1. What was the second part of Oedipus’ fate? He was to be buried in Furies near Athens, Greece in
order to protect the city.
2. What is happening back in Thebes during Oedipus at Colonus? The two brothers Eteocles and
Ployneices are fighting over the throne.
3. Why does Creon come to talk to Oedipus? He wants him to return to Thebes? I am not sure
because I was going off memory and I did not have the story in front of me. You may want to
check that handout.
4. Who takes Oedipus’ daughters as hostages? Creon takes Antigone and Ismene as hostages? Check
the handout.
5. What does Polyneices ask Oedipus for? He tells him that whatever brother’s side he picks to
support for this battle is the brother that will win the war.
6. Why won’t Polyneices call off the war? He does not believe that he is wrong. Eteocles had already
ruled for one year and now it was Polyneices’ turn to rule the throne.
7. What does Oedipus tell Theseus about his burial? His burial whereabouts must be kept a secret and
only Theseus will know the exact burial spot.
8. Where do Ismene and Antigone go after Oedipus dies? Antigone and Ismene return back to Thebes
after their father is buried.
Antigone
1. In the Prologue who is Antigone speaking with? Antigone is speaking with Ismene her sister.
2. What does Antigone want to do? Antigone wants to give Polyneices the proper burial because she
promised him in Oedipus at Colonus play.
3. What is Ismene’s response to Antigone’s suggestion? Ismene refuses to help her bury him because
she is afraid of Creon (their uncle) who is now the king.
4. Why is what Antigone wants to do dangerous? What Antigone is doing is dangerous because Creon
forbade anyone to bury Polyneices. Creon “created” this law to refuse this burial for Polyneices.
5. What reasons does Creon give for not allowing Polyneices to be buried? Creon’s reason for nit
burying Polyneices was because Polyneices brought the bloodshed to the city of Thebes by
starting the battle with Eteocles.
6. What dramatic irony do you see since each time Creon refers to the “man” who has buried
Polyneices? The audience knows that Creon has not been buried by a man but by Creon’s own
niece Antigone.
7. Whose laws does Antigone believe she is following? Antigone is following the laws of the Gods.
8. What does Creon seem to fear the most? Creon fears anarchy and women the most.
9. What is Haimon’s warning to his father that foreshadows his death? Haimon tells his father that if
Antigone must die that her death will cause another. He may be threatening to kill himself.
10. How does Creon choose to punish Antigone? Creon locks her in vaulted cave of eternal rock.
11. What curse does Antigone put on Creon? Antigone curses him by saying that she wants Creon’s
punishment equal to her own.
12. What is Teiresias warning to Creon? Teiresias warns Creon that if he does not bury Polyneices
properly and free Antigone then ruin will come to the city of Thebes. Also, Teiresias stated that
Creon will pay for his proud actions, “Corpse for corpse, flesh of your own flesh.”
13. Who are the three characters that die at the end of the play? Antigone, Haimon, and Eurydice are
the three characters that die at the end of the play.
14. Why does the choragus address the audience directly at the end of the play? It was to make sure
that everyone understands the moral of the play. The moral of the play of life or suffering teaches
the proud that the best course of action is to submit to Fate and/or the will of the gods.
Define the following literary terms and give examples:
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Dramatic Irony: It occurs when the reader or the audience knows something important that a
character does not know.
Tragic Hero: A great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall,
suffering, or defeat. A literary character that makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that,
combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy.
Critical Thinking: Please do not go over these questions. I want them to think and do the research
on their own because these will basically be their essay questions. If you decide to make
modifications for your friends then that is fine but I want this section to be done independently
by our other friends.
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How would you describe the major conflict in Antigone? Is the conflict between absolute good and
absolute evil, or is the conflict more between opposing views of what is good?
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Do you see Antigone as completely admirable and Creon as completely evil, or do you see both
characters as more complex, as mixtures of good and bad? Describe your views of Antigone and
Creon with support from the play(s).
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At the end of the play, Eurydice blames Creon for the tragic turn of events, and Creon accepts her
curse, saying “I alone am guilty” (line 121). What do you think of Creon’s statement of sole
responsibility?
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In lines 32-76 of the exodus, the Messenger says that Creon buried Polyneices first and then went to
free Antigone. How do you think the events may have turned out differently if Creon had reversed
the order of his task?