Font size
WorksheetsOedipus the King, Part 1 REVIEW
Total questions: 58
Worksheet time: 30mins
Who wrote the play "Oedipus the King"?
Aeschylus
Sophocles
Euripides
Aristophanes
What is the famous riddle that Oedipus answered?
What has wings but cannot fly?
What is born in the morning and dies at night?
What has four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening?
What grows when it eats, but dies when it drinks?
What creature did Oedipus encounter that posed a riddle to him?
Minotaur
Hydra
Sphinx
Cerberus
What was the outcome for Oedipus after solving the Sphinx's riddle?
He was exiled from Thebes
He became king
He was turned into a stone
He lost his sight
According to the myth, what was prophesied about Oedipus's fate?
He would become a great warrior
He would die in battle
He would kill his father and marry his mother
He would discover the secret of immortality
Which character is described as the brother of the queen in "Oedipus the King"?
Creon
Tiresias
Oedipus
Laius
What is the main reason Oedipus has come to speak to the people?
To announce his departure
To receive gifts
To hear their concerns directly
To celebrate a festival
According to the Priest, what natural calamities are afflicting the city?
Earthquakes and floods
Drought and famine
Plague and fires
Invasion and rebellion
What past achievement of Oedipus is mentioned by the Priest?
He built the great walls of Thebes
He saved the city from the Sphinx
He discovered new lands
He won the war against Athens
What does the Priest implore Oedipus to do for Thebes?
Lead them in battle
Build more temples
Save them and listen to the gods
Establish new laws
What does Oedipus promise to do in order to save the city?
Consult the oracle at Delphi
Expel an old pollution from Thebes
Promise or do whatever he can
Build new city walls
According to Creon, what is required to heal the deep agonies of Thebes?
A new leader
The expulsion of Laius' murderer
Stronger city defenses
More offerings to the gods
How does Oedipus describe his own suffering compared to that of his people?
Less severe because he is king
Equally painful
More intense because he suffers for himself and the city
Non-existent as he is immune
What reason does Creon give for the plague in the city?
The gods are angry with the city.
A murder has polluted the land.
There is a natural disaster.
The city is cursed by a witch.
According to Creon, what does Apollo demand as a solution to the plague?
A new king must be crowned.
The city must perform a sacrifice.
The murderer must be exiled or killed.
The citizens must pray for forgiveness.
Where was Laius when he was killed?
In the palace.
Outside the city.
In another country.
At the shrine of a god.
What hindered the investigation into King Laius's murder?
The Sphinx's riddles.
A lack of witnesses.
Political instability.
Natural disasters.
What is Oedipus's personal motivation for solving the murder of King Laius?
To gain the trust of the gods.
To prevent his own death.
To avenge the king as a matter of personal duty.
To find his long-lost relative.
What does the Chorus ask Apollo to do in response to the plague affecting their city?
To bring wealth and prosperity
To heal the sick and drive the plague away
To bless their crops and livestock
To bring victory in war
According to the text, what natural imagery is used to describe the impact of the plague on the city?
The brightness of the sun
The calmness of the sea
The swiftness of birds and waves of fire
The growth of flowers
What is the community's reaction to the plague as described in the text?
Indifference and neglect
Joy and celebration
Grief and desperation
Anger and revenge
What curse does Oedipus lay on the killer?
To be struck by lightning
To face public shame
Life of searing agony
Banishment from the city
What does Oedipus declare he will do in response to the murder of the king?
He will leave the city to avoid the curse.
He will hunt the killer down as if he were the son of the slain king.
He will consult the oracle for advice.
He will ignore the situation as it is a matter of the gods.
What is the irony of Oedipus' proclamation starting on page 626.
He believes it was Creon.
He is cursing himself.
The gods will curse Oedipus.
The chorus/citizens of Thebes have no idea what is going on.
What is Teiresias referred to as in the text?
A king
A god
A prophet
A warrior
According to the text, despite being blind, what is Teiresias able to do?
Lead an army
See the future
Understand all things
Heal the sick
What do the people turn to Teiresias for?
Entertainment
Guidance
Wealth
Education
What does Oedipus accuse Teiresias of potentially doing to the state in the dialogue?
Supporting it unconditionally
Betraying and destroying it
Ignoring its problems
Leading it to victory
According to Teiresias, why is he reluctant to share his knowledge?
He has forgotten the information
It brings no reward and is burdensome
He is unsure of his prophecies
What does Oedipus accuse Teiresias of being?
A loyal servant to Creon
A blind fool
A false prophet
A murderer
Why do you think Teiresias repeats the word murderer in lines 339-340?
To emphasize Oedipus' guilt.
To confuse Oedipus.
To invoke fear.
To prove his point.
Who does Oedipus suggest might be behind the plot against him?
Jocasta
Creon
The gods
The citizens of Thebes
What does Oedipus accuse Creon of in the text?
Seeking peace
Seeking to overthrow him
Seeking friendship
Seeking wisdom
According to Oedipus, what did he use to stop the Sphinx?
Omens
Money
Native wit
Violence
Who does Oedipus describe as a "charlatan" and a "fraud"?
The Sphinx
Creon
Himself
Teiresias
Who does Teiresias claim as his master in the dialogue?
Creon
Zeus
Apollo
Oedipus
What does Teiresias predict will happen to Oedipus?
He will become a great leader.
He will be driven from the land wounded.
He will be honored by all.
He will conquer neighboring cities.
What does Oedipus accuse Teiresias of in their argument?
Being too young
Being allied with Creon
Being afraid of the truth
Being too old to understand
According to the prophecy mentioned by Teiresias, what will the man who killed the king wear in the end?
A crown of gold.
A beggar's rags.
A purple robe.
A warrior's armor.
What does Creon protest against when he enters the scene?
Being accused of a minor private mistake
Being accused of treachery against the state
Being accused of stealing
Being accused of laziness
According to the text, how did the king react to Creon declaring his innocence?
He was calm and collected
He was sad and reflective
He was angry and rash
He was happy and careless
What is Creon accused of planning according to Oedipus?
Planning a celebration
Planning to leave the city
Planning to kill/exile Oedipus and usurp the throne
Planning a peace treaty
What is Creon's relationship to Oedipus?
He is Oedipus' brother-in-law
He is Oedipus' advisor
He is Oedipus' cousin
He is Oedipus' friend
What two things does Creon claim about his desire for power?
He desires the name of king
He prefers to live like a king without the responsibilities of a king
He has no longing for the name of king
He wants more power than he has
According to the text, what should one not do based merely on suspicion?
Seek advice from others
Condemn a man to death
Offer up his life for a friend
What role does the Chorus play according to the text?
They are the main decision-makers.
They advise caution and careful consideration.
They are indifferent to the Oedipus' situation.
They encourage quick judgment.
What does the Chorus suggest when Jocasta comes from her chambers?
That she should be exiled with Oedipus.
That she alone can resolve the quarrel.
That she supports Creon's decision.
That she has come to announce her departure.
According to the text, what is Oedipus' reaction when he is asked to trust Creon?
He agrees immediately.
He refuses and expresses distrust.
He remains neutral.
He asks for time to think.
What is Creon's response when Oedipus tells him to leave?
He argues further with Oedipus.
He leaves quietly.
He accuses Oedipus of misjudging him.
He calls for the guards.
What reason does Jocasta give for not having faith in prophecy?
Prophecies are often too vague.
A previous prophecy about her son did not come true.
Prophecies are controlled by the gods.
What two reasons are keeping Oedipus and Jocasta from believing it was Oedipus that killed her husband Laius?
They were told that "highwaymen" were responsible.
Oedipus has never killed anyone before.
Oedipus believes that Creon is just trying to get the throne.
Laius was prophesied to be killed by their son, and their son died long before.
At this point in the play, what do both Jocasta and Oedipus seem to believe about their abilities to control their own fates?
They believe they are in control and have already changed their fate.
They think fate is unchangeable.
They feel partially in control.
They are unsure about their control.
What is the significance of the crossroads in the story of Oedipus?
It is where Oedipus was abandoned as a child.
It is where Oedipus kills his father, Laius.
It is where Oedipus first meets the Sphinx.
It is where Oedipus learns the truth about his birth.
What is ironic about Oedipus’s declaration of the curse against Laius’s murderer?
The true murderer is already dead.
Oedipus is pronouncing his own doom.
Oedipus has no power to punish a foreign criminal.
The Theban elders already know who the murderer is.
Why did the King and Queen of Thebes, Laius and Jocasta, leave their baby son on the mountainside?
They didn't want a child.
They received a message from an oracle that their son was to kill his father and marry his mother.
Oedipus was a troubled child and they knew that he would not be a good king.
The city was in distress and they wanted to keep him from the miserable conditions.
What role does the concept of fate play in the decisions made by Oedipus throughout the play?
It has no influence on his decisions.
It only affects him indirectly through the actions of other characters.
It guides all of his actions and decisions.
It is something he tries to resist but ultimately cannot.
How does the character of Jocasta contribute to the development of the plot in Oedipus the King?
By revealing crucial information about the prophecy.
By doubting the prophecies and influencing Oedipus's thoughts.
By siding with Oedipus against her brother, Creon.
By remaining neutral and detached from the conflicts.
Oedipus was born in , raised in , and traveled to where he defeated the sphinx and became king.
Colonus...Athens...Thebes
Thebes...Corinth...Delphi
Thebes...Cithaeron...Corinth
Thebes...Corinth...Thebes
