CLEP Humanities : Identifying Titles, Authors, or Schools of Classical Drama

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for CLEP Humanities

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Identifying Titles, Authors, Or Schools Of Classical Drama

Which Greek playwright wrote the tragedy Oedipus Rex?

Possible Answers:

Socrates

Aristotle

Sophocles

Plautus

Aristophanes

Correct answer:

Sophocles

Explanation:

Among the ancient Greek tragedians, the work of Sophocles has been held in high esteem since he worked in the fifth century BCE. His most notable work is Oedipus Rex, which tells the story of the titular ancient king of Thebes who, unbeknownst to him, marries his mother and kills his father. The play, like most Greek drama, hinges on dramatic irony, with the audience knowing Oedipus' secrets throughout.

Example Question #2 : Identifying Titles, Authors, Or Schools Of Classical Drama

Oedipus Rex was written by __________________.

Possible Answers:

Sophocles

Galen

Thucydides

Euripides

Herodotus

Correct answer:

Sophocles

Explanation:

Sophocles was a playwright from Greece. He wrote three plays about Oedipus. Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus the King, was the most famous of those plays. Oedipus Rex is probably the most famous Greek tragedies ever written, especially since Sigmund Freud used it as the basis for some of his seminal works of psychology.

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