Directions: You are to write a 1000-1200-word essay on Sophocles’ Oedipus
the King When discussing the play,
refer to the text and not to the video, for the video is one producer’s/director’s idea of
how the play could be performed. In your analysis, choose certain passages to analyze
that illuminate the point you wish to make about the play. Do not quote long passages
of the play. When documenting plays, follow the rules for documenting poetry and
italicize the play’s title (plays are considered long works). For Oedipus the King, just
use line numbers, but with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, you need to document the Act,
Scene and Line numbers with a period between each (and no spaces) as follows:
(2.1.66). This means you are quoting from Act 2, Scene 1, Line 66. Choose one of the
following prompts to write on.
For Oedipus:
Analyze the purpose of the choruses and the significance of each chorus
Analyze Oedipus’ and Jocasta’s respect in and view of the gods
Analyze Oedipus’ tragic flaw (only one flaw) and how tragic irony fits in
Discuss what the play suggests about free will and pre-determined destiny
