How can a prophecy be true if the future differs from what was foreseen? Sophocles entertains this question in Oedipus the King. Teiresias, Creon, and Oedipus have weighed in on the unsolved murder of Laius, and now Jocasta voices her opinion about the inherent fallacy of the prophet's vision. Though much of the text remains, ninth graders come to their conclusions as they analyze the similarities between Jocasta's and Teiresias' accounts of that fateful day.

Concepts

oedipus, greek tragedies, greek dramas, sophocles, literary analysis, literary themes, literary elements, text structure

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Project the worksheet onto the board
• Use the Quick Write prompt as an exit ticket

Classroom Considerations

• The ninth lesson of a 20-part unit focused on literary analysis
• Handout includes the text but no space for reflection

Pros

• Provides full versions of both the unit and the module
• Includes the text of the play as an attachment

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.5 W.9-10.9.a L.9-10.4.a L.9-10.5.a