Dramatic Irony in Oedipus Rex Essay

Dramatic Irony in Oedipus the King

O King Apollo! May Creon us good fortune and rescue, bright as the expression I see on his face (Sophocles 5). This quote implies dramatic irony because the evident message is that Creon by his face is bringing good news, but we the audience know the hidden message which is that Creon brings a bad prophecy which sets off the story of Oedipus.

For whoever killed Laius might decide to raise his hand against me. So, acting on behalf of Laius, I benefit myself, too (Sophocles 10). Dramatic irony is presented in this quote unintended because Oedipus is asking the people of Thebes to come forward and tell him who did it, but the intended message is that he did it and he is asking his people.

I pronounce a curse on myself if the murderer should, with my knowledge, share my house; in that case may I be subject to all the curses I have just called down on these people here. I order you all to obey these commands in full for my sake, for Apollos sake, and for the sake of this land, withering away in famine, abandoned by heaven (Sophocles 15). This quote turns out to be dramatic irony because it is evident that he is going to curse himself if he finds out the murderer is closed to him. The hidden message is that he is closer than he thinks because he is the Laius murderer.

I call down this curse in the gods name: let no crop grow out of the earth for them, their wives bear no children. Rather let them be destroyed by the present plague, or something even worse. But to you people of Thebes who approve of my action I say this: May justice be our ally and all the gods be with us forever (Sophocles 16). The intended message of this quote is that Oedipus is putting a curse by the gods name for whoever killed Laius. The unintended message is that he is cursing himself by no crops growing, their wives not having children or even worse. He is saying that he wants justice in his side making it irony since at the end he finds out he is the murderer.

It has, except for you. You have no power or truth. You are blind, your ears and mind as well as eyes (Sophocles 25). This quote is pure dramatic irony because Oedipus is criticizing Tiresias for being blind, and that he is not going to believe anything himself, since he is old and blind. But as a matter of fact, Oedipus is the blind one since he cant admit whats in front of him.

Listen, if you think you can injure a close relative and then not pay for it, you are out of your mind (Sophocles 36). Dramatic irony is implied in this quote because Oedipus is telling Creon that how is it possible to kill someone and not get punish, in the other hand, Oedipus is still free and living his life and he hasnt gotten punish but the audience know that later on he is going to pay for it.

With these hands that killed him I defile the dead mans marriage bed. How can I deny that I am vile, utterly unclean? I must be banished from Thebes, and then I may not even see my own parents or set foot on my own father land- or else I am doomed to marry my own mother and kill my father Polybus (Sophocles 57). This shows dramatic irony because Oedipus is scared of leaving to Corinth because he is doomed to marry his mother and kill his father. It is ironic because they are not his real parents, and the damage is already done due to the fact that he already married his mother and killed his father.

So! Why then, Jocasta, should we study Apollos oracle, or gaze at the birds screaming over our headsthose prophets who announced that I would kill my father? Hes dead, buried, below ground. And here I am in ThebesI did not put hand to sword (Sophocles 66). In this case, Sophocles is implying dramatic irony because the evident is that he is in Thebes and Polybus his dad is dead and he did not have anything to do with his death and he is much relieved. The hidden message is that Polybus is not his real father, in fact, is Laius.

That is why for so many years I have lived far away from Corinth. It has turned out well-but still, theres nothing sweeter than the sight of ones parents (Sophocles 69).This is dramatic irony because the evident message is that he left Corinth for his parents but the hidden message for the audience is that those are not his parents and the prophecy would become true.

In Gods name, if you place any value on your life, dont pursue the search. It is enough that I sick to death (Sophocles 77). This quote has an intended message which is to make Oedipus to forget about the prophecy by forgetting about it and continue with his life. The unintended message is that Jocasta knows about the prophecy and he doesnt want for Oedipus to know about it.