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Oedipus, King of Thebes

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 17mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Whom does the Oracle say must be driven out of Thebes?

a)

the murderer of Laius

b)

the offspring of Jocasta

c)

the enemies of the gods

d)

the tyrant currently in power

2.

Why didn't the people of Thebes investigate Laius's murder?

a)

They were afraid of finding out the truth.

b)

They were too concerned about the Sphinx.

c)

They were convinced that the murderers were dead.

d)

They were worried the murderers would come after them.

3.

What does Oedipus criticize the people of Thebes for?

a)

Refusing to believe in Tiresias' prophecies

b)

Treating each other with a lack of civility

c)

Letting Laius' murderer go uncaught

d)

Failing to properly honor Jocasta's wishes

4.

What does Oedipus think Creon is trying to do?

a)

Hide the real killer

b)

Plot against Tiresias

c)

Overthrow him

d)

Discredit the Oracle

5.

What does Jocasta say about prophets?

a)

They should be feared.

b)

They are sometimes right.

c)

They covet power.

d)

They are all false.

6.

Why did Oedipus flee Corinth?

a)

He longed to be king of Thebes.

b)

He feared his father's wrath.

c)

He heard a terrible prophecy.

d)

He wanted to battle the Sphinx.

7.

Where did Oedipus kill the party of travelers?

a)

On the very place where Laius is buried

b)

Within the city walls of Corinth

c)

In front of the Oracle of Delphi

d)

At the same spot where Laius was killed

8.

supreme power or authority

a)

abhorrent

b)

malevolent

c)

sovereignty

d)

harboured

9.

spiteful, showing ill will

a)

sapient

b)

abhorrent

c)

sovereignty

d)

malevolent

10.

to beg earnestly for

a)

sapient

b)

impious

c)

ominous

d)

implore

11.

greedy; very hungry; eager for satisfaction

a)

enigmatic

b)

ominous

c)

ravenous

d)

unremitting

12.

serious; grave

a)

infamy

b)

sapient

c)

solemn

d)

futile

13.

Oedipus married his biological mom Jocasta ON PURPOSE.

a)

true

b)

false

14.

Every tragic hero has a tragic flaw that leads to his or her downfall.

a)

true

b)

false

15.

Which of the two were Oedipus's tragic flaws?

a)

his desire for acceptance and weakness for peer pressure

b)

depression and lack of confidence

c)

short temper and rash decision making

d)

greed and arrogance

16.

Oedipus blinded himself at the end of the play to symbolize what?

a)

his ability to see into the future

b)

his hope for the future

c)

his blindness to how great his life had been

d)

his inability to see the truth of his own life until that moment

17.

It is ironic that Oedipus, being as smart as he is, is not smart enough to solve the mystery of his life quickly.

a)

true

b)

false

18.

Which of the following is a theme in Oedipus?

a)

Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose.

b)

People cannot escape their fate.

c)

Family and friends matter most in life.

d)

Life is fair to people with good hearts.

19.

In the beginning, Oedipus runs away from home for what purpose?

a)

to find money and a job

b)

to discover if his enemy had really spread rumors about him

c)

to escape the prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mom

d)

to search for lost pyramids in Egypt

20.

What does the messenger from Corinth reveal?

a)

Oedipus's "father" Polybus has died and also that Polybus was Oedipus's adoptive father.

b)

The Sphinx has come back to life, and the people of the surrounding cities want Oedipus to kill it again.

21.

Why did Oedipus's biological parents Laius and Jocasta abandon him to die when he was three days old?

a)

They did not want to raise a kid.

b)

It was a baby born from an affair with a neighboring king.

c)

The child was deformed, and they could not reveal to the kingdom that they had a baby that was deformed.

d)

They were told by The Oracle at Delphi that Laius's son would grow up to kill him.

22.

What was one of Oedipus's positive character traits?

a)

He was a caring ruler.

b)

He had a great sense of humor.

c)

He was patient.

d)

He made great decisions in short time.

23.

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym for "citizens"?

a)

countrymen

b)

nationals

c)

aliens

d)

natives

24.

Which word is NOT a synonym for "incense"?

a)

aroma

b)

fragrance

c)

scent

d)

stench

25.

Which of the following words best completes this sentence:


He knelt down before the ________ and took a vow to never sacrifice his integrity ever again.

a)

Cadmus

b)

Hades

c)

garlands

d)

altar