Oedipus the
King
Essay
Assignment
Western Literature
February 3, 2015
Warm-Up for 2/3/2015
 Look back through your journal and find
the warm-up that asks you to defend
your position on a thematic
statement from the anticipation
guide.
 Re-read your response and then explain
what you think Sophocles and the
Greeks would argue about that
statement in a five sentence paragraph.
Irony Gallery Walk
Put your Irony assignment on a
desk in the room. As you walk
around, make a list of all of
the ironic moments and
quotes from your classmates’
assignments.
You have five minutes to
observe your classmates’ work.
Oedipus the King Essay
Assignment
 You will select one of the following prompts and
develop a well-written essay with an introduction
and a conclusion that answers the question.
 You will be analyzing how this play reflects
universal themes and lessons applicable in all
times and places. You may choose to compare
these themes to modern day beliefs but you must
include an analysis of how Sophocles answers
this question in Oedipus the King.
 You must include at least five direct quotes from
the text in your essay (blended into your
sentences).
 Your essay should be between 2 and 4 pages.
Oedipus the King Essay
Assignment
 How does Sophocles use irony to create
what Aristotle calls catharsis (pity and fear)
in the audience in Oedipus the King? How
does irony contribute to the tragic effect of
the play?
 You may also compare another example of
irony in a movie or book used to create
catharsis with a modern audience to
illustrate how a text produces this effect.
Oedipus the King Essay
Assignment
 Fate vs. Free Will: What is the relationship
between fate and free will in Sophocles’ Oedipus
the King?
 Are humans just “playthings of the gods” or do
they control their own path?
 Compare the Greek view to our modern ideas
of fate versus free will.
 Consider Oedipus’ exclamation, “I abandoned
Corinth, / from that day on I gauged its landfall
only / by the stars, running, always running /
towards some place where I would never see /
the shame of all those oracles come true” (Lines
875-880).
Oedipus the King Essay
Assignment
Select a thematic statement from
your anticipation guide.
Argue what Sophocles’ Oedipus the
King reveals about that theme. Would
the Greeks agree or disagree with the
selected statement? What about your
own personal beliefs?
Compare and contrast this theme
in Greek culture as well as our
modern culture.
Oedipus the King Essay
Assignment
YOUR ESSAY MUST INCLUDE
 Introduction (including a hook, context—name of the
play and playwright, and a clear thesis statement)
 Body Paragraphs
 Topic Sentence (assert the main claim of each
paragraph in the beginning)
 Evidence (direct quotes blended into your
sentences). You must have at least five direct quotes
in your essay.
 Commentary (Warrant your evidence to your claim
and overall thesis statement)
 Conclusion (include a review of your main points and
synthesize your points to the greater world).
Oedipus the King Essay
Assignment
RULES FOR YOUR ESSAY
Your essay must be between 2 and 4
pages long.
Your essay must be in MLA format and
include a Works Cited.
You may not use 2nd person (absolutely
no “you” in your paper).
When you are discussing literature, you
should always use the present tense.
Essay Planner for Oedipus the
King
PURPOSE OF THE ESSAY PLANNER: TO
PLAN YOUR ESSAY. MAKE IT USEFUL TO
YOU.
STEP ONE: Compare and contrast
Greek values with our modern values to
start unpacking themes in the play.
STEP TWO: Write your thesis
statement to answer the prompt of your
selected topic.
STEP THREE: Using the box provided,
start outlining and/or mapping your
essay.
Homework
Complete your essay
planner for the
Oedipus the King
literary analysis essay
assignment.