View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Oedipus tell Jocasta, when she begs him to tell her what's troubling him?

2. Who does Jocasta say told her about Laius' death?

3. What is Jocasta's answer, when Oedipus asks how tall and old Laius was?

4. What does Oedipus say that he still fears, after hearing the news of Polybus' death?

5. What gives Oedipus hope that he did not kill Laius?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Oedipus say, when he finally finds out the truth about his past and his present situation?

2. How does the chorus react to Creon's self defense?

3. What is the shepherd's reaction to being questioned about the infant he gave away and being told that Oedipus is that infant?

4. What is Oedipus's attitude toward his wife?

5. Why does Jocasta try to stop Oedipus from trying to find out the truth of his birth?

6. What main news does the messenger from Corinth bring?

7. What favor did Jocasta do for the person who told her about Laius' death?

8. When Oedipus is questioning Creon, why does he ask Creon how long it's been since Laius was killed?

9. What is the chorus' foremost concern?

10. How does Jocasta feel about Polybus' death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss blindness in OEDIPUS THE KING.

1) Why is the character of Teiresias blind? Does his blindness increase his prophetic ability? Does his blindness have a metaphoric quality?

2) Discuss Oedipus's choice of blindness as a punishment. Why does Oedipus choose to be blind? Is Oedipus's blindness metaphoric?

3) What other metaphoric meanings does blindness have in the story? Use quotations from the play as examples.

Essay Topic 2

In OEDIPUS THE KING, much of the action takes place offstage or in different times, and is retold by the characters and messengers. Discuss how this affects the play.

1) How is hearing about Jocasta's suicide from the second messenger a different experience than seeing it?

2) How is hearing Oeidpus retell the story of meeting Laius on the road different from seeing it?

3) How effective is it for Oedipus to come on stage with his eyes gouged out at the end of the play? Is it more affecting since most of the violence of the play takes place offstage?

4) What other effects does the action taking place offstage have on the play?

Essay Topic 3

What is the natural order in Oedipus, and how does Oedipus upset it?

1) What causes the plague on Thebes? Is Apollo sending a plague as punishment, or is the plague a natural reaction to a disruption in the natural order?

2) What is the hierarchy of power in the play? What place to gods, rulers, men, women, and slaves have in this hierarchy?

3) What makes Oedipus's crime severe enough to upset the natural order?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 893 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample