dramatic irony in oedipus rex

During the play, a murder is discovered early on. Sophocles uses much dramatic irony to have the reader clued in before the character. There are many examples throughout the first couple of scenes. When Teiresias, the holy prophet comes into

scene I, we learn of Oedipus being the murderer of King Laios. We are told this before Oedipus even knows that he killed this king. Sophocles explains this when he uses Teiresias to foreshadow that Oedipus is the murderer. Teiresias says, “You yourself are the pollution of this country”

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. Teiresias says, “Who bore him son and husband—the very same.

Later on in the scene, Teiresias says, “You can not see the wretchedness of your own life. This is a good use of dramatic irony because it tells the reader something Oedipus doesn’t know yet in during the play. Oedipus himself in scene III, line 82, informs the reader again when he says, “ Apollo said through his prophet that I was a man who should marry his own mother, shed his father’s blood with his own hands. The reader learns of this when Teiresias asks, “Who are your Father and Mother? Can you tell me?” In the final paragraph of the scene this point valid is proved valid when Teiresias says,

“A blind man, who has his eyes now; a penniless man, who is rich now;

and he will go tapping the strange earth with his staff; To the children with

whom he lives now he will be brother and father—the very same; to her

who bore him, son and husband—the very same.

In the Greek tragedy, “Oedipus The King,” a murder mystery, and maybe even the first real detective story emerges. As the mystery unfolds, and the reader is always kept on the inside by use of dramatic irony, so that they always know what is going on even if the characters themselves don’t know. ” By him making these comments towards Oedipus we are learning that it is Oedipus that is the villain. ”

While the mystery is no longer a mystery to the reader, Oedipus is still discovering. This is a very effective way to keep the reader involved in the play the entire time. By use of dramatic irony the reader will discover the truth before the character. Sophocles uses a style of writing called dramatic irony to clue the reader in before the characters in the story. ”

By this the reader is now aware that Oedipus is the murderer, and that King Laios was his father, all before Oedipus discovers the truth in the last scene. ” This is just yet another example of the author showing the reader that Oedipus is the villain.

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Approximate Word count = 701
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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