Prologue
Who is Oedipus speaking to in his opening lines?
The people of Thebes/a priest.
Who is called upon to give Oedipus guidance and answers?
Teiresias
Where does Iocaste tell Oedipus to go when she sees him and Creon fighting?
Inside the palace/to his room
What does the shepherd do when asked if he knows the messenger from Corinth?
He denies ever meeting him.
Tragic flaw relating to excessive pride or arrogance
Hubris
What is happening in Thebes as the play begins?
There is a famine/plague troubling the city and its people.
What physical attribute is Teiresias known for.
He is blind.
What news does the messenger from Corinth bring? (2 things)
King Polybus is dead and Oedipus should be their king.
How does the Exodus begin?
A messenger tells the chorus that Iocaste has died.
Where is the oracle located?
Delphi
Who did Oedipus send to the oracle?
Creon
Who does Oedipus suspect is working against him?
Creon and Teiresias
Why does Creon say he does not want to be king?
He already has the advantages of royalty without the responsibility.
Why did the shepherd not let Oedipus die as a baby?
He felt bad for him and thought he would survive far away.
Tragic flaw in which one acts impulsively or with rashness
Ate
What must Oedipus do to save Thebes?
Find the murderer of King Laius
What does Oedipus say will happen to the killer? (2 things)
Oedipus curses them and they will be exiled.
Why does Iocaste say she does not believe prophecies?
She and Laius left their son to die on a mountainside to prevent the prophecy of Lauis' death.
What word does Oedipus repeat at the end of scene 4?
Damned
Word meaning tragic flaw
Hamartia
Why did the people of Thebes stop investigating the death of King Laius?
The sphinx began terrorizing Thebes.
What are the 3 curses Teiresias predicts for Oedipus?
He will be blind, poor, and exiled.
Who and where does the messenger say he received baby Oedipus from?
What does Oedipus believe will happen to his daughters?
Nobody will want to marry them and they will live sad lives.
Satisfaction or pleasure from other people's misfortune
Schadenfreude