Show:
Quote IDs
Chronology
Short Answers
Terminology
Close Read
100
Identify the speaker, listener, and situation. "You pray to the gods? Let me grant your prayers."
What is Oedipus to Chorus/people of Thebes. Oedipus wants to help his city; he also sees himself on the level of the gods.
100
Which came first? Oedipus kills Laius. Oedipus visits the Oracle.
What is Oedipus visits the Oracle?
100
Define tragic flaw and characterize Oedipus'.
What is "the characteristic that brings about the downfall of the tragic hero" and "hubris"?
100
An arrogance of pride and often an overestimation of one's own abilities, especially when one is in a position of power.
What is hubris?
100
Apart from verbal irony, the other kind of irony exemplified in Oedipus' statement: "I will speak out now as a stranger to the story, a stranger to the crime."
What is "dramatic irony"?
200
[Identify the speaker, listener, and situation]. "I'd rather not cause pain for you or me. So why this useless interrogation? You'll get nothing from me."
What is Tiresias to Oedipus. Tiresias wants to protect Oedipus from the painful truth of his birth. He believes the truth will come out no matter what.
200
Which came first? Oedipus is raised in Corinth. Oedipus solves the mystery of the Sphinx.
What is Oedipus is raised in Corinth?
200
How is Tiresias an ironic figure?
What is "he is blind but can see"?
200
A type of play in which human desire is obstructed by hubris, another tragic flaw, fate or the will of the gods.
What is "tragedy of fate"?
200
What Tiresias means when he tells Oedipus "This day will bring about your birth and your destruction."
What is "he will learn who he truly is and be destroyed by the knowledge at the same time."
300
[Identify the speaker, listener, and situation] "Who in his right mind would rather rule and live in anxiety than sleep in peace?"
What is Creon to Oedipus. Creon is defending himself against Oedipus' charges of conspiracy to overthrow him [Oedipus]. He argues that he doesn't even want the crown because he already has the same amount of power now and none of the problems that come with being king.
300
Which came first? Oedipus marries Jocasta. Oedipus kills Laius.
What is Oedipus kills Laius?
300
Sophocles' play differs from other versions of the Oedipus Rex myth
What is "the author's focus on Oedipus' discovery of the truth (as opposed to the actual events of murder and incest)"?
300
This is the character defect that causes the downfall of the main character of a tragedy.
What is "a tragic flaw"?
300
Just before Oedipus learns the truth of his origins, he proclaims about Jocasta: "I, I count myself the son of Chance, the great goddess, giver of all good things – I’ll never see myself disgraced. She is my mother!" Explain the verbal and/or dramatic irony at the heart of this quotation.
What is "Oedipus thinks he is the son of good luck, when he, in fact, as the son of his own wife, he is the unluckiest son of all"?
400
[Identify the speaker, listener, and situation] "A prophet? Well then free yourself of every charge!"
What is Jocasta to Oedipus? Jocasta is doubting the power of the prophets to tell the future, and by extension, the power of the gods themselves. She doubts Tiresias' theory that Oedipus is the murderer -- partly to protect herself.
400
Which came first? Oedipus solves the riddle of the sphinx. Oedipus learns the prophecy of how he will marry his mother and kill his father from the Oracle.
What is Oedipus learns the prophecy?
400
By the end of the play, the one act that only he, but not the gods, can control.
What is "his own self-imposed punishment of exile and blindness" or "how he responds to his discovery of the truth"?
400
This is the kind of irony that occurs when an author or character means the opposite of what he says, or means both what he says and the opposite of what he says.
What is "verbal irony"?
400
Antigone says to her sister: "I will suffer nothing as great as death without glory." What does this statement suggest about Antigone's motives for burying her brother?
What is "Antigone is not just burying her brother out of a sense of justice, but also to redeem her name and to achieve some fame for herself"?
500
Identify the speaker, listener, and situation. "If you are a woman, yes, my concern is all for you."
What is "Haemon to Creon. Haemon is getting angry as Creon is not responding to his pleas to change his mind about Antigone. He mocks Creon here for his stubbornness and sexism."
500
Which came first? Eurydice dies. Haemon dies.
What is "Haemon dies"?
500
Name at least two strengths and two weaknesses that Antigone has.
What is "resolute/brave;" "rash/proud/naive"?
500
The word that means "hatred of women." (Hint: it's not sexism."
What is "misogyny"?
500
Creon tells Haemon: "We must defend the men who live by law, never let some woman triumph over us. Better to fall from power, if fall we must, at the hands of a man -- never be rated inferior to a woman, never." Besides his obvious misogyny and sexism, what else does this passage reveal about Creon?
What is "his insecurity as a leader, his overbearing pride and lack of willingness to change...[other possibilities?]