Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus invites students to examine questions of exile, family loyalty, religious obligation, political authority, and moral responsibility. As the aging Oedipus seeks refuge near Athens, his personal struggle becomes entangled with the ambitions of rival cities and the significance of divine prophecy.
This free educational resource accompanies Ian Johnston’s English translation and includes a printable student worksheet pack and a separate teacher companion with suggested answers and assessment guidance.

Worksheet 1 — Following the Story
Students arrange six important events in sequence and explain how one event changes the course of Oedipus’s final journey.
Worksheet 2 — Character Motives and Evidence
Students examine the goals and actions of Antigone, Ismene, Theseus, Creon, and Polynices, supporting their interpretations with evidence from the play.
Worksheet 3 — Claim, Evidence, and Interpretation
Students evaluate three claims about political power, hospitality, and family loyalty, identifying supporting evidence and possible counterarguments.
Worksheet 4 — Sacred Space and Prophecy
Questions explore the sacred grove of the Eumenides, religious obligations, the significance of Oedipus’s final resting place, and the relationship between divine authority and human action.
Worksheet 5 — Responsibility and Family
Students consider Oedipus’s defense of his past actions, his relationships with his children, and the conflict between personal obligations and political ambitions.

The worksheet pack concludes with an analytical writing assignment asking students whether Oedipus’s final transformation results chiefly from divine favor, his own choices, or the hospitality of Theseus and Athens.
Students are encouraged to develop a clear argument, analyze textual evidence, and consider alternative interpretations.

The separate teacher companion provides suggested answers for all five worksheets, guidance on evaluating competing interpretations, and a 20-point writing-assessment rubric.
The student worksheets can therefore be printed or distributed without including the suggested answers.

Download the free Worksheet Pack and Teacher Companion for Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus for classroom instruction, homework, independent study, or review.
Both documents complement Ian Johnston’s English translation of Sophocles’ tragedy, published by Richer Resources Publications.