OEDIPUS STUDY EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH TOP-SCORING ANSWERS (2024)"
What is significant about the fact that the first line of the play is a question? - CORRECT
ANSWER -Sets a tone that the play is of questions and answers.
How does Oedipus choose the spokesman of the group of supplicants? - CORRECT
ANSWER -Chooses the closest one.
What is your first impression of Oedipus? - CORRECT ANSWER -He seems to be a
very proud and arrogant king.
What problem is afflicting the city of Thebes? - CORRECT ANSWER -Thebes is unable
to produce any crops, causing a famine. A plague.
What is the house of Cadmus? - CORRECT ANSWER -The city of Thebes.
How does the priest say the supplicants view Oedipus? How does this begin to
establish Oedipus as an Aristotlelian tragic hero? - CORRECT ANSWER -They view
Oedipus as a main force of men, making him a tragic hero due to events happening
later in the plot.
What exposition does the priest provide in this scene? - CORRECT ANSWER -The
Priest reminds the audience that Oedipus is the hero who solved the riddle of the
sphinx(the "fell songstress") and freed the city of Thebes from its bondage.
Why do the supplicants believe that Oedipus will be able to find a solution to the
famine? - CORRECT ANSWER -He had no human help when he had solved the Riddle
of the Sphinx
Why does Oedipus claim he suffers even more than the supplicants? - CORRECT
ANSWER -Oedipus claims that each supplicant suffers only for himself individually
while he, Oedipus,suffers for the individual subject, his subjects generally, and for
himself.
What impression do we get from Oedipus based on his language? - CORRECT
ANSWER -He seems to be a good king, but seems incredibly proud and arrogant.
What action has Oedipus taken to find an answer to the city's problem? - CORRECT
ANSWER -Sent Creon to the Oracle of Delphi.
What is Oedipus and Creon's relationship? - CORRECT ANSWER -Brother in Law
,What is foreshadowed by Oedipus' promise to the priest? - CORRECT ANSWER -He
said that he will do whatever the oracle demands.
Why does the Priest suspect Creon brings good news? - CORRECT ANSWER -He
sees that Creon is wearing a crown made from a laurel, the tree of Apollo, and believes
he
would not do so if he had brought bad news.
When Creon arrives from Delphi, what does Oedipus insist that he do? What does this
insist about his character? - CORRECT ANSWER -Creon decides to talk about the
Oracle in private. Oedipus wants to talk about the issue in public. It illustrates the extent
to which he loves his subjects.
Why do you suppose Creon wants to talk to Oedipus in private first? - CORRECT
ANSWER -He wants to protect the privacy of his family.
What does Creon report from the Oracle? - CORRECT ANSWER -The killer of Laius
has to be exiled or killed to end the plague.
What is Oedipus' reaction to Creon's information? - CORRECT ANSWER -He
immediately asks questions about the circumstances of Laius' murder, presumably in
order to help find the murderers and purge the city.
Explain the dramatic irony in Oedipus' interrogation of Creon. - CORRECT ANSWER -
The audience knows Oedipus killed Laius.
What is ironic about the one survivors testimony? - CORRECT ANSWER -He lied.
What theory does Oedipus immediately develop about Laius' death? - CORRECT
ANSWER -He suspects that the killer is among them.
Why did the citizens of Thebes not investigate Laius' murder at the time it occurred? -
CORRECT ANSWER -They were preoccupied with the Sphinx
What does Oedipus promise to do? Why, according to Oedipus, must his resolution be
strong? - CORRECT ANSWER -Oedipus promises to avenge the murder of Laius. He
feels it is his duty as king to save his people and also believes that the person who
killed Laius may do the same to him: "[W]hoever killed King Laios might--who knows?-
/Lay violent hand even on me.." (141-142; 1222)
Why does the Chorus appear at this point in the play? - CORRECT ANSWER -The
conflict has been introduced and the plot is in motion.
Whose voices does the Chorus represent? - CORRECT ANSWER -Theban commoners
,Give details of how the Chorus describes the city to the gods. - CORRECT ANSWER -
The Chorus tells the gods that their crops are not growing, their children are stillborn,
and many people are dying. The dead are lying on the ground, and there are few others
left to mourn them.
What does Ares represent to the Chorus? What various things do they wish for him? -
CORRECT ANSWER -Ares represents the Plague, they ask Zeus to strike him with
lightning bolts.
What is ironic about the curse Oedipus places on the murderer of Laius? - CORRECT
ANSWER -He is placing the curse upon himself
What is Oedipus' tone in the long speech beginning? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Confidence, he feels very confident to rid the land of the plague.
Why does Oedipus insist that he will seek out and avenge Laius' murderer? -
CORRECT ANSWER -As Laius and Jocasta had no children, Oedipus will take on the
cause of revenge "as if" Laius were his own father.
In this speech, Oedipus refers to Laius' descendants as "ill-fated," but to his own good
fortune in obtaining Laius' throne as driven by "chance." Explain the difference between
these two concepts, and why Oedipus might choose to characterize these events in
different ways. - CORRECT ANSWER -In contrast to the term chance, he thinks that his
life is governed by chance.
Structurally, why is it appropriate for the Chorus to appear now? - CORRECT ANSWER
-The Chorus first appeared at the introduction of the conflict. Now the action has begun
rising toward the climax: Oedipus has ordered the culprit to come forward, and he has
cursed the murderer. To mark the beginning of the rising action and to build suspense,
Sophocles again has the Chorus interject.
Once again, in whose voice does the Chorus speak? - CORRECT ANSWER -The
commoners
Why is it significant that it was Creon whom Oedipus sent to the Oracle and now it is
Creon whom Oedipus has sent to get Tiresias? - CORRECT ANSWER -Oedipus is just
using Creon as a tool.
Explain what Tiresias means by his first statement to Oedipus. - CORRECT ANSWER -
This knowledge will hurt Oedipus.
Why does Tiresias at first seem to refuse to help Oedipus? - CORRECT ANSWER -He
knows that Oedipus is the culprit
What terrible thing does Oedipus accuse Tiresias of doing? - CORRECT ANSWER -A
plot to murder the king.
, Goaded into anger by Oedipus, what does Tiresias finally tell him? - CORRECT
ANSWER -The truth.
The truth revealed to Oedipus, what does Tiresias predict for him? - CORRECT
ANSWER -Oedipus accuses Tiresias of being blind
What is Oedipus' reaction to Tiresias' revelations? Of what does he accuse Tiresias? -
CORRECT ANSWER -He is enraged. He accuses Tiresias of envy and trying to take
the throne.
How does Oedipus try to discredit Tiresias? - CORRECT ANSWER -Oedipus asks why,
if Tiresias is such a gifted seer, was he unable to solve the riddle of the Sphinx.
How does the Chorus serve as the "conscience" of the play? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Reminds him that this is no time to argue but to consult with Tiresias in order to fulfill the
Oracle.
In what ways is Oedipus blind according to Tiresias? - CORRECT ANSWER -Although
he can physically see, he is blind to the situation.
What prophecy for Oedipus does he reiterate? - CORRECT ANSWER -Tiresias predicts
that Oedipus will be physically blind as well, referring to how he will gouge his eyes out
before he is exiled from Thebes.
How is Tiresias' response to being ordered to leave comic and ironic? What traits of
Oedipus' does this emphasize? - CORRECT ANSWER -Oedipus tells him to leave and
never come back. Stubborness, lack of thought.
What does Tiresias mean when he predicts, "This very day will sire you and destroy
you?" - CORRECT ANSWER -Oedipus is going to learn who his father is.
Why does Tiresias say that Oedipus, of all people, should understand his riddles? -
CORRECT ANSWER -Oedipus is known as a great riddle solver because he figured out
the riddle of the Sphinx.
Whom does the Chorus believe, Oedipus or Tiresias? Why? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Oedipus, because he saved them from the Riddle of the Sphinx and they are not sure if
they can trust prophecies.
What arguments does Creon use to defend himself? - CORRECT ANSWER -He would
not gain anything from plotting against Oedipus
Explain the irony of Oedipus calling himself wise. - CORRECT ANSWER -Oedipus
knows the least about the situation of everyone, including the audience.
