If you are looking for the beginning of the study for Oedipus the King then you can go HERE for a brief introduction. At the bottom of the introduction you will find the links to each section of the study guide as it becomes available. For an introduction to Sophocles’ Three Theban Plays, and the concept of tragedy as a genre, you can click HERE. If you would like to see the growing list of available book studies you can go HERE. Enjoy!
Grammar Questions: (The Information of the Text)
According to Creon “there’s nothing worse” than what? (Lines 573-582)
What is the relationship between Creon and Oedipus? (Lines 645-646)
What did Jocasta urge Oedipus to do concerning Creon? (Lines 722–724)
What was Jocasta’s response when she learned that it was a prophet who claimed Oedipus was the murderer of Laius? (Lines 778-783)
Where, according to Jocasta, was Laius murdered? (Lines 788-790)
What was Oedipus’ reaction to Jocasta’s story about the murder of Laius? (Lines 801-824)
Who did Oedipus want to interview about the murder of Laius? (Lines 830-843)
What caused Oedipus to kill the man he encountered at the “triple crossroad”? (Lines 883-898)
What did Oedipus call his last hope? (Lines 924-937)
Logic Questions: (Interpreting, Comparing/Contrasting, Reasoning)
What circumstances made Oedipus think Creon and Tiresias were plotting against him? (Lines 619-635)
Creon formed an argument as to why Oedipus should not believe he is plotting against him. What were the premises of his argument? (lines 645-690)
Oedipus said, “No matter – I must rule.” to which Creon replied, “Not if you rule unjustly.” (Lines 702-703) What did Creon mean by his retort?
Creon said, “Look at you, sullen in yielding, brutal in your rage – you will go too far. It’s perfect justice: natures like yours are hardest on themselves.” (Lines 746-748) What did he mean by that?
Why did Jocast feel justified in her disbelief of prophets? (Lines 784-800)
When the Chorus said, “Great laws tower above us, reared on high born for the brilliant vault of heaven – Olympian Sky their only father, nothing mortal, no man gave them birth, their memory deathless, never lost in sleep: within them lives a mighty god, the god does not grow old.” What were they trying to say? (Lines 957-963)
What is “the healthy strife that makes a city strong”? (Line 969)
Why did the Chorus say “Never again will I go down to Delphi…unless these prophecies all come true”? What are they saying is at stake in all of this? (Lines 985-997)
Rhetoric Questions: (The Analysis of Ideas in the Text)
Oedipus said, “When my enemy moves against me quickly, plots in secret, I move quickly too, I must, I plot and pay him back. Relax my guard a moment, waiting his next move – he wins his objective, I lose mine.” (Lines 693-697) Do you think his perspective was prudent? Why or why not?
Ignorance is a central problem in this story. What causes ignorance? Is ignorance always correctable?
Theological Analysis: (Sola Scriptura)
Is Creon’s statement in Line 635 wise? Consider Proverbs 17:27-28 when giving your answer?
Virtues/Vices/Great Ideas: (Find them in the Text)
Despotism, Ignorance, Unbelief, Light vs. Darkness, Fate