Name ___________________________________
Date ________________
English 4 Oedipus Rex WebQuest
The Greek Theater
‐ Theater was one of the most popular forms of art in ancient Greek
times. It is important to understand the origins of Greek theater and information on
Sophocles in order to better understand how the play Oedipus Rex would be performed.
Use the links provided below (and other credible resources). If the link fails, use another
suitable search engine to locate the answer, and record it for the purpose of checking
credibility. You may write your answers on another sheet of paper or copy and paste the
questions to a Word document and then type your answers in your own words.
Give a brief overview of Sophocles
1. Sophocles is the author of Oedipus Rex. When and where was Sophocles born?
2. Name at least two of the other occupations or skills that Sophocles maintained in his life.
3. Where were most of the plays performed?
4. How many plays did Sophocles write?
5. How many plays have survived in complete form?
6. List three of the plays Sophocles wrote (not including Oedipus Rex).
Provide the following information on Greek Theater
7. Who performed these plays?
8. Who is the chorus and how are they involved?
9. While costumes and scenery were not important, what items were?
Provide clear definitions for the following vocabulary.
10. Look up the following words using dictionary.com.
a. dramatic irony
b. hamartia
c. hubris
d. predestination (or determinism)
e. strophe
f. antistrophe
Play Background
11. Identify the information listed below for the play Oedipus Rex:
type of work:
setting:
12. List the dramatis personae (characters) in the play.
13. What are the two problems of the play?
The Sphinx
14. What is the sphinx?
15. What is the connection between Oedipus and the sphinx?
16. A sphinx monument, which was built to represent the folkloric character, exists in
Egypt. Sketch this on your paper.
The Oedipus Complex
17. What is the Oedipus complex?
18. Who initially introduced this theory?
19. Why do you think this is no longer widely believed today?