Oedipus the King Review Sheet
Vocabulary
Blight – destructive disease
Pestilence – plague
Induced – persuaded, caused
Invoke – cause to appear
Prophecy – a prediction of the future
Malignant – very harmful
Fettered – shackled or chained
Gratify – to please
As the play opens, what disaster has struck Thebes?
There is a plague – the crops and animals are dying and women aren’t having babies.
In the opening scene, what does Oedipus’s response to this disaster suggest
about him as a ruler?
Oedipus’s concern and rapid action show that he is a fair and responsible ruler.
What are Oedipus’s two main reasons for seeking out Laius’s murderer?
Oedipus wants to end the plague and he’s afraid the murderer will come after him.
How does Oedipus’s curse on the murderer foreshadow, or hint at, a tragic
outcome for the drama?
The murderer will turn out to be none other than Oedipus himself.
What physical ailment afflicts Teiresias?
Teiresias is blind.
Compare and contrast Oedipus and Teiresias in terms of blindness and
insight at the end of Part 1.
Although he is blind, Teiresias has insight into the future and can “see” what’s going to
happen. Oedipus has his vision, but is “blind” to what he’s done and what’s going to
happen.
Of what does Oedipus accuse Creon?
Oedipus accuses Creon of treason.
How convincing is Creon’s argument about his own motives?
Creon’s argument is convincing. He says he has no desire to be king because it is a lot of
work and trouble, but he still enjoys power because he is the king’s brother-in-law.
What reason does Jocasta give for not having faith in prophecy?
Jocasta says it’s impossible because they abandoned the son she had when he was an
infant.
What do both Jocasta and Oedipus seem to believe about their abilities to
control their own destinies?
They both believe that their actions have enabled them to avoid a predicted fate.
What role does the chorus play in clarifying both the events and characters’
emotions in the play?
The chorus clarifies and explains the plague and also comments on the characters’
emotions, especially those of Oedipus.
In what ways does the chorus heighten the dramatic tension?
The chorus comments intensely on the city’s suffering and on the religious issues raised
by the oracles.
What is the literal meaning of Oedipus’s name? What clue to Oedipus’s
identity does his name contain?
Oedipus’s name means “swollen-foot.” The name refers to his ankles being chained
together when he was left on Mount Cithaeron to die as an infant.
What is Oedipus’s reaction to Jocasta’s abrupt in Part 2?
Oedipus wrongly assumes that Jocasta thinks he may secretly be of low birth, or low
class.
Why do you think Oedipus continues his investigation despite Jocasta’s
strong objections?
Oedipus is now caught up in the search for his true identity, so he has to keep pursuing
the truth.
What might the playwright be saying about the importance of “knowing
thyself”?
The playwright, or author of the play, Sophocles may be saying that knowing where you
come from is so important that it doesn’t matter if the truth about it is painful.
What facts does Oedipus establish by questioning the Herdsman? Why
might this scene be considered the climax, or high point, of the tragedy?
Oedipus establishes that the Herdsman gave a child to the Corinthian Messenger so that
the infant could be raised in safety in Corinth. This scene may be considered the climax
because it marks the point of highest tension, when Oedipus’s downfall is certain.
What events does the Second Messenger report?
The Second Messenger reports the suicide of Jocasta and the self-blinding of Oedipus.
Does this speech achieve the goal of dramatic tragedy? That is, does it
evoke pity or fear in you? Explain.
What does Oedipus want Creon to do at the end of the play? Why does
Oedipus insist that he is better off blind and living than dead?
Oedipus wants Creon to send him into exile and to take care of his daughters. Oedipus
believes he should not end his suffering by ending his life early. He needs to pay for the
things he’s done.
At the play’s end, do you think Oedipus is ennobled by his suffering?
Explain.