Oedipus Rex

Answer the following questions.

QUIZ
SHORT NOTE

(i) How did Oedipus save Thebes before becoming its king?

Ans. A Sphinx had been terrorizing Thebes for and undisclosed amount of time. It placed a
great plague over Thebes and refused to remove it until someone correctly answered its
riddle. Many heroes attempted to answer the riddle, but each one was eaten alive after
answering incorrectly. When Oedipus answered the Sphinx, it killed itself.

(ii) What was the riddle posed by Sphinx to Oedipus?

Ans. The riddle posed by Sphinx to Oedipus was, "What goes on four feet in the morning,
two feet at noon, and three feet in the evening?" When Oedipus gave the correct answer,
"man", the Sphinx threw itself off a cliff and died.

(iii) Why do the Thebans come to Oedipus?

Ans. A procession of priests, who are in turn surrounded by the impoverished and sorrowful
citizens of Thebes comes to Oedipus. Thebes has been struck by a plague, the citizens are
dying, and no one knows how to put an end to it. Oedipus asks a priest why the citizens have
gathered around the palace. The priest responds that the city is dying and asks the king to
save Thebes.

(iv) What do Thebans think of Oedipus as their king?

Ans. Thebans think that Oedipus is an intelligent and decent king who cares deeply for his
people. When Thebes has been struck by a plague, they gather around his palace so that
Oedipus may save them from the calamity.

(v) Who is Creon?

Ans. Creon is the brother of queen Jocasta, the wife of King Laius as well as Oedipus. He
goes to the oracle at Delphi to seek Apollo's advice in saving Thebes from plague. He is
accused by Oedipus of conspiring with Tiresias to take the crown from Oedipus. He becomes
king in the end when Jocasta kills herself and Oedipus blinds himself.

(vi) Why did Creon go to the Oracle?

Ans. He went to the Oracle at Delphi to seek Apollo's advice in saving Thebes from plague.
He wanted to know the cause and remedy of the plague from Apollo.

(vii) What message did Creon bring from Delphi Oracle?

Ans. Creon brought the message from Delphi Oracle that the gods had caused the plague in
Thebes in response to the murder of Laius, the previous king of Thebes. The gods had
demanded that the murdered (the pollution of this land) should be killed or exiled. The plague
would be lifted after the completion of the task.
(viii) Who was Laius?

Ans. Laius was the king of Thebes before Oedipus. He was married to his distant cousin,
Jocasta. Apollo's oracle played a leading role in his reign. When Apollo warned that his son
would kill him, Laius was determined that this was not to be. When his son, Oedipus, was
born, Laius tied his feet together and left him to die on a mountain. Many years later while on
vacation, Laius was killed by Oedipus, who had survived.

(ix) Define Chorus.

Ans. Chorus is a group of singers who stand alongside or off stage from the principal
performers in a dramatic or musical performance. In ancient Greece, the chorus was
originally a group of male singers and dancers who participated in religious festivals and
dramatic performances by singing and commenting on the deeds of the characters and
interpreting the significance of the events within the play. The leader of the chorus was called
Charogos.

(x) To which three gods does the Chorus pray for help?

Ans. The Chorus prays to the gods Appollo, Athena, and Artemis for help.

(xi) What is Creon's defense against the accusations against him?

Ans. Creon argues that it does not make sense that he would try to overthrow Oedipus. He
already shares a large amount of the authority as part of the de facto triumvirate made of
Oedipus, Jocasta and himself. He thinks it would be silly to pursue through violence and
hassle a crown when he already has the power. As he lacks the ambition for that, he thinks
the claims are unfounded.

(xii) Who is Choragos?

Ans. Choragos is the "leader" of the Chorus. He does most of the talking in the Chorus. The
rest of the Chorus chants or repeats what he says, but he is clearly the leader. He is the voice
of reason. He introduces Tiresias and urges Oedipus to listen to him. He also urges other
characters to avoid extremes, to practice moderation, and see and hear the truth.
(xiii) Why did Oedipus and Laius confront?

Ans. There was a Delphic Oracle about Oedipus that he would grow up to kill his father and
marry his mother. Oedipus and his father Laius confront to initiate the fulfillment of the
prophecy.

(xiv) Why did Oedipus kill Laius where the three roads meet?

Ans. Oedipus's killing of Laius was predestined. The three roads represents past, present and
future. Oedipus was pushed along by the irreversible flow of time. So he kills his father,
Laius, at a place where three roads meet in the name of self-defense.
(xv) What was the prophecy about Oedipus?

Ans. The prophecy of Delphic Oracle about Oedipus was that he would grow up to kill his
father and marry his mother.

Riders to the Sea

QUIZ

1.What is Cathleen doing at the start of the play?

Cathleen is kneading cake at the start of the play.
2.Who gave the clothes to Nora?
The village priest had given the bundle to Nora to verify if the clothes belonged to her
missing brother Michael
3.How do the suppose Michael died?
Michael's drowned body has been found near Donegal. (Drowning)
4.What is Maurya doing at the start of the play?
Maurya is lying down at the starts of the play.
5. Who wants to go to the Galway Fair?
The sixth and last son, Bartley, wants to go to Galway fair to sell horses
6.What is Bartley looking for when he comes home?
Bartley is looking for rope.

SHORT NOTE
1. Why is Bartley determined to go to Connemara?

Ans- Despite his mother, Maurya's, desperate pleadings, Bartley insists on going to the horse
fair in Connemara. Maurya has already lost her husband, father-in-law, and five sons to the
sea; Bartley is all she has left, and so understandably, she doesn't want to lose him too. But
Bartley is not to be dissuaded. Though he knows that the sea journey is likely to be fraught
with danger, he still goes ahead with it anyway.

Why? Because Bartley thinks that he'll get a good price for his horses at the Connemara fair.
He has to sell them in order to earn some much needed cash. As the next horse fair won't be
for another fortnight, the time is now; he has no choice but to go. Once again, we can see
that, in this part of the world, people are at the mercy of forces beyond their control, whether
it's the power of nature or the necessity of making a living.

2. What role does superstition play in Riders to the Sea?

Ans- Superstition is an inordinate belief in supernatural causation that exceeds rational

bounds. Sometimes people become superstitious after a series of unfortunate events
occur because they feel there must surely be some causation to these occurrences.
Such is the case with one of the main characters of Synge's one-act play, the character
named Maurya. After the misfortunes of having lost six of her sons, this mother now
believes that something will happen to her son Bartley. Further, her fears create
suspense in the narrative of the play and generate apprehension in the audience, as
well. Because of her fears, Maurya does not want her son Bartley to travel on the sea,
and she has even asked the local priest to talk with him. Nevertheless, Bartley insists
upon departing, sailing with two horses to the mainland where he will travel to a fair
in Galway in order to sell these horses. Before he departs, Maurya cries out as Bartley
stands in the doorway. “He's gone now, God spare us, and we'll not see him again.
He's gone now, and when the black night is falling, I'll have no son left me in the
world.”, Maurya expresses a superstitious fear that she will lose Bartley because six of
her other sons have died on the sea. She also attributes supernatural powers to the sea
that "takes" her sons from her. Previously, Maurya's daughter Cathleen and her little
sister Nora have talked about the last son's (Bartley's) departure for Galway; in this
conversation, Cathleen asks Nora if she has talked with the priest about stopping
Bartley because of the turbulent weather. Nora tells her sister what the priest has said,
"I won't stop him" says he, "but let you not be afraid. Herself does be saying prayers
half through the night, and the Almighty God won't leave her destitute" says he, "with
no son living." To some, the priest's faith in prayer may seem rather superstitious as he
places excessive credibility in supernatural intervention because of Maurya's prayers.
The images that Maurya creates as she describes her vision of the ...fearfulest [sic]
thing any person has seen, since the day Bride Dara seen the dead man with the child
in his arms generate a terrifying tone in the narrative. Later on, Maurya describes a
vision that she has seen, Bartley came along, and he riding on the red mare with the
gray pony behind him....and there was Michael upon it with fine clothes on him, and
new shoes on his feet. Believing her vision to be a supernatural omen, Maurya
predicts that Bartley will be lost at sea. Tragically, she is right.

Clearly, superstitions play a key role in the narrative of Riders to the Sea as they
generate the mystery and suspense which add to the overall effect of the drama.",

3. Who are the riders in “Riders to the sea”?

Maurya has a terrifying vision in which she claims to have seen her late son Michael riding
behind her only living son, Bartley, as he sails to Connemara to sell a horse. This turns out to
be a premonition, as during his journey, Bartley falls from his horse into the sea and drowns,
leaving Maurya entirely bereft of children. Maurya's premonition references the Four
Horsemen of the Apocalypse in the Biblical Book of Revelation. Two of the Horsemen are
alluded to in Maurya's vision: one riding a red horse, capable of taking away peace (Bartley),
and another riding a pale horse (Death, as represented by the figure of Michael).

The title is significant in another respect. We normally associate sailing with the sea, not
riding. One could argue that Synge uses the title Riders to the Sea to highlight the futility of
Bartley's fateful journey. He's a rider, not a sailor, and as such is doomed to a premature end
beneath the waves.

4. Is Maurya from Riders to the Sea considered a tragic hero? Why or why not?

Ans- "In many ways, Maurya is a tragic hero. In Greek drama, a tragic hero is someone
destined by the gods to a tragic fate; try as the hero might, there is nothing he or she can do
to alter this fate. When the play opens, Maurya has already lost her husband, father-in-law,
and four of her six sons to the sea. Only Michael and Bartley are still alive among her sons,
but Michael is already lost. At the beginning of the play, before Michael's fate is known,
Nora says that according to the priest, "Herself does be saying prayers half through the night,
and the Almighty God won't leave her destitute...with no son living." Despite the priest's faith
that God will not take away all of Maurya's sons, Michael's body washes ashore, and Bartley
is thrown by his horse into the ocean. After Bartley dies, Maurya says, "They're all gone
now, and there isn't anything more the sea can do to me." In other words, she understands
that the sea was bent on taking all her sons and the other men in her life and there was no
resisting this fate; however, now that she has suffered extreme loss, she has nothing left to
lose. Her tragic destiny marks her as a tragic hero."

5. What’s Maurya's attitude towards the sea?

Ans- "In “Riders to the Sea” Maurya has faced the deaths of 6 sons and her husband, all
dying in the sea. Before Bartley goes on his journey to sell a couple of horses (he has to cross
over the sea to get to the mainland), Maurya is very worried that he, too, may fall victim to
the sea. Bartley ends up falling off of one of his horses into the sea and drowning. Maurya,
surprisingly, feels a sense of peace and calm overcome her. Why is this? It is because the sea
cannot claim anymore of her sons. She finds some sense of comfort because they are all now
together in heaven with her husband (their father). Meaning that there is an end to anxiety
and a beginning of peace for her, though there will be little to eat. She realizes that she will
not long survive these deaths. Maurya’s nobility and maturity of spirit enables her to see the
good in all of her men now being together. She sprinkles Holy Water over the dead Bartley
and asks for God’s mercy on the souls of her men, on her own, and, generously, on the souls
of everyone left living in the world.",

EXTRA: Discuss the role of Nora in Riders to the Sea by J. M. Synge.

Ans- Nora is the younger daughter in the family; her role in the play is to be a voice for the
church. At the beginning of the play, she tells her sister Cathleen what the young priest told
her when they are trying to figure out if their brother Michael has been drowned. The priest
says to tell their mother that Michael has "got a clean burial by the grace of God." Nora
repeats the priest's words to her sister, who later repeats these words to her mother. Later,
after Nora figures out that her brother Michael has been drowned and that her brother
Bartley is likely to be drowned, she says of her mother, Maurya, "Didn't the young priest say
the Almighty God wouldn't leave her destitute with no son living?" Nora trusts what the
priest says and believes that God will not leave her mother without any sons (though this is
eventually her mother's fate). In the end, it is Nora who hands her mother the holy water to
sprinkle on Michael's clothes. Nora is the character in the play who is most closely
associated with religion and the Catholic church.",

The Zoo Story

QUIZ

1. What happened to Jerry’s parents and aunt?

Jerry's mother left home and died. His father died soon after. He was raised by an aunt and
she died on the day of Jerry’s graduation.

2. When does this play take place?

A Sunday afternoon in summer. (Central Park in Manhattan.)

3.What is peter’s Job?

An executive of a publishing house.

4. Which sentence is repeated frequently by Jerry?

“I've been to the zoo”
“I don't have one wife, two daughters, two cats, and two parakeets”

5.Who does Jerry fall in love with?

Beth

SHORT NOTE

1. What role do animals play in The Zoo Story?

Ans- Jerry and Peter frequently refer to animals in The Zoo Story. Peter's views toward
animals are relatively conventional – he does not devote much serious thought to them, but he
is also compassionate toward them, as we see when he gets upset about Jerry's dog story.
Jerry, on the other hand, sees animals as a potential solution to his feelings of loneliness and
alienation. Although he has trouble forging fulfilling relationships with other humans, he
believes that he can solve this problem by interacting with animals. For Jerry, they are a
stepping stone to learning how to 'get along in the world.' What helps to elucidate their
different attitudes towards women is the suggestion that we are all of us animalistic beneath
our 'civilized' facades. Peter wants animals, which are driven by instinct, to be separate from
himself. Jerry believes they are expressions of ourselves. From this vantage, Jerry's ultimate
lesson, in which he forces Peter to engage in violence, is about exhibiting the human potential
for impulsive animal behavior.

2. Why does Jerry tell peter to go away?

Answer: After Jerry runs into the knife, If Peter stays someone will find him. Jerry does not
want Peter to be blamed for a crime; he only wants him to be a player in his own “zoo story”.

3. How does Jerry try to make peace with the dog?

Answer: He gives meat to the dog every time it comes in.

5. What happens at the end of "The Zoo Story"?

What happens at the end is exactly what Jerry wanted to happen. He wanted to die but not
until he had an "intimate" connection with another human being. Jerry wished to "matter."
He wished to know that his life, and in this case, his death, made an impact on another
person. Jerry could have committed suicide alone in his apartment and no one would have
noticed. He also could have killed himself in the presence of Pater for more of an impact.
BUT, ultimately, manipulating Peter to hold the knife (even if in a defensive mode) had the
utmost effect on Peter's life. Jerry tells Peter that he will never enjoy a Sunday on that bench
again.
 The Merchant of Venice
QUIZ
1. What reason does Antonio give for being sad in the opening scene of the play?
He gives no reason.

2. From what character flaw does Bassanio believe Gratiano suffers?

A lack of depth

3. The caskets that Portia’s suitors must pick from are made of what materials?
Gold, silver, lead

4. How does Shylock initially describe his demand for a pound of flesh to Bassanio and
Antonio?
As a harmless prank

5. Who loses the opportunity to marry Portia by choosing the silver casket?
The prince of Arragon

SHORT NOTE

1. Is “The Merchant of Venice” a romantic comedy? If so, why?

The Merchant of Venice is a romantic comedy. It is a comedy in the broadest sense of the
term: nobody dies and the play has a happy ending. Though it can be dark at times, humorous
moments punctuate the play, such as when Portia and Nerissa, still in disguise as lawyer and
clerk, play a joke on their husbands in prevailing upon them to give up the rings the men had
promised never to relinquish.
It's a romance in the sense of its fairytale-tinged plot, in which the lovely Portia must
be wooed through her successful lover choosing the correct one of three caskets, and even
more so in that Bassanio is willing to risk losing everything--"give and hazard all he hath"--to
gain Portia's hand. If he is interested in her dowry, he is more interested in her. He genuinely
loves her, calling her "fair" and of "wondrous virtue." In this play, sacrificial love triumphs:
the Prince of Morocco, who desires worldly wealth, chooses the gold casket and does not win
Portia, nor does the Prince of Arragon, who believes he "deserves" Portia. It's Bassanio, who
willing accedes to the lead casket's demand that he risk all, who gains his beloved.
The play is a romantic comedy too in that Portia and Nerissa, after demanding their
rings, admit to the joke they played, forgive, and continue to love their husbands so that all
ends happily and harmoniously. Love in this play may be bounded by the pragmatic--and that
is part of the comedy--but it is love all the same.

2. Explain “The Merchant of Venice” as a tragic comedy play.

Traditionally, a comedy is loosely referred to a narrative with a happy ending (that's why
Dante's Divine Comedy, though it has plenty of unhappy moments in the “Inferno” portion, is
called a comedy in the first place). Conversely, a tragedy has an unhappy ending, and usually
involves the downfall of the main character.
Let's look at The Merchant of Venice in this context. In many ways, the play has a
happy ending Bassanio ends up with Portia, and Antonio not only escapes his gruesome fate,
but also finds out that he is, in fact, still rich. By all accounts, that's a classic comedic ending:
guy gets the girl, nobody is poor, and everyone's having a good time. However, the play
subtly disrupts this comedic ending through its treatment of Shylock; though he is ostensibly
the "villain" of the play, the reader/audience tends to sympathize with Shylock, as he faces
significant persecution through the story, simply because he is Jewish. As such, his downfall
is not positive at all, but instead takes on tragic proportions (he doesn't even appear on-stage
during the final act). The play's comedic ending is subverted by the tragic downfall of
Shylock, and this is one of the main reasons why The Merchant of Venice continues to be
read and studied.

3. What are the main and sub plots of “The Merchant of Venice”

Here is a list of two subplots along with a main plot in “The Merchant of Venice”.

There is a main plot is involving the contract that exists between Antonio and
Shylock. Antonio's money is currently tied up, so he needs to borrow some. Antonio needs a
moneylender, and his moneylender winds up being Shylock. There is definitely a lot of
antagonism between these two characters, but Shylock does agree to loan Antonio money
interest free; however, Shylock demands a pound of flesh if Antonio can't repay the loan.

There is a subplot involving a casket and Portia's suitors. Portia's father is not going to allow
any man to marry Portia unless that man can correctly choose the casket that has Portia's
portrait. All potential suitors have failed this test. All except for Bassanio.

There is a subplot that involves a ring, Portia, Nerissa, Bassanio, and Gratiano.

4. What causes do Salerio and Solanio suggest for Antonio’s melancholy?

According to Salerio, Antonio's melancholic attitude suggests that his money is tied up in his
ships, which are sailing on dangerous seas. Solanio predicts that he is in love.

5. What are gratiano’s views on soo called wise people

According to Gratiano, wise men are silent and stern. They're only considered wise because
they don't say anything.
 Final Solutions
QUIZ

1. Who is the bestfriend of Bobby in Final solutions?

Javed is the best friend of Boby in Final Solutions.
2. Who is Bobby?
Boby is the fiancee of Smita.

3. Who kills the priest?

Someone from the extremist group killed the priest.

4. What is Dattani’s message in Final Solutions?

Hindus and Muslims depict their own statement to prove their superiority, it is the main cause
of communal riots.

5. How many acts are there?

There are three acts in the play.

SHORT NOTE

1. Describe the role of Chorus in final solution.

In this play, Mahesh Dattani has used the chorus for narrating the events in the play. Chorus
was also used to highlight the dramatic content in the play like fear, sorrow, happiness etc.
Chorus was used to show the inner voice and thoughts in the minds of Hindus and Muslims.

2. Significance of the title of Final solution.

Answer: Final Solutions addresses an issue of utmost concern to our society i.e. the issue of
communalism. The word, communalism in India can be understood in somewhat different
way. It signifies the variance among the different religious groups and communities. It is a
multi-religious and multi-cultural society.The play Final Solutions, written by Mahesh K.
Dattani discusses the theme of communal riots, hatred and bitterness of Hindus and Muslims
against each other. The plot is set in Gujarat (after the 2002 Riots). The communal hatred is
at peak. It can be seen when we find Hindu mob chasing Javed and Bobby after knowing that
they are Muslims.
Next, we also come to know other complex stories like love affair of Smita (who is a Hindu)
and Bobby, Javed’s story of adopting extremist way, Ramanik’s grabbing of Javed’s land
(after burning his shop) etc.

We find that Ramanik blames Javed and his community and vice versa. But deep inside,
Ramanik’s conscience does not allow him to live in peace because of the sin which he
committed in the past.

There is another issue which is discussed in the play. It is the orthodoxy which is inherited
among the believers of every religion. They consider people from other communities as
untouchables. Aruna’s denying Bobby and Javed from spending night at their home depicts
this.

So, throughout the play, we find ample of problems and the playwright has not given any
solution. Instead, he has let the audience to decide. Hence, the final solutions are, in real, no
solutions to these communal problems. We people need to know what makes us hate others.
So this is why I think the title ''Final Solutions" suits the best.

3. Ramnik's character in Final solution.

Ramnik Gandhi, son of Hardika, is a very liberal minded man and he doesn’t support the
communal hatred, he doesn’t support the hatred of his mother towards the Muslims because
he knew the truth which his mother was unaware of. He even gives refuge to the two Muslim
guys in his house because he wanted to atone the sin committed by his father and grandfather
in the past. Ramnik knew this truth but he did not reveal this to his mother because he did not
want his mother to suffer more. He just tried proves himself to be a true secularist. Ramnik
even thinks of giving a job to Javed so that he can earn his livelihood in an honest and
peaceful way and in this way he can get rid of the guilt.

4. What is the main theme of the Final solution?

Final Solutions, which tells the story of two young Muslim men seeking the protection of a
Hindu family during a communal riot, explores the causes of religious conflict. The play's
central theme was an extremely sensitive topic given the events that were unfolding at this
time in the city of Ayodhya in North India.

Religious conflict between Hindu Muslims and the effort to prove each other superior is the
overall theme of Final Solutions.

5. What is the solution of the Final solutions.

There is no exact solution mention in Final Solutions.

The play Final Solutions, written by Mahesh K. Dattani discusses the theme of communal
riots, hatred and bitterness of Hindus and Muslims against each other. The plot is set in
Gujarat (after the 2002 Riots). The communal hatred is at peak. It can be seen when we find
Hindu mob chasing Javed and Bobby after knowing that they are Muslims.
Next, we also come to know other complex stories like love affair of Smita (who is a Hindu)
and Bobby, Javed’s story of adopting extremist way, Ramanik’s grabbing of Javed’s land
(after burning his shop) etc.

We find that Ramanik blames Javed and his community and vice versa. But deep inside,
Ramanik’s conscience does not allow him to live in peace because of the sin which he
committed in the past.

There is another issue which is discussed in the play. It is the orthodoxy which is inherited
among the believers of every religion. They consider people from other communities as
untouchables. Aruna’s denying Bobby and Javed from spending night at their home depicts
this.

So, throughout the play, we find ample of problems and the playwright has not given any
solution. Instead, he has let the audience to decide. Hence, the final solutions are, in real, no
solutions to these communal problems. We people need to know what makes us hate others.