Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 6K views

    Oedipus Rex Socratic Seminar Questions

    Uploaded by

    api-312191833
    The document provides questions for a Socratic seminar on the play Oedipus Rex. It includes 10 questions about various themes and characters in the play. For each question, students are asked to write an assertion with evidence and talking points to support their claim in response to the question. The questions cover topics such as whether Oedipus was a good or bad leader, who was responsible for the play's tragic conclusion, whether fate or free will determined Oedipus' actions, and how Oedipus' understanding of his destiny changes throughout the play. Students are also asked to write their own open-ended question connected to the play or its themes for discussion.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Oedipus Rex Socratic Seminar Questions

    Uploaded by

    api-312191833
    6K views6 pages
    The document provides questions for a Socratic seminar on the play Oedipus Rex. It includes 10 questions about various themes and characters in the play. For each question, students are asked to write an assertion with evidence and talking points to support their claim in response to the question. The questions cover topics such as whether Oedipus was a good or bad leader, who was responsible for the play's tragic conclusion, whether fate or free will determined Oedipus' actions, and how Oedipus' understanding of his destiny changes throughout the play. Students are also asked to write their own open-ended question connected to the play or its themes for discussion.

    Original Title

    oedipus rex socratic seminar questions

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The document provides questions for a Socratic seminar on the play Oedipus Rex. It includes 10 questions about various themes and characters in the play. For each question, students are asked to write an assertion with evidence and talking points to support their claim in response to the question. The questions cover topics such as whether Oedipus was a good or bad leader, who was responsible for the play's tragic conclusion, whether fate or free will determined Oedipus' actions, and how Oedipus' understanding of his destiny changes throughout the play. Students are also asked to write their own open-ended question connected to the play or its themes for discussion.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    6K views6 pages

    Oedipus Rex Socratic Seminar Questions

    Uploaded by

    api-312191833
    The document provides questions for a Socratic seminar on the play Oedipus Rex. It includes 10 questions about various themes and characters in the play. For each question, students are asked to write an assertion with evidence and talking points to support their claim in response to the question. The questions cover topics such as whether Oedipus was a good or bad leader, who was responsible for the play's tragic conclusion, whether fate or free will determined Oedipus' actions, and how Oedipus' understanding of his destiny changes throughout the play. Students are also asked to write their own open-ended question connected to the play or its themes for discussion.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 6

    Oedipus Rex Socratic Seminar Questions

    We will be using the following questions in our Socratic Seminar. The Socratic Seminar is one of your
    summative assignments for this reading unit. Come up with assertions (verbal topic sentences/claims)
    that directly answer the question. Write notes with evidence to support your claim. The evidence is
    REQUIRED because it will help back up your assertion and it will help keep the conversation centered
    around the novel. The talking points are equally important. They allow you to elaborate on the so what
    of your assertion and evidence. Without this verbal matters, your conversations will seem flat and
    boring. Not all of the questions will be used but you need assertions, evidence, and talking points for
    each one.

    1. Taking the ENTIRE play into consideration, do you think that


    Oedipus is a good leader or a bad leader? Find text evidence to
    support your position. Think about his character traits, his actions,
    and whether or not he succeeds in curing the plague on Thebes.
    Assertion

    I believe
    that
    Oedipus is
    a bad
    leader

    Evidence

    Talking Points/Matters

    After Teiresias tells Oedipus his prophecy,


    Oedipus says, Go and a curse go with
    you! Quick, home with you! Out of my
    house at once! (503-504)
    TEIRESIAS: I say you are the murderer of
    the king whose murderer you seek.
    OEDIPUS: Not twice you shall say
    calumnies like this and stay unpunished.
    (415-418)
    Oedipus said, Now if he uses the same
    number, it was not I who killed him. One
    man cannot be the same as many. (976982)
    Oedipus said, But I came, Oedipus, who
    knew nothing, and I stopped her. I solved
    the riddle by my own wit alone. Mine was
    no knowledge got from birds.
    After Oedipus hears that Polybus dies
    from sickness and not him, he states, But
    they, the oracles, as they standhes
    taken them away with him, theyre dead
    as he himself is, and worthless. (10931096)

    Acts of hubris because as a host, he


    is treating the guest poorly
    Oedipus is ignorant of the truth and
    doesnt believe Teiresias when he
    told him the truth
    He had hoped that he could get
    away with murder and be claimed
    innocent if the herdsman were to
    say that it was a group of men that
    killed him, not one
    He is self-absorbed and self
    centered because he talks about
    how he was the one who saved
    Thebes without any of the Gods
    help, not Teiresias
    Disrespectful towards the gods and
    is saying insulting the oracles
    Rude towards Teiresias

    2. Do you believe that Creon will be a better leader than Oedipus?


    Why or why not? Find text evidence to support your claim.
    Assertion

    Evidence

    Talking Points/Matters

    Yes Creon
    would be a
    better leader
    than Oedipus

    If you think obstinacy


    without wisdom a valuable
    possession you are wrong
    (633-634)
    I was not born with such a
    frantic yearning to be a king
    - but to do what kings do
    ( 685-686)

    Older and wiser


    Creon has qualities a good leader would
    possess
    Creon has wisdom and knowledge of what it
    takes to be a good leader
    Has the motivation and passion to be a
    leader and lead people to success but
    doesnt have the desire to be kingly, which
    shows his humbleness and desire to be a
    good leader

    3. Who is truly responsible for the plays tragic conclusion? Why?


    Find text evidence to support your position.
    Assertion

    I think that Laius


    is truly
    responsible for
    the plays tragic
    conclusion.

    Evidence

    Talking Points/Matters

    Jocasta said, it was fate that he should die


    a victim at the hands of his own son...before
    three days were out after his birth King
    Laius pierced his ankles and by the hands of
    others cast him forth upon a pathless
    hillside.(820-828)
    TEIRESIAS: I am a fool then, as it seems to
    you but to the parents who have bred you,
    wise. OEDIPUS: What parents? Stop! Who
    are they of all the world? (508-511)

    He tried to run away from


    his fate by piercing his
    sons ankles in order for
    him to not be able to kill
    him
    Also he left him alone with
    Polybus and Merope to
    take care of, which was
    why Oedipus didnt know
    his real family
    That caused Oedipus to
    misunderstand his fate
    and try to run from it, but
    instead he ended up
    killing his real father and
    married Jocasta
    This shows that Oedipus
    didnt know the truth
    about his real parents

    4. Was the fall of Oedipus a result of FATE or a result of Oedipus


    own FREE WILL?
    Assertion

    Evidence

    Talking Points/Matters

    Fate, because the learning


    of his prophecy caused his
    and his familys downfall

    Horror of darkness enfolding,


    resistless unspeakable visitant sped
    by an ill wind in haste! madness and
    stabbing pain and memory of evil
    deeds I have done! (1502-1504)

    Fate caused Oedipus to


    spiral out of control
    He gouged out his eyes
    because he couldnt see
    the crime that was
    committed
    The death of Oedipus's
    wife/ mother was a result
    of knowing the prophecy
    and Jocasta feeling the
    guilt and shame

    5. Discuss Oedipuss understanding of his own destiny. How does


    this change throughout the course of this play? Does this affect his
    fate or free will?
    Assertion

    Evidence

    He misunderstood it and
    tried to run away from it,
    however, he didnt know the
    truth, so he was
    misunderstanding everything

    Talking Points/Matters

    you are the lands pollution.


    OEDIPUS: How shamelessly you
    started up this taunt! How do you
    think you will escape?(400-402)
    Great store of jealousy fill your
    treasury chests, if my friend Creon,
    friend from this and loyal, thus
    secretly attacks me, secretly desires
    to drive me out and secretly suborns
    this juggling trick devising quack
    (445-449)
    When I heard this I fled, and in the
    days that followed I would measure
    from the stars the whereabouts of
    Corinthyes, I fled to somewhere
    where I should not see fulfilled the
    infamies told in that dreadful
    oracle.(926-930)

    When Teiresias told him


    the truth, Oedipus didnt
    believe him and thought
    that he was just taunting
    him
    When he was talking to
    Teiresias, he
    misunderstood
    Teiresiass prophecy to
    him as him and Creons
    doing, in order to take
    over his throne
    This shows that when he
    heard about his fate, he
    tried to avoid Corinth,
    so he wouldnt kill his
    father and marry his
    mother

    6. Do some characters other than Oedipus seem to control their fate


    more than others? If so, how do they do it? What do they
    understand that Oedipus may or may not?
    Assertion

    Evidence

    Talking Points/Matters

    I feel Laius and


    Jocasta attempt to
    control their fate.

    Laius pierced his sons ankles and left


    him for dead because of the prophecy
    that his son would kill him
    Shortest to hear and tellour
    glorious queen Jocastas
    dead.(1421-1422)

    Laius took control of his fate by


    attempting to change it
    While laius failed he still made
    an effort to change fate and
    control it to benefit himself
    Jocasta took control of her fate
    by killing herself

    7. Sophocles attempts to convey a deeper message about ones


    responsibility towards justice. Evaluate Oedipus as a character: do
    you think he acts responsibly throughout the play? In your
    response, remember to reflect on hubris, ambition, and his ability to
    admit fault.
    Assertion

    Evidence

    I believe that he
    does act responsibly
    throughout the play.

    Talking Points/Matters

    But if he speaks of a man travelling


    alone, then clearly the burden of the
    guilt inclines toward me. (891-893)
    O God, I think I have called curses
    upon myself in ignorance. (862863)
    Right. But yet, send some one for
    the peasant to bring him here; do
    not neglect it.(993-995)

    He was able to admit


    that he killed Laius
    He is able to
    acknowledge his
    ignorance
    He was focused on
    finding the truth and put
    together all of the
    pieces

    8. As a result of Oedipuss inability to see, he gouges out his eyes.


    Why does he do this? Use your knowledge about Greek culture and
    Greek tragedy, as well as textual evidence, to compose your answer.

    Assertion

    He does this so he
    will not be able to
    see the crime he
    has committed.

    Evidence

    Talking Points/Matters

    He tore the brooches the gold chased


    brooches fastening her robeaway from
    her and lifting them up high dashed them
    on his own eyeballs, shrieking out such
    things as: they will never see the crime I
    have committed or had done upon
    me!(1455-1460)

    Oedipus does this act out of


    shame and despair for the
    suicide of his wife/mother
    Jocasta
    He punishes himself for the
    crime he committed on
    others
    He doesnt take control of
    the situation which shows
    his lack of leadership
    Oedipus couldnt see all the

    damage he did so he took


    out his eyes so he could
    literally not see the damage
    that was done

    9. Reread the conversation Oedipus has with Teiresias, the blind seer. Evaluate the

    importance of this conversation. What can you determine about Oedipuss character based
    on the interaction he has with Teiresias?
    Assertion

    Evidence

    Based on the interaction


    Oedipus has with Teiresias,
    we can determine that
    Oedipus is ignorant, selfcentered, and a poor host.

    Talking Points/Matters

    But I came, Oedipus, who knew


    nothing, and I stopped her. I
    solved the riddle by my own wit
    alone. Mine was no knowledge
    got from birds. (460-463)
    Go and a curse go with you!
    Quick, home with you! Out of
    my house at once!(503-504)
    Indeed I am so angry I shall not
    hold back a jot of what I think..
    (390-392)

    This shows how he is self


    centered because he is
    talking about how he was
    the one who saved Thebes
    without any help from the
    gods or Teiresias.
    This shows that he shows
    that he is breaking the rule
    of xenia by acting as a poor
    host and kicking him out of
    his house.
    It shows that he cant control
    his anger well and that he
    gets mad easily

    10. Write your own open ended question for Socratic Seminar. This should not be
    something everyone will agree on and should be connected to the play or the
    themes/ideas the play brings up. It should not be the same as your peers, so think
    of this on your OWN.
    Original Question:
    What do you believe was the reason towards the characters tragic death?
    Assertion

    Evidence

    Talking Points/Matters

    Guilt and
    shame
    Also they tried
    to run away
    from fate

    Shortest to hear and tellour glorious queen


    Jocastas dead.(1421-1422)
    He tore the broochesthe gold chased brooches
    fastening her robeaway from her and lifting them up
    high dashed them on his own eyeballs,(1455-1458)

    The guilt and


    shame both
    Jacosta and felt
    caused them to run
    away from fate
    They both felt
    shame for being
    related

    You might also like