Oedipus The King Worksheet 
Oedipus The King Worksheet
Vocabulary 1. Begrudge:
O
2. Inscribed:
H
3. Involuntary:
E
4. Mortal:
A
5. Blight:
P
6. Rationally:
N
7. Composed:
L
8. Traitor:
J
9. Reverence:
K
10. Prophet:
G
11. Affliction:
R
12. Banished:
T
13. Cherished:
Q
14. Divinity:
B
15. Riddling:
C
16. Herald:
S
17. Supplication:
M
18. Taunted:
F
19. Vigor:
I
20. Presume:
D
Short Answer 1. Explain the terrible prophecy that the Delphic oracle revealed to Laius and Jocasta. How did the king and queen try and avert this tragedy?
a. the prophecy is that laius and jocasta will have a son, and that son will kill laius and marry jocasta. they attempt to avoid this by dumping the child off at mt cithaeron, abandoned in hopes he'd die so that the prophecy doesn't happen.
2. Explain what caused Oedipus, now grown to manhood, to leave Corinth.
a. he leaves because an oracle told him that he's adopted and the people who raised him aren't his real birth parents
3. Describe the circumstances under which Oedipus unknowingly kills his true father,
Laius.
a. Oedipus didn't know that Laius was his dad and the caravan that his dad was in and oedipus both claimed to be going the right of way, the was an altercation and laius is murdered by his own son
4. What is the "riddle of the sphinx" which Oedipus has to answer in order to become the
King of Thebes?
a. what walks on 4 legs in the morning, two at noon & three in the evening?
5. Relate the tragic consequences of Oedipus' marriage to Jocasta and their realization of the fact that they are mother and son.
a. Its tragic because they have children and that means to jocasta that the oracle at delphi wasnt all just a conspiracy. jocasta kills herself bc the realization is just unbearable 6. Explain the irony involved in the use of Tiresias, the blind seer, to reveal the truth to
Oedipus.
a. it's ironic because even though tiresias is blind, he can
Vocabulary 1. Begrudge:
O
2. Inscribed:
H
3. Involuntary:
E
4. Mortal:
A
5. Blight:
P
6. Rationally:
N
7. Composed:
L
8. Traitor:
J
9. Reverence:
K
10. Prophet:
G
11. Affliction:
R
12. Banished:
T
13. Cherished:
Q
14. Divinity:
B
15. Riddling:
C
16. Herald:
S
17. Supplication:
M
18. Taunted:
F
19. Vigor:
I
20. Presume:
D
Short Answer 1. Explain the terrible prophecy that the Delphic oracle revealed to Laius and Jocasta. How did the king and queen try and avert this tragedy?
a. the prophecy is that laius and jocasta will have a son, and that son will kill laius and marry jocasta. they attempt to avoid this by dumping the child off at mt cithaeron, abandoned in hopes he'd die so that the prophecy doesn't happen.
2. Explain what caused Oedipus, now grown to manhood, to leave Corinth.
a. he leaves because an oracle told him that he's adopted and the people who raised him aren't his real birth parents
3. Describe the circumstances under which Oedipus unknowingly kills his true father,
Laius.
a. Oedipus didn't know that Laius was his dad and the caravan that his dad was in and oedipus both claimed to be going the right of way, the was an altercation and laius is murdered by his own son
4. What is the "riddle of the sphinx" which Oedipus has to answer in order to become the
King of Thebes?
a. what walks on 4 legs in the morning, two at noon & three in the evening?
5. Relate the tragic consequences of Oedipus' marriage to Jocasta and their realization of the fact that they are mother and son.
a. Its tragic because they have children and that means to jocasta that the oracle at delphi wasnt all just a conspiracy. jocasta kills herself bc the realization is just unbearable 6. Explain the irony involved in the use of Tiresias, the blind seer, to reveal the truth to
Oedipus.
a. it's ironic because even though tiresias is blind, he can