| what is the name of Oedipus’ biological father? | Laios |
| in which city is the boy Oedipus raised? | Corinth |
| what is the name of Jocasta’s brother? | Creon |
| why is Oedipus convinced he can’t be the cause of Laius’ death? | because he thinks many men killed Laius, not one |
| what are the names of Oedipus’ sons? | Eteocles and Polyneices |
| in which city does Oedipus die? | Athens |
| who is the king who comes to Oedipus’ rescue? | Theseus |
| which of Antigone’s brothers does Creon wish to see buried? | Eteocles |
| what is the name of Antigone’s fiancee? | Haemon |
| which character is in power in Thebes at the end of each of the three plays by Sophocles? | Creon |
| protagonist of both Oedipus stories, becomes king of Thebes before “Oedipus the King”, renowned for his intelligence and ability to solve riddles, saved city of Thebes and was made king by solving the riddle of the Sphinx (supernatural being that held the city captive), stubbornly blind to the truth about himself, name means “swollen foot”, taken from his house of Laius as a baby and left in the mountains with his feet bound together, on his way to Thebes he killed his biological father (didn’t know who he was) and married Jocasta (his biological mother) | Oedipus |
| Oedipus’ wife and mother, Creon’s sister, appears only in final scenes of “Oedipus the King”, attempts to make peace between Oedipus and Creon pleading to Oedipus not to banish Creon, comforting to her husband, calmly tries to urge him to reject Tiresias’ terrifying prophecies as false, solves riddle of Oedipus’ identity before Oedipus, expresses her love for her son and husband in her desire to protect him from the knowledge | Jocasta |
| daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, bothe Oedipus’ daughter and sister, appears briefly at the end of “Oedipus the King” when she says goodbye to her father as Creon prepares to banish Oedipus, appears more in “Oedipus at Colonus” leading and caring for her old and blind father in his exile, protagonist of “Antigone”, demonstrates courage and clarity of sight greater than any other character, unabashed in her conviction that she has done right | Antigone |
| Oedipus’ brother-in-law, appears more than any other character, displays gradual rise and fall of one man’s power, in “Oedipus the King” claims to have no desire for kingship yet seems eager at the end of that play when he has the opportunity to grasp power, in “Oedipus at Colonus” he is willing to fight with his nephews for power, in “Antigone” he rules Thebes with stubborn blindness similar to Oedipus but never has the readers’ sympathy like Oedipus did, bossy and bureaucratic, intent on asserting his own authority | Creon |
| both son and brother of Oedipus, appears briefly in “Oedipus at Colonus”, arrives at Colonus seeking his father’s blessing in his battle with his brother Eteocles for power in Thebes, trees to point out similarity in his situation and Oedipus’ but Oedipus believes his words sound greedy | Polynices |
| blind soothsayer of Thebes, in “Oedipus the King” tells Oedipus that he is the murderer he hunts but Oedipus doesn’t believe him, in “Antigone” tells Creon that Creon himself is bringing disaster upon Thebes but Creon doesn’t believe him, both Oedipus and Creon claim to trust him deeply, literal blindness of soothsayer points to the metaphorical blindness of those who refuse to believe the truth about themselves when they hear it spoken | Tiresias |
| Creon’s son, appears in “Antigone”, engaged to Antigone, motivated by his love for her, argues with Creon about the latter’s decision to punish her | Haemon |
| Oedipus’ daughter, appears at the end of “Oedipus the King” and very little in “Oedipus at Colonus” and “Antigone”, minor part underscores her sister’s (Antigone’s) grandeur and courage, fears helping Antigone bury Polynices but offers to die beside Antigone when Creon sentences her to die, Antigone refuses to let her sister be martyred for something she didn’t have the courage to stand up for | Ismene |
| king of Athens in “Oedipus at Colonus”, renowned and powerful warrior, takes pity on Oedipus and defends him against Creon, only one who knows the spot where Oedipus descended to the underworld (a secret he promised Oedipus he will never tell) | Theseus |
| sometimes comically obtuse/fickle, sometimes perceptive, sometimes melodramatic, reacts to events onstage, their reactions can be lessons in how the audience should interpret what it is seeing or how it should not interpret what it is seeing | chorus |
| Creon’s wife | Eurydice |
Oedipus (the king & at Colonus) AND Antigone
February 16, 2020