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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Oedipus ask Creon about Teiresias?
(a) why Teiresias didn't give the identity of Laius' murderer at the time of the death
(b) whether Teiresias makes a profit from the town because of his prophesies
(c) how long Teiresias has lived in Thebes
(d) how long Teiresias has been blind

2. What does Jocasta ask Oedipus to do regarding her brother?
(a) make her responsible for Creon
(b) hold Creon in prison until he can discover the truth
(c) send Creon away instead of killing him
(d) trust that Creon is telling the truth

3. Who does the shepherd say gave him the infant child?
(a) Jocasta's maid
(b) Jocasta
(c) Laius
(d) Laius's servant

4. What does Oedipus say the chorus' position will result in?
(a) Oedipus' exile or death
(b) war with Corinth
(c) Creon becoming a tyrannt
(d) destruction of Thebes

5. What gives Oedipus hope that he did not kill Laius?
(a) The murder seems to have taken place at a different time than Oedipus remembers.
(b) The survivor reported being attacked by a band of thieves, not one man.
(c) The survivor may see Oedipus's face and be able to identify that he's not the killer.
(d) The description of the carriage does not match the one Oedipus remembers.

6. Why does Oedipus say he must remain afraid?
(a) because the prophets speak for the gods
(b) because they have no proof of what the messenger says
(c) because the prophecy will probably be fulfilled in some surprising way
(d) because his mother is still alive

7. What does Creon accuse Oedipus of?
(a) framing him to cover Oedipus's own crimes
(b) being stubborn and forgetting common sense
(c) being stupid and not the one to answer the Sphinx's riddle
(d) being power hungry and greedy

8. Does the shepherd identify the messenger as someone he's met?
(a) No, he says he doesn't remember the man at first.
(b) Yes, but it's clear he is lying and soon admits the lie.
(c) No, but it's clear he is lying and soon admits the lie.
(d) Yes, he identifies the messenger easily.

9. What does the messenger ask the chorus when he first arrives?
(a) where to find Oedipus' home
(b) where to find Jocasta
(c) where to find Creon's home
(d) where to find Teiresias

10. Why does Jocasta come to pray to Apollo?
(a) to cleanse what is corrupting Thebes
(b) to pray that Oedipus be forgiven
(c) to ask for Oedipus to be banished
(d) to ask for her own safety

11. What does Oedipus say that he still fears, after hearing the news of Polybus' death?
(a) wedding his mother
(b) Creon's treachery
(c) the plague on the land
(d) the wrath of Apollo

12. In the encounter between Oedipus and the stranger in the carriage, what was the initial violent act?
(a) The stranger whipped Oedipus.
(b) Oedipus whipped the stranger.
(c) The herald struck Oedipus with his sword.
(d) The stranger struck Oedipus with his sword.

13. What possible explanation does the chorus leader give for Oedipus' charge against Creon?
(a) Creon is being framed.
(b) Creon was guilty.
(c) Oedipus was mislead by Teiresias.
(d) Oedipus was angry.

14. What children did Polybus have before Oedipus?
(a) a daughter who died
(b) a son who was stolen away
(c) a son who died
(d) none

15. What does Oedipus do when the shepherd won't tell about giving away the infant?
(a) Oedipus offers him money and a comfortable home.
(b) Oedipus threatens to banish him from the kingdom.
(c) Oedipus asks the messenger if he's lying about the incident.
(d) Oedipus threatens him and asks someone to bind his hands.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Oedipus' initial reaction when Creon asks to explain himself?

2. Does the chorus leader recognize the approaching shepherd?

3. Where does Jocasta say that Laius was murdered?

4. How does the messenger say Jocasta will feel about his news?

5. What was the messenger's profession when he found the infant Oedipus?

(see the answer keys)

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