Oedipus the King: Personal letter-writing assignment

Students will work in groups to evaluate the personality of various characters from Oedipus the King. Each student will write two personal letters in the role of one character from the play responding to the events of the play and the various relationships within it.

A lesson plan for grade 10 English Language Arts

By Greg Townsend

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Related topics

• Learn more about Greek tragedies, Oedipus the King, character motives, character traits, cooperative learning, language arts, letters, and plays.

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Learning outcomes

The Learner will:

• analyze characters from Oedipus the King.
• define the tone one character would use in communication with another.
• write two personal letters in proper personal-letter form, the first expressing a character’s interpretation of the events of the play, and the second expressing that character’s response to a letter presenting another character’s interpretation of the events of the play.
• practice word processing.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

3 hours

Materials/resources

• Copies of Oedipus the King (almost always anthologized as part of any World Literature text)
• Format of a personal letter
• Procedures for Cooperative Learning groups
• one copy of the Oedipus Handout for each student

Technology resources

Word-Processing Lab (We have a Macintosh Lab running ClarisWorks; any format or program is appropriate.)

Pre-activities

• As noted in the lesson plan, this activity demands a working knowledge of Oedipus the King. Read it in whatever manner you feel is appropriate for your class. With Honors-level classes, I frequently assign the play as outside reading, asking students to read the play in two three-scene blocks. With slower classes, we read the play as an in-class activity. The time allowed for the activity DOES NOT INCLUDE the time needed to read the play.
• Students need to understand and be able to apply the following literary terms and concepts: characterization, tone, point of view.
• Students need to know what each principal character sees as the truth of the play at the end of the third scene and to understand how this perception reflects that character’s personality.
• Students also need to know how the major characters of the play would respond to one another at the end of the play.
• Students need to review the proper form and style for a personal letter.

Activities

1. As a class, read Part I of Oedipus the King, the first three scenes, from the opening of the play to the exit of Creon after his argument with Oedipus.
2. Divide the class into groups of four or five, with one member of each group taking on the role of one of the following characters: Oedipus, Jocasta, Creon, Teiresias, the Chorus (use this role only for groups of five). Give each student a copy of the Oedipus Handout.
3. As a group, characterize each character, determining his or her point of view on the problem facing Thebes at the end of Part I and the tone each character would use in responding to each of the others.
4. Then, the group needs to determine what each character believes to be the “truth” at this point in the play.
5. Each character in the group must write a letter to another character within that group, expressing his or her point of view of “the truth.” This letter must be written in the first person and must express the view that character would have of the events of Part I. It should be approximately one page.
6. Letters should be written “round-robin” style: each member of the group must receive one letter; no member of the group should receive two (see diagram for further direction).
7. After they edit, proofread, and revise their letters, characters should “deliver” their letters to one another within their groups.
8. As a class, read Part II of Oedipus the King, the last three scenes, from the entrance of Jocasta to the end of the play.
9. Still in the role of the same character from Part I, students are to answer the letters written to them, responding to what they have learned at the end of the play.
10. This assignment provides a good opportunity for students to practice word processing. Students are to stay within their groups to word process their letters, using standard personal letter form, with an inside address, a date, a salutation, a body, and a closing. Letters are to be turned in in pairs, with each student writing two letters.

Assessment

The letters themselves form the final assessment for this activity. They will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• portrayal of the character’s personality and understanding of the truth of the play
• through the tone the student uses to write the letter and the representation of that character’s perspective and interpretation of the play
• grammar and mechanics in keeping with the conventions of standard written English
• personal letter form used appropriately (inside address, date, salutation, body, closing).

Supplemental information

Comments

I have found in teaching Oedipus the King that most sophomores are (pardon the pun) blinded by the graphic details of the story and fail to see that the true tragedy of the play lies not in Oedipus fulfilling the curse upon him, but in the aspects of Oedipus’ character that make him respond to situations in a destructive manner. This writing assignment makes students confront the relationships at the heart of the play in a creative, enjoyable manner, allowing room for a creative, even humorous response to a dark play (a third bad pun.… Sorry!)