TEST 2

_____ 1. Sophocles warned Athens of its imminent downfall in his plays because

A. corruption and tyranny were rampant
B. he felt shut out of the political life there
C. the city was at its peak of power

_____ 2. In the Golden Age of Greece, drama was expected to

A. help people forget their troubles
B. teach a moral lesson
C. surprise the audience with a suspenseful plot

_____ 3. The action of each of the Oedipus plays is supposed to take place over

A. 2 hours
B. 24 hours
C. Oedipus' lifetime

_____ 4. There is a plague in Thebes because

A. the gods are angry
B. Oedipus has been neglecting his subjects
C. the city is full of sin

_____ 5. The riddle of the Sphinx was, "Who moves on four in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening?" The answer is

A. the sun
B. Zeus
C. man

_____ 6. The prophecy that has always hung over Oedipus states that he will

A. have no children
B. kill his father and marry his mother
C. lose his kingdom because a murder is unavenged

_____ 7. A good example of dramatic irony in Oedipus the King is when

A. Creon is reluctant to reveal the oracles' messages
B. Oedipus vows to avenge Laios' murder
C. Teiresias says Oedipus is the "pollution" of Thebes

_____ 8. Oedipus finally accepts the truth about Laios' murderer when he hears it from

A. Creon
B. Teiresias
C. a shepherd

_____ 9. When Oedipus learns Polybos has died, he feels

I. relieved, because the prophecy that he'll kill his father isn't true
II. sad, because he loved Polybos
III. glad, because now he will be king of Corinth as well as Thebes

A. I and II only
B. II only
C. I, II, and III

_____ 10. Physical blindness in these plays is a sign of

A. ignorance
B. moral wisdom
C. favor with the gods

11. Trace the action of one of the plays by commenting on the structure of the episodes.

12. Sketch character portraits of Iocaste, Teiresias, and the shepherd. Discuss their roles, and comment on their relationships to Oedipus.

13. Discuss the purpose of Oedipus' blinding himself and its relationship to the theme of Oedipus the King.

14. Discuss the role of the Chorus. Cite specific examples of its "ideal spectator" function in commenting on the action.

15. Discuss Sophocles' use of the legend of Oedipus to express the theme, "man's fate determines his destiny."