Topic today: king oedipus brief questions and answers
king oedipus brief questions and answers
Honours 2nd Year, English Dept.
Brief Questions and Answers
1. In whose honour the Athenian festival of tragedy was held?
Ans: The Athenian festival of tragedy was held in honour of Dionysus.
2. Who were the three tragedians of ancient Greece?
Ans: Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides were the three tragedians of ancient Greece.
3. Who is the tragic hero of Oedipus the King?
Ans: Oedipus, the king of Thebes, is the tragic hero of Oedipus the King.
4. Where is the setting of the play Oedipus the King?
Ans: Thebes is the setting of the play Oedipus the King.
5. What is the Greek title for the play Oedipus the King?
Ans: Oedipus Tyrannos is the Greek title for the play Oedipus the King.
6. What is the Latin title for the play Oedipus the King?
Ans: Oedipus Rex is the Latin title for the play Oedipus the King.
7. What is the prologue?
Ans: A prologue is the initial section of a play, which provides essential background for understanding the action of the play.
8. What is parode?
Ans: parode is the first entrance of chorus on the stage. It provides further expositional background through singing.
9. What is exode?
Ans: Exode is the final section of play usually comes after the last stasimon.
10. What is a chorus in Greek plays?
Ans: In Greek plays a chorus is an integral part of a play and consists of a group of people who comment on the event through singing and dancing.
11. What was ‘the Pythian House of Apollo’?
Ans: ‘The Pythian House of Apollo’ was the temple of at Delphi, where the Oracles of Apollo were given by the ‘Pythian’ priestess.
12. Who is Phoebus?
Ans: Phoebus is the another name of Apollo.
13. Who was the founder of Thebes?
Ans: Cadmus was the founder of Thebes.
14. Who was Jocasta?
Ans: Jocasta was the biological mother and then wife of Oedipus.
15. Who was Creon?
Ans: Creon was Jocasta’s brother.
16. Who was Teiresias?
Ans: Teiresias was the blind prophet whom Oedipus called to find out the killer of Laius.
17. What was the riddle Sphinx asked Oedipus?
Ans: The riddle that Sphinx asked Oedipus was “What is it that walks on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening?”
18. What was Oedipus’ answer to Sphinx riddle?
Ans: To Sphinx’s riddle Oedipus’ answer was that it is man who first crawls on all fours, then walks on two and in old age uses a stick as a third leg.
19. Why was Creon sent to the Oracle of Delphi?
Ans: Creon was sent to the Oracle of Delphi to seek help from Apollo to get rid of the pestilence and famine that afflicted Theban people.
20. Who killed Laius?
Ans: Oedipus killed Laius.
21. Why wasn’t the murder of Laius enquired?
Ans: The murder of Laius was not enquired because at that time Thebel was being ravaged by the Sphinx with her riddles.
22. What punishment did Oedipus declare on the killer of Laius?
Ans: Oedipus declared that the killer was forbidden in his country. He was called accursed and unclean and so was not allowed any help, prayer or sacrifice.
23. When, according to Teiresias, did the wise suffer?
Ans: According to Teiresias, when wisdom could not bring profit, then the wise suffered.
24. What did Teiresias say would happen to Oedipus?
Ans: Teiresias said that Oedipus would leave Thebes as a blind beggar.
25. What gift was Oedipus’ greatness?
Ans: The gift of solving riddle was Oedipus’ greatness.
26. What accusation did Oedipus bring against Creon?
Ans: Oedipus accused Creon for treachery.
27. Why did Oedipus go to Delphic Oracle?
Ans: When a stranger told Oedipus that he was not the son of polybus, he went to Delphic Oracle to know the truth.
28. Why did Oedipus flee from Corinth?
Ans: When Oedipus learnt from Delphic Oracle that he would kill his father and marry his mother, he fled from Corinth to avoid such sin.
29. How did Oedipus react after hearing the death news of Polybus?
Ans: Though the death news of Polybus was sad for Oedipus, he was relieved of the fear of the prediction of the Delphic Oracle that he would kill his father, Polybus.
30. Who was Queen Merope?
Ans: Queen Merope was the wife of Corinthian king, Polubus.
Short Questions
1. What is a prologue and its dramatic purpose in King Oedipus?
2. What is Chorus? What functions did it play in Greek tragedies?
3. Describe the role of Chorus in King Oedipus.
4. Why did Oedipus call Tiresias to his royal palace?
5. In what situation did Oedipus kill his father?
6. What was the prophecy of Teiresias about Oedipus?
7. Comment on the dramatic significance of the encounter between Oedipus and Creaon.
8. What did fate do in Oedipus?
9. What reason does Oedipus gibe for his self-blinding?
10. What is the symbolic significance of Oedipus’ self-blinding?
Explanation
1. The killer of Laius,
Whoever he was, might think to turn his hand
Against me; thus serving Laius, I serve myself.
2. No matter who he may be, he is forbidden Shelteror intercourse with any man
In all this country over which I rule;
3. Chance rules our lives and the future is all unknown.
Best live as best we may from day to day.
Nor need this mother-marrying frighten you
4. Then learn that mortal man must always look to his ending,
And none can be called happy until that day when he carries His happiness down to the grave in peace.
5. There is unclean thing
Born and nursed on our soil, polluting our oil,
Which must be driven, not kept to destroy us.
Short Notes
1. Teireisas
2. Delphic Oracle
3. The riddle of Sphinx
4. Jocasta
Broad Questions
1. Comment on Sophecles’s use of dramatic irony in Oedipus Rex.
2. Fate and character conspire to bring about tragedy in King Oedipus.
3. Give an account of the encounter between Oedipus and Tiresias, and comment on its significance.
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