Oedipus Rex - Intermediate Greek Drama
1. Vocabulary – In groups of three, scan your assigned page for words you are unsure of. Try
to figure out the meaning of the word from the way it is used. Then confirm the meaning using
the dictionary. Choose meanings that obviously fit the context in which it was used.
2. Reader’s Theatre - Use the tone of the language to find out how a character is feeling.
3. Line summaries - Summarize what is being said by each character in each set of lines.
4. Answer the following questions.
Warm – Up
1. What, in your mind, would a good ruler do if their subjects faced a major problem?
2. How would you choose a ruler?
SCENE - SETTING
1. What kind of feeling is the director of the play attempting to create with the scene
description after the words “At the beginning…?”
Prologue
111 Enrichment A: The Priest’s speech is broken into three passages by pauses
What effect do these pauses have?
1. What does Oedipus do that shows he is trying to be a good king?
2. Why is there hope that Oedipus can solve the troubles in Thebes?
3. What are the problems of Thebes compared to?
4. What does Kreon know about the problem in Thebes? Who told him?
Parados
Summarize Strophe 1,2,3 and Antistrophe 1,2,3.
Strophes and Antistrophes are used to pose questions, problems, solutions and consequences
that must be considered by the people/characters/audience.
1. What problems are presented?
2. How do the strophes and antistrophes affect the setting or atmosphere?
3. Who are the people calling on to solve their problems?
4. Why is it important that Oedipus walks in during Antistrophe 3?
Scene I – Warm Up
What types of things might a ruler do to try to put an end to a crime?
Why would the ruler have to be careful?
What would you ask a fortune teller who only told the truth, and was always right?
111 Enrichment B. Be able to summarize the meaning of text between, and discuss possible
reasons for, the breaks in each set of lines.
1. What does Oedipus offer those who bring, or hide, evidence about the murder of Laios?
2. What penalty will the murderer suffer?
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Describe Oedipus’ behavior in this scene.
Why is there such a strong conflict between Teiresias and Oedipus?
What, exactly, is Teirisias trying to tell Oedipus?
What is the blindness that Oedipus suffers from?
What prophecy does Tieresias give?
Ode I
Summarize each of the strophes and antistrophes.
1. What is the ancient regicide?
2. What tone is set for the coming scene?
3. Who, or what, does the beginning of strophe 2 refer to?
4. What are the people asking of Oedipus in Antistrophe 2?
Scene II – Warm up
If your best friend accused you of something you did not do, but they would swear on
their life that you had, how would you react?
How would you react if you did the above to your best friend, and then realized you had
somehow done the deed yourself?
1. What is Kreons attitude about the accusations? Why?
2. How is Kreon approached by Oedipus? What hope does Kreon have? Explain.
3. Describe the conflict between Kreon and Oedipus. Who is being reasonable? Explain.
4. What choices are beginning to trap Oedipus?
5. What is the choragos asking of Oedipus in Strophe I? How does he respond?
6. What is the main idea of each prophecy that was told to Laios, Kreon and Oedipus?
7. Why does Oedipus begin to believe Kreons prophecy?
8. When does Oedipus realize he has been moving too fast? What hope does he have?
9. Why does Iokaste still not believe in oracles?
Ode II
Summarize each of the strophes and antistrophes.
1. How has the tone changed since the parados on page 36?
2. What are the people saying about their leaders in lines 447 - 492?
Scene III – Warm up
If you believed you had made a critical mistake, and it had put the lives of others at risk,
what would you do? What would you do if correcting the mistake would put your own life
at risk?
1. What does Iokaste compare Oedipus to? Why?
2. Describe Oedipus situation. Why is he relieved, and what does his name seem to stand for?
3. What seems to be the problem between Iokaste and the shepherd? What does she know?
Ode III
Summarize the strophe and antistrophe.
1. How has the tone changed again?
Scene IV – Warm up
If you were told, with certainty, that your newborn child would do things that would ruin
the lives of thousands of people, what would your reaction be? What would the results of
your decision do to you, over time?
1. What does the shepherd say about giving the child to the messenger? Why?
2. What choice does Oedipus give the shepherd?
3. What decisions has Oedipus made that are pushing him in unpleasant directions?
4. Describe the ways in which Oedipus fulfilled the prophecies.
Ode IVp
Summarize each of the strophes and antistrophes.
Exodos
1. What has Oedipus done by acting without knowledge?
2. Whose lives are affected by what Oedipus has done, and how?
3. What is the moral of the story in lines 540-548?