Irony
The blind prophet, Tiresias, is what type of irony?
Situational Irony
What is Oedipus’s hamartia?
His lack of knowledge about his own identity
According to the oracle, what does Oedipus need to do to save Thebes from the plague?
Find King Laius’s murderer and kill or exile him
Dramatic Irony is when...
The audience knows more than the characters do
What is catharsis?
The feeling of relief the audience experiences at the end of the tragedy
What does King Laius do when he learns about his prophecy?
Orders his servant to kill baby Oedipus
The entire focus of the play is that Oedipus unknowingly condemns himself by demanding to know the truth about the murderer of the former king. This is an example of:
Dramatic and situational irony
What is anagnorisis?
When the hero becomes aware of their fate
Which thematic statement best supports Oedipus Rex?
A. One must remain strong and persevere through difficult times.
B. Despite how intelligent or powerful you are, your fate will always catch up to you.
C. True happiness depends upon ourselves.
D. Community and culture help to shape a person’s identity.
B
What is peripeteia?
A reversal of fortune brought about by the hero’s tragic flaw
What is the sphinx’s riddle?
What walks on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening?
What themes are found in Oedipus?
A. Blindness vs. sight
B. Freewill
C. Neither of the above options (A & B)
D. Both of the above options (A & B)
D
How does Oedipus become King of Thebes?
He answered the riddle of the sphinx and married Queen Jocasta