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Oedipus Part 1

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 13mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What city is Oedipus the king of?

a)

Athens

b)

Greece

c)

Xanadu

d)

Thebes

2.

Why are the people of Thebes in despair at the beginning of the play?

a)

A seer has predicted a flood

b)

A king has been murdered

c)

The Sphinx is holding the city captive

d)

A plague is killing people and livestock

3.

Who is the author of Oedipus Rex?

a)

Euripides

b)

Aristotle

c)

Sophocles

d)

Pythagorus

4.

Who is the chorus supposed to represent?

a)

The people of Thebes

b)

The gods

c)

The royalty of Thebes

d)

Creon's followers

5.

Who does Oedipus accuse of conspiring to overthrow him?

a)

Creon and the Priest

b)

Creon and the chorus

c)

Creon and Teiresias

d)

Creon and Apollo

6.

Which sentence best summarizes what the Oracle at Delphi tells Creon?

a)

All the murderers must be brought to justice

b)

The murderer of Laius must be brought to justice

c)

Oedipus must sacrifice his eldest son

d)

Oedipus must move out of the city

7.

Who is Teiresias?

a)

Oedipus' true father

b)

The leader of the chorus

c)

An elderly priest

d)

A blind prophet

8.

What mythical creature did Oedipus defeat that won him favor with the city of Thebes?

a)

The minotaur

b)

The sphinx

c)

The centaur

d)

The dionysus

9.

What is Creon's argument for why he would not overthrow Oedipus and plot against him?

a)

He secretly loves him and wants to run away together

b)

He does not want to have the responsibility that Oedipus has and is happy with the amount of influence he has already

c)

He is the only one who killed the sphinx and can defeat her so why would he want to banish Oedipus for that

d)

They share a wife so it would not make sense in the child custody ruling

10.

Oedipus has married who?

a)

Creon's wife

b)

The Priest

c)

Laius's wife

d)

No one

11.

The fact that Oedipus was running away from Corinth in order not to carry out the prophecy of killing his father (Polybus) and ran into Laius on the road and killed him is what literary element?

a)

Symbol

b)

Plot

c)

Hyperbole

d)

Irony

12.

Who is Jocasta?

a)

Oedipus's wife, Creon's sister

b)

Creon's wife, Oedipus's sister

c)

Creon's daughter, Oedipus's friend

d)

Oedipus's mother, Creon's wife

13.

What does Oedipus say he wants to do to Creon?

a)

He wants to celebrate him

b)

He wants to reward him

c)

He wants him killed or banished

d)

He wants him imprisoned for life

14.

When Jocasta comes out of the palace, what role does she play?

a)

Peacekeeper

b)

Judge and jury

c)

Comic Relief

d)

Executioner

15.

Who eventually convinces Oedipus to let Creon go unharmed?

a)

Jocasta

b)

Creon

c)

Chorus

d)

Tiresias

16.

Jocasta doesn't believe in prophets because...

a)

Laius was supposed to be killed by his own son and he was killed by a group of thieves

b)

Her son was killed as a teenager by a dragon

c)

She killed Laius and no one ever noticed the blood running down her arms.

d)

Her uncle was a prophet and told her they are all fake.

17.

Why is Oedipus suddenly nervous when Jocasta tells him about how Laius died?

a)

He killed a man at that same crossroad

b)

Creon was seen leaving the city the day Lauis was killed

c)

Oedipus believes that even Jocasta is now plotting against him

d)

Tiresias prophesied that Oedipus would be blind

18.

Oedipus' adoptive father is...

a)

Laius

b)

Teiresias

c)

Polybus

d)

Creon

19.

Which words BEST characterize Oedipus as we have seen him so far?

a)

Selfish and prideful

b)

Humble and rational

c)

Strong and brave

d)

Smart and handsome

20.

In Greek Drama there is a character/group of characters that will help to narrate the story and give the perspective of public opinion. What are they called?

a)

Narrator

b)

Stage Manager

c)

Chorus

d)

Ensemble

21.

Violence in Greek plays was shown on stage.

a)

True

b)

False

22.

Tragic heroes (heroes in Greek drama that falls from power) always have a trait that is taken too far or an imperfection. What is that trait called?

a)

A downfall

b)

A tragic flaw

c)

An ironic trait

23.

Fatalism most closely means...

a)

You cannot control what will happen to you, fate will.

b)

Everything in life happens for a reason

c)

Everyone can change their destiny

d)

Fate will always work against you

24.

What emotion is Oedipus warned about?

a)

Joy

b)

Anger

c)

Sadness

25.

The tragic hero always has...

a)

a tragic flaw

b)

a sad backstory

c)

an underlying condition

d)

an evil plan