OEDIPUS REX – QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
help/solution for the plague ANSW✅✅What do the townspeople from the beginning of the play
want from Oedipus?
everything is sick: crops and cattle are dying, babies are stillborn - death is everywhere
ANSW✅✅What do the townspeople say is happening to the city regarding the plague?
he sent Creon to talk to the oracle of Apollo ANSW✅✅Oedipus says (to the townspeople) that he
has already taken action to help his city with the plague issue. What is it?
the death of Laius must be avenged, that the murderer must be punished ANSW✅✅What is the
message that Creon brings in regard to what the oracle of Apollo said about the plague?
he might have known it was Oedipus who killed Laius (and he didn't want to die), no one would
believe him because he was a slave, he was a slave and slaves are supposed to die for their king (so
he was saving his own skin) ANSW✅✅Why did the one surviving servant lie about the attack on
Laius?
4 kids - 2 girls and 2 boys ANSW✅✅How many kids does Oedipus have 15 years after he became
king of Thebes?
they need to rid themselves of the disease and famine, so they come to him for help ANSW✅✅In
the beginning of the play, the townspeople went to see Oedipus. Why?
with excessive pride - hubris ANSW✅✅How does Oedipus introduce himself in the beginning of
the play to the townspeople?
compares Thebes to a ship - it means the city can't bounce back from the plague that's hit them
ANSW✅✅What is the meaning of "it has lost the power to right itself and raise its head up out of
the waves of death" mean? What is it comparing?
, words and money ANSW✅✅Oedipus thinks that ____ and _____ must have been "passed
between him [the witness] and someone here in thebes" (page 11).
"I shall rid us of this pollution." ANSW✅✅What is an example of the virus motif on page 12?
he said that he would bring the culprit to light, that he would unknowingly expose himself to Thebes
ANSW✅✅What did Oedipus say that is ironic (dramatic irony) in the first paragraph on page 12?
chorus wants and prays to the gods to help them with the plague ANSW✅✅What is the gist of
Ode 1?
15 ANSW✅✅The chorus is composed of how many dancers?
they represent the people of Thebes and they let you know what the people are thinking
ANSW✅✅What does the chorus represent and what is their function in the play?
wine-faced Dionysus, raging war-god (Ares) ANSW✅✅What is an epithet that describes a god on
page 14?
Oedipus says that even though he doesn't have any connection to the Laius problem, he's going to
solve it and rid Thebes of the plague ANSW✅✅What is an example of dramatic irony on page 14?
(1) if anyone knows who did it, then speak, don't run out of town; (2) if the person is not currently in
town, then tell who he his and you will be rewarded with money; (3) if a person knows and stays
quiet, that person will be banished, will not be able to pray, go in other homes, and will be treated
like the murderer; (4) the murderer will have an evil death in a miserable life ANSW✅✅Oedipus
makes a proclamation to the townspeople on how much information they may or may not know
regarding the murder of Laius. What is it?
murderer will have an evil death in a miserable life ANSW✅✅Oedipus curses the murderer. What
is it?
"I will fight as if he [Laius] were my own father." - Laius is Oedipus's father ANSW✅✅What is the
dramatic irony on page 16?
ANSWERS
help/solution for the plague ANSW✅✅What do the townspeople from the beginning of the play
want from Oedipus?
everything is sick: crops and cattle are dying, babies are stillborn - death is everywhere
ANSW✅✅What do the townspeople say is happening to the city regarding the plague?
he sent Creon to talk to the oracle of Apollo ANSW✅✅Oedipus says (to the townspeople) that he
has already taken action to help his city with the plague issue. What is it?
the death of Laius must be avenged, that the murderer must be punished ANSW✅✅What is the
message that Creon brings in regard to what the oracle of Apollo said about the plague?
he might have known it was Oedipus who killed Laius (and he didn't want to die), no one would
believe him because he was a slave, he was a slave and slaves are supposed to die for their king (so
he was saving his own skin) ANSW✅✅Why did the one surviving servant lie about the attack on
Laius?
4 kids - 2 girls and 2 boys ANSW✅✅How many kids does Oedipus have 15 years after he became
king of Thebes?
they need to rid themselves of the disease and famine, so they come to him for help ANSW✅✅In
the beginning of the play, the townspeople went to see Oedipus. Why?
with excessive pride - hubris ANSW✅✅How does Oedipus introduce himself in the beginning of
the play to the townspeople?
compares Thebes to a ship - it means the city can't bounce back from the plague that's hit them
ANSW✅✅What is the meaning of "it has lost the power to right itself and raise its head up out of
the waves of death" mean? What is it comparing?
, words and money ANSW✅✅Oedipus thinks that ____ and _____ must have been "passed
between him [the witness] and someone here in thebes" (page 11).
"I shall rid us of this pollution." ANSW✅✅What is an example of the virus motif on page 12?
he said that he would bring the culprit to light, that he would unknowingly expose himself to Thebes
ANSW✅✅What did Oedipus say that is ironic (dramatic irony) in the first paragraph on page 12?
chorus wants and prays to the gods to help them with the plague ANSW✅✅What is the gist of
Ode 1?
15 ANSW✅✅The chorus is composed of how many dancers?
they represent the people of Thebes and they let you know what the people are thinking
ANSW✅✅What does the chorus represent and what is their function in the play?
wine-faced Dionysus, raging war-god (Ares) ANSW✅✅What is an epithet that describes a god on
page 14?
Oedipus says that even though he doesn't have any connection to the Laius problem, he's going to
solve it and rid Thebes of the plague ANSW✅✅What is an example of dramatic irony on page 14?
(1) if anyone knows who did it, then speak, don't run out of town; (2) if the person is not currently in
town, then tell who he his and you will be rewarded with money; (3) if a person knows and stays
quiet, that person will be banished, will not be able to pray, go in other homes, and will be treated
like the murderer; (4) the murderer will have an evil death in a miserable life ANSW✅✅Oedipus
makes a proclamation to the townspeople on how much information they may or may not know
regarding the murder of Laius. What is it?
murderer will have an evil death in a miserable life ANSW✅✅Oedipus curses the murderer. What
is it?
"I will fight as if he [Laius] were my own father." - Laius is Oedipus's father ANSW✅✅What is the
dramatic irony on page 16?
