Irony
Irony is the
difference between expectations and happenings while dramatic irony is the
difference between the knowledge of actors and that of the audience. Oedipus
the King is the most renowned example of dramatic irony and ironies of all
kind. Every single scene contains many instances of irony. It is difficult to
cover every single instance of irony in the drama, yet here are some examples
of irony in Oedipus the King.
Irony is the difference between expectations and happenings while dramatic irony is the difference between the knowledge of actors and that of the audience. Oedipus the King is the most renowned example of dramatic irony and ironies of all kind. Every single scene contains many instances of irony. It is difficult to cover every single instance of irony in the drama, yet here are some examples of irony in Oedipus the King.
Oedipus to Kill the Old Man
When Oedipus is given the oracle of killing his father and marrying his mother,
he leaves Corinth and sets forth to Thebes unknowingly. On his way, he kills an
old person along with other persons, without knowing the fact that the old
person is his actual father and king of Thebes. We, as the audience, know this
fact but Oedipus is unaware of it, creating an instance of Dramatic Irony.
When Oedipus is given the oracle of killing his father and marrying his mother,
he leaves Corinth and sets forth to Thebes unknowingly. On his way, he kills an
old person along with other persons, without knowing the fact that the old
person is his actual father and king of Thebes. We, as the audience, know this
fact but Oedipus is unaware of it, creating an instance of Dramatic Irony.
Oedipus to Marry Jocasta
Oedipus solves the prolonged riddle of Sphinx. The Theban people reward him
with the kingship of Thebes for this act of intellectual bravery. He is married
to the "widow" Jocasta. This is another example of dramatic irony as
the audience knows he has married his mother but Oedipus thinks he has married
the wife of King Laius (he did not know about Laius being his father).
Oedipus solves the prolonged riddle of Sphinx. The Theban people reward him
with the kingship of Thebes for this act of intellectual bravery. He is married
to the "widow" Jocasta. This is another example of dramatic irony as
the audience knows he has married his mother but Oedipus thinks he has married
the wife of King Laius (he did not know about Laius being his father).
Oedipus to Call the Blind Prophet Child of Endless Night
Thebes is
suffering from the devastating plague and he has to find a way to save the city
from the killing plague. He has sent Creon, his brother-in-law to bring the
oracle and it says that the plague shall be lifted unless the killer of King
Laius is either killed or exiled. The problem is who is the murderer of King
Laius. To solve this issue, the services of a blind but the "Godlike"
seer are called and Teiresias accuses Oedipus of killing the king. Oedipus fly
in rage and mocks the blindness of the prophet by calling him "Child of the endless night". This is the best example of dramatic, situational and
verbal irony as in the end, Oedipus makes himself a child of endless night.
Thebes is suffering from the devastating plague and he has to find a way to save the city from the killing plague. He has sent Creon, his brother-in-law to bring the oracle and it says that the plague shall be lifted unless the killer of King Laius is either killed or exiled. The problem is who is the murderer of King Laius. To solve this issue, the services of a blind but the "Godlike" seer are called and Teiresias accuses Oedipus of killing the king. Oedipus fly in rage and mocks the blindness of the prophet by calling him "Child of the endless night". This is the best example of dramatic, situational and verbal irony as in the end, Oedipus makes himself a child of endless night.
The Truth Must be Made Known as Situational Irony
Oedipus resolves to find out the truth of his origin and the murder of king
Laius by saying, "Truth must be made known". It is a situational
irony as he is paving the ways about the awful truth about himself and about
the crimes, done by him in ignorance.
Oedipus resolves to find out the truth of his origin and the murder of king
Laius by saying, "Truth must be made known". It is a situational
irony as he is paving the ways about the awful truth about himself and about
the crimes, done by him in ignorance.
Jocasta's Attempts of Getting Rid of the Infant in Off-Stage Episode (Situational Irony)
Both King Laius and Jocasta are given the oracle about their son committing the
crime of patricide and incest. Both tried to get rid of the child but
ultimately their child committed all the crimes, causing distress in everyone's
life.
Both King Laius and Jocasta are given the oracle about their son committing the
crime of patricide and incest. Both tried to get rid of the child but
ultimately their child committed all the crimes, causing distress in everyone's
life.
Cosmic Irony in Oedipus Rex
Cosmic irony is the difference between the actions of gods and that of humans. To
assert their dominance of gods over humans, they show their power of fate.
Oedipus and his parents want to mock fate by going against their fate. At long
last (آخر کار), fate and divine powers played their trump
card and showed the world who was the actual boss.
Cosmic irony is the difference between the actions of gods and that of humans. To
assert their dominance of gods over humans, they show their power of fate.
Oedipus and his parents want to mock fate by going against their fate. At long
last (آخر کار), fate and divine powers played their trump
card and showed the world who was the actual boss.
