OEDIPUS REX
SAMPLE
MULTIPLE
CHOICE
1. Oedipus reply to the petition at the
beginning of the play reveals all of the
following about him EXCEPT:
A. He is deeply concerned about the welfare
of his people.
B. He is a religious man who believes in the
oracles of gods.
C. He is passionately devoted to his wife.
D. He is fearless in his willingness to carry
out whatever his duty may be.
2. Why wasn t the murder of Laius
investigated fully at the time of his death?
A. It was thought at the time that Laius
murderer had been caught.
B. Thebes was distracted by the troubles
caused by the Sphinx.
C.  Too much time passed before citizens
learned of the murder.
D. The gods had forbidden such an
investigation.
3. The qualities which make Oedipus a great
king also make him
A. Liable to presumption and pride.
B.  self-confident and rapid in decision.
C. Intellectually active and curious.
D. All of the above
4. When the chorus learns that Oedipus as a
baby had been given to a shepherd on Mt.
Cithaeron, they speculate that one of the
gods may have been his father. In terms of
the situation in the play at this moment,
this notion serves to
A. foreshadow the conclusion.
B.  further the theme of the play.
C.  heighten the ironic contrast with reality.
D.  advance the action.
5. Unlike the other characters in the play,
Creon displays
A. moderation.
B.  quick temper.
C.  suspicion.
D.  pride.
6. Which of the following would help
explain Oedipus total rejection of
Tiresias charges and insinuations?
A. He is convinced that he was the son of
Polybos and Merope.
B.  He had not knowingly ever set eyes upon
Laius.
C.  Tiresias did not support his accusations
with proof.
D.  All of the above
7. After he has blinded himself, Oedipus
expresses all of the following views
EXCEPT:
A. The gods are cruel, deceitful, and unjust.
B.  It would have been better if he had been
allowed to die as an infant.
C.  It was right that he should blind himself.
D.  He should be exiled immediately.
8. Oedipus is urged to drop his inquiry by all
of the following EXCEPT
A. the shepherd.
B.  the Corinthian messenger.
C.  Tiresias.
D. Jocasta.
9. At what point in the play does Jocasta
become aware of the true identity of
Oedipus?
A. When Tiresias accuses Oedipus of being the
murderer of Laius
B. When Oedipus tells her about the incident at the
three roads
C.  When she learns of the prophecy made by the
oracle while Oedipus was still at Corinth
D. When she learns what the shepherd had done
with the boy
10. King though you are, you must treat me
as your equal in one respect– the right to
reply. That is a power which belongs to
me, too. I am not your servant, but
Apollo s. The speaker is
A. the chorus.
B.  Creon.
C.  Tiresias.
D. the Corinthian messenger.
11. The usual effect of dramatic irony in
Oedipus is that
A. The audience is misled by the deceptive
speeches of characters.
B.  The audience is emotionally detached from the
action.
C. Since the audience knows the story to begin
with, it understands everything on two different
levels simultaneously.
D. The audience is kept in the dark about the
identity of Oedipus until the end of the play.
12. The plot of Oedipus deals mainly with
A. undeserved misfortune.
B.  disbelief in oracles.
C.  self-discovery.
D. self-sacrifice.
13. The events acted out in the play cover a
time period of
A. several months.
B.  two weeks.
C.  three days.
D. less than one day.
14. When did Sophocles live?
A. Eighth century B.C.
B.  Fifth century B.C.
C.  Second century B.C.
D. Second century A.D.
15. Which of the following does the play
reveal about Athenian life?
A. Athenian society had become worldly and
cynical.
B. It permitted freedom of thought and discussion.
C.  The Athenians were proud of their victories
over the Persians.
D. Dramatists were unable to deal with moral
issues because of the restraining influence of
religion.
16. The play suggests that our search for
truth is
A. hopeless, since men can never understand the
minds of the gods.
B. worthwhile, though painful, since it leads us to
true knowledge.
C.  wrong, if it leads us to question the truths of
religion.
D. dangerous, since we may not be able to face the
truth we discover.
THE END