Vocabulary
Define decree
an official order issued by a legal authority.
What is happening in the city of Thebes at the beginning of the play?
There is a plague of sickness and death in the city
What does the messenger from Corinth tell Jocasta when he arrives in Thebes?
That King Polybus was dead
What is connotation?
an idea or feeling that a word invokes
What is the beginning of a story's plot called?
Exposition
What is the role of the chorus?
The chorus provides background information and commentary on the action
Define prophecy
a foretelling or prediction of what is to come
How is Oedipus instructed to relieve Thebes of the plague?
Expel or kill the person who murdered King Laius
Who are Oedipus' real parents?
King Laius and Queen Jocasta
What is denotation?
the literal or primary meaning of a word
What is the ending of a story's plot called?
Resolution
What is the leader of the chorus called?
Choragos
What is a plague?
disastrous evil or affliction - sickness, death, infestation, etc.
What does Oedipus do to find out who killed the former king?
Send Creon to Teiresias, the blind prophet, to find the answer.
Why does Jocasta want Oedipus to stop questioning the Messenger?
She realizes that Oedipus is her son
What is hamartia?
The tragic, fatal flaw of a character
What is personification?
Giving human characteristics to non-human things
What is an ode?
A song between scenes sung by the chorus
Define inexorable
impossible to stop or prevent
What does Teiresias tell Oedipus about what happened to King Laius?
Oedipus is the killer
How does Jocasta respond to finding out the truth of Oedipus' parentage?
She kills herself
What is anaphora?
the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses
What is a hyperbole?
An extreme exaggeration
What is the beginning of a Greek play called?
The Prologue
Define proclamation
a public or official announcement, especially one dealing with a matter of great importance.
How does Oedipus respond when Teiresias tells the truth of what happened to King Laius?
He accuses Creon of bribing Teiresias to say these things so he could become king.
How does Oedipus figure out who he really is?
the shepherd’s claim that he was given a child by Jocasta and that Jocasta was the mother of the child
What is dramatic irony?
When the audience knows something the character does not.
What is a metaphor?
Comparing two things without using like or as
Greek theaters took place outdoors. What is an outdoor theater called?
An amphitheater
Define edict
an official order or proclamation issued by a person in authority
How does the chorus respond to Oedipus being the killer?
What happens to Oedipus at the end of the play?
He gouges his eyes out and asks Creon to exile him from Thebes.
What are sensory details?
descriptions that include touch, sight, taste, sound, and smell
What is a simile?
The comparison of two things using the words like or as
Who wrote the Theban Plays?
Sophocles
What does it mean to make an inference about something?
Making a conclusion based on evidence and reasoning.
How does Jocasta feel about the oracle & why?
She doesn't believe in the powers of the oracles because an old prophesy they told her and King Laius could not have come true due to them trying to control fate.
How does Teiresias see the future if he cannot physically see?
Prophets interpret the flights of birds
What are the traits of a tragic hero?
1. Noble Bloodline/Elevated State
2. Hamartia
3. Hubris
4. The Mistake
5. Anagnorisis
6. Peripeteia
7. Nemesis and Catastrophe
8. Catharsis
What is an analogy?
a comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification
What Greek god did the city of Athens perform plays for?
Dionysus