Oedipus the King –Assessment
Objective:
To convey your interpretation of the play Oedipus the King, instead of writing an essay, you will compose and
then perform a two-voice poem. Additionally, you will write a “Statement of Intent” that tells what you want to
show in your 2-voice performance.
Poem Assignment
 Write a 2 voice poem that clearly shows two characters from the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.
Remember this is not a dialogue between the characters, but rather two parallel poems that delve deeply
into the thought, feelings and motivations of the characters.
 Your entire poem should make a statement about one of the main themes of the play. That is, it should
have meaning to the overall importance of the play, not just focus on some trivial aspect or part. It is not
an overall summary.
 Include your typed statement of intent.
 Be sure to follow the rubric. Look at each line of the rubric specifically to make sure you are on target.
 Use the “I am a woman” example given in class to guide you. Notice that the characters are easily
differentiated and have their own voice and tone. See how the poem uses connected lines for emphasis
on how a single event affects the two characters differently.
 You may want to use some quotes from the text to make the character’s voices more authentic.
 Each student will write his/her own poem. Students will then choose a partner for the presentation.
Choose a poem from one of the partners. You must have 2 copies of the poem being read aloud – do
not pass the page back and forth. Practice the tone, emphasis of the words and the timing. Plan a
method of movement. This is not an acting-out of the poem – it is a symbolic representation of the
relationship of the two characters and their relationship to the story being told. Think about who is
strong and who is weak, who know truth and who is blind to the truth, who holds power, who accepts
the other characters, etc. Move forward and back, front and behind, distant and close, high and low to
express the dynamics of the poem. Be creative.
Oedipus
Messenger
Jocasta
Teiresius
Creon
Chorus
Procedure:
1. Determine what you think the play means. In other words, develop your SO WHAT. So what is the message,
idea or impact of the play? Write this out so you know what you want to communicate through your poem.
2. Then choose one or two characters and create a 2-voice poem to SHOW what you just told in your SO WHAT
statement. You could choose one character and show his/her inner and outer voices. OR you could choose two
different characters’ voices to reveal your interpretation of the play. Remember what we know about poetry, in
particular 2-voice poetry. First, poetry “shows” rather than “tells”. So you need to put down images that show
what you believe about the play. And second, a two-voice poem juxtaposes two contradictory voices to reveal a
deeper meaning than what could be revealed in a one-voice poem.
3. Next, determine how your poem should be performed. Remember what we did with the model 2-voice poems in
class and how we read them in a Reader’s Theatre fashion. Consider rate, positions, movements, volume, etc.
Make notations on your poem so you remember what to do.
4. Now choose a partner to help you perform the poem. Direct him/her on your performance decisions and practice
the delivery several times.
5. Finally, type a Statement of Intent to accompany your 2-voice poem. This is your opportunity to TELL
everything you intend for your poem/performance to SHOW. So be sure to explain the following:
 SO WHAT = So what interpretation do you show in your poem and performance?
 WHAT = What components of your poem (title, diction, imagery, etc.) and what components of
your performance (rate, positions, movements, volume, etc.) do you use?
 HOW = How do the components of your poem and performance serve to reveal your
interpretation of the play?