Learning Guide Module

Subject Code Eng 4 English 4

Module Code 5.0 Oedipus Rex
Lesson Code 5.3 Oedipus Rex: Excerpt
Time Limit 30 minutes

Components Tasks TAa ATAb

Target By the end of this learning guide module, the students should be able to:

1. point out the conventions of a tragedy; 1

min.
2. describe the heroic world - the heroism that faces and suffers death; and
3. understand the roles of the gods and man in determining one’s destiny as
depicted in the play.

Hook
"The only person you are destined to become
is the person you decide to be."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Are you in full control of your own actions and decisions in life? 2
mins.

No one in his or her right frame of mind wants to live a miserable life. Every
sensible person aspires to have a good fortune out of our wise decisions and
experiences in life.

Ignite

Think about it!

The Oedipal complex, refers to the psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund
Freud which occurs when a boy acts possessively of his mother and
develops jealousy towards his father. The term is coined after the main
10
character in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex.
mins.
On the other hand, Carl Jung introduced the counterpart stage for girls
which is known as Electra complex. This begins when the girl feels that
she is competing with her mother for her father’s affections.

Task 1. Extract from the Rack

Symbolism is a literary device that is used to represent an idea, belief, etc.
Through symbols, the writer is able to go beyond the literal meaning of a literary
text and present ideas figuratively. Using the symbols below, point out what
these symbols could mean in the selection.

English 4 |Page 1 of 4
 Sight vs. Blindness Oedipus’s swollen foot

Crossroad

Navigate
Learning Task

Directions: In no more than five sentences each, answer the following questions.
(10 POINTS)

1. What modern-day profession do you think Oedipus would be a good fit 15

mins.
for? What qualities does he possess that make him a good candidate?
Justify your answer.
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English 4 |Page 2 of 4
 2. Blinding and exiling himself wasn’t part of Oedipus’s destiny, but he did
so anyway. Why? How does it make you feel about him? Explain.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. Identify one significant irony in the play and explain how it reinforces the
play’s themes.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Rubric for Scoring:

5 – The response provides a fully developed thesis with substantial details. It

essentially addresses the question. There are no grammatical errors.

4 – The response provides a partially developed thesis with substantial details.

It fairly addresses the question. There are only 1 to 2 grammatical errors.

3 – The response provides an incomplete thesis with some evidence. It only

partially addresses the question. There are 3 to 4 grammatical errors.

2 – The response provides a vague thesis supported with insufficient

information. There are 5 to 6 grammatical errors.

1 – The response barely has or has no thesis with little to no evidence to support
it. There are a lot of grammatical errors.
Knot Summary:

▪ Oedipus was a king who only wanted the best for his city. He did
everything in his power to rid his city of the plague and discover his true
origins, even if there would be dire consequences upon himself.
▪ The character of Oedipus is very complex, making him good, relatable,
flawed, and all in all, human.
▪ Oedipus Rex shows us the role of Fate and our actions in the world. We
are made to reflect the extent of our life as a product of some inexplicable 2
fate and/or of our own actions. mins.
▪ The play’s elements of irony and tragedy make it, as Aristotle argues, one
of the best models of tragedy dramas.

English 4 |Page 3 of 4
 References

Natbony, R. (2018). How to teach Oedipus Rex. Prestwick House. Retrieved

from: https://www.prestwickhouse.com/blog/post/2019/07/how-to-
teach-oedipus-rex

Davenport, C. (2020). It’s all Greek to me. Retrieved from:

https://iagtm.pressbooks.com/chapter/story-oedipus-the-king/

Kendra, C. (14 May 2020). The Oedipus Complex in Children. Retrieved from:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-an-oedipal-complex-2795403
a
suggested time allocation set by the teacher
b
actual time spent by the student (for information purposes only)

Prepared by: Jared P. Manalastas Reviewed: Brian Villanueva

Position: SST-II Position: SST-II
Campus: PSHS-CLC Campus: PSHS-Main Campus

English 4 |Page 4 of 4