Oedipus Rex is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles that revolves around King Oedipus of Thebes.

Reading & Writing Workshop: "Oedipus Rex and the Tragic Tradition"
Session 1: Fate and Prophecy in Tragedy

• Reading:
  Oedipus Rex (focus on the Oracle’s prophecy and Oedipus' fate)
  The Iliad by Homer (focus on Achilles’ fate)
  Public Domain Source:
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6130
• Discussion/Activity:
  Compare how fate and prophecy are used to shape character destinies. Write a journal entry as Oedipus or Achilles reflecting on how they feel about their fate.

Session 2: The Tragic Hero and Hubris

• Reading:
  Oedipus Rex (Oedipus’ investigation and confrontation with Tiresias)
  Antigone by Sophocles (focus on Creon’s downfall due to hubris)
  Public Domain Source:
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31 (Oedipus)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31 (Antigone also included)
• Discussion/Activity:
  Identify characteristics of a tragic hero (hamartia, hubris, anagnorisis, peripeteia). Compare Oedipus and Creon. Write a short argument essay on which character better fits Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero.

Session 3: Blindness and Insight (Literal and Metaphorical)

• Reading:
  Oedipus Rex (Tiresias and Oedipus’ self-blinding)
  King Lear by William Shakespeare (Gloucester’s literal blinding and Lear’s metaphorical blindness)
  Public Domain Source:
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1532
• Discussion/Activity:
  Explore the motif of blindness vs. insight. Write a comparative analysis on how both Oedipus and Gloucester “see” more clearly after becoming physically blind.

Session 4: Family and Forbidden Knowledge

• Reading:
  Oedipus Rex (Oedipus’ discovery of his true parentage)
  Hamlet by William Shakespeare (focus on family dysfunction and hidden truths)
  Public Domain Source:
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1524
• Discussion/Activity:
  Discuss the theme of family secrets and the destructive power of hidden knowledge. Write a creative monologue as either Oedipus or Hamlet discovering their family’s darkest secret.

Session 5: Plague, Suffering, and Collective Guilt

• Reading:
  Oedipus Rex (Thebes suffering from plague as a result of Oedipus’ sins)
  The Inferno by Dante Alighieri (depictions of collective suffering and divine punishment)
  Public Domain Source:
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1004
• Discussion/Activity:
  Analyze the idea of collective suffering and the relationship between personal guilt and public catastrophe. Write a short story where a community suffers due to one individual’s tragic flaw.

Session 6: Catharsis and the Purpose of Tragedy

• Reading:
  Aristotle’s Poetics (focus on catharsis and the structure of tragedy)
  Public Domain Source:
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1974
• Discussion/Activity:
  Evaluate Oedipus Rex through the lens of Aristotle’s theory of catharsis. Write a personal reflection on whether you experienced catharsis from the play and why.

Optional Extensions

• Compare with Modern Tragedy:
  Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (if available) to explore how modern tragedies echo classical motifs.