Oedipus Project
1. Make a Greek mask of one on the characters of the play. Be sure the mask matches the emotion
of the character. For example if you are capturing Oedipus’s rage, the mask must portray the rage.
Also include a passage or monologue that correlates with the mask/emotion. You should research
Greek theater masks before you begin.
2.
Act out your favorite scene from the play. Lines must be memorized . Think about costumes
and props. You are acting so bring the strong emotions. The Greeks were known for being over
dramatic. You will want to recreate that drama for the class.
3. Create a newspaper for covering the major incidents in the play. Your newspaper should have
pictures, a cover story, obituaries and other features of a newspaper. Be creative. The newspaper
can have an articles on Oracles, incest, road rage, murder, blindness…etc…Must have at least
five strong articles.
4. Create a soundtrack for the movie Oedipus. Make a five song CD . The music can be modern but
must match the themes and action of the play. In an essay you will explain why you are
including each of the songs on the mix. For each song or musical piece, print out the lyrics then,
each song should have a paragraph of in-depth analysis/explication/description which explains its
connection to the play, using literary evidence such as: themes, symbols, motifs, and situations
that the play explored. You should use TEXT BASED EVIDENCE (AKA quotes from the play!)
Make a Album cover for the CD. Be artistic! Presentation is just as important as content. The
final product should look like something you would buy at a record store.
5. Video: create your own Macbeth movie. You can focus on one act. Stay true to the script but
you may change the setting. You should include music and be sure to edit your film for flow. It
should be done as a real film. Strong acting is a must! It should include Sophocles’ words! Be
creative. You must have the right software for this project. You also need to know how to edit a
movie. A one Act film would be a four person project. I will need a summary as to each
person’s role.
6. Criminal trial. Prosecute Oedipus for the Crimes of Incest and murder. This trial also
needs a defense. Be sure to use the text for all of your evidence. The prosecution must
come up with a strong case. The defense must also work hard to defend the client to the
best of their abilities. Strong speaking skills are a must. This is a two person project.
7. Rap: write the story of Oedipus into a rap song. Write and record and video a rap song that
summarizes the whole play. To see a good examples of this go to YouTube and type in Macbeth
–flocabulary. This rap and recording should be a least 5 minutes. It is a summary of the whole
play in music format. This could be a four person project. You would need the right software
and technology. I would need a short summary as to each person’s role: editor, writer, singer, and
cameraman.