Theatre I
Ms. Vernon
Oedipus Rex fishbowl questions
The concept behind fishbowl is the inner ring leads the conversation and the outer ring observes. Then
they switch. This serves several purposes: one, it encourages students to take responsibility for the
reading because they’re going to discuss it as a class, not for a teacher, and two, it allows people to think
ahead and come prepared, and three, observing a discussion sometimes allows others to make even
deeper insights.
Pre-fishbowl questions
1. What is the central theme of the play? What did Sophocles want the audience to take away
from the performance?
2. Obviously, Fate is a big deal in this play. What is Sophocles saying about Fate and humanity?
What else should Oedipus have done? Is there any point to life if it’s all destiny? Is there any
nobility in the struggle?
3. Does Oedipus deserve this fate? What is his hamartia, hubris, and tragic flaw?
4. The Greeks believed in The Golden Mean, or “all things in moderation.” Relate this to this play.
5. Where do you find themes of sight, blindness, and recognition?
6. Explain how this is the classic Greek tragedy in terms of catharsis, centered on the psyche, the
Golden Mean, the purposes of the chorus, the genius of the third actor, the climactic
construction, and the tragic hero.
Be able to answer these questions, or at least have a good start on them, before we begin the
discussion. I hope you will find new and deeper questions as part of the process. Remember a good
discussion both listens and talks, draws inferences, extends ideas to our current life, and uses evidence
directly from the text to support points. This will be an evaluated exercise.