Dramatic irony is consistently implemented within the text which easily allows the audience to feel fear and pity for Oedipus. ... Oedipus" opening speech to the gathered audience is consumed with dramatic irony. ... The audience knows that Oedipus killed his father and therefore being aware of his fate, the audience can distinguish the horror of Oedipus" threat against the murderer of King Laius. ... Besides creating this tension, the dramatic irony here also foreshadows Oedipus" tragic fate; the audience can feel fear and pity for Oedipus since he is oblivious to his destiny. ... Oedipus r...

• Word Count: 823
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

In Oedipus the King, Sophocles demonstrates how Oedipus is one of the most tragic characters in all of literature while using countless examples of irony. ... Sophocles is known by some to be the master of irony, and Oedipus the King allows readers to understand why. ... Oedipus threatens the killer of King Laius. ... Sophocles did a remarkable job of using numerous engaging examples of irony in Oedipus the King. ... The conclusion of Oedipus the King is also essential in classifying Oedipus as a tragic character. ...

• Word Count: 520
• Approx Pages: 2

Essay on Oedipus Rex 4-3-97 In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, the theme of irony plays an important part through the play. ... A great irony is found in Oedipus's decree condemning the murderer. ... Whoever killed King Laios might - who knows? ... The use of irony in Oedipus Rex reveals much about the character of Oedipus. ... Commentary It would be hard to find a play that has been more universally praised than Oedipus Rex ("King Oedipus"). ...

• Word Count: 2522
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: High School

The razor sharp irony in Oedipus Rex is one of the elements that has given the play its power to spellbind audiences for thousands of years and has also made updated versions of the story popular from Roman times to the present day. ... The dramatic irony occurs when the reader or audience knows something important that a character in a story or drama does not know. ... And when Oedipus says, "whoever killed king Laius might who knows? ... The fundamental irony in Oedipus Rex that stems from the fact which the audience knows king Oedipus's true identity, while he is unaware of it. ... T...

• Word Count: 703
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Verbal irony is found within the conversation between Oedipus and Teiresias. ... In line 109 Oedipus claims he never saw Laios, but we all know he met him where the three roads meet and killed him there without knowing the king's identity. ... In line 141, Oedipus tells Kreon, "Whoever killed King Laios might "who knows? ... Just like before we know he killed the king, but does not know that yet. ... It is also ironic that Oedipus be "enthroned in the place of the dead king,"" as in line 713, by saving the city and coincidentally, by inheritance. ...

• Word Count: 1490
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

The tragedy is dominated by the powerful figure of King Oedipus of Thebes. ... Dramatic irony plays a major part in events that occur, and fate changes Oedipus' life forever. ... Oedipus is described as a self-assured and proud king (O'Brien 20). ... As an example of perfect irony, Oedipus is promising to punish himself (Lynch 1). ... King Oedipus was a man of greatness. ...

• Word Count: 1668
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

King Oedipus fulfills all of these requirements, yet is considered a tragic hero. ... Oedipus must get rid of the man who killed the former king, Laius. ... The readers also know that Oedipus" father was King Laius. ... Although tragic irony is a form of dramatic irony, it is important to emphasize that what happens in this story is tragic irony. ... Had he stopped to research the former king's death, he would have realized that he himself was the murderer. ...

• Word Count: 1207
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Oedipus Rex Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, (as translated by Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald), is replete with dramatic devices - one of which is known as Sophoclean Irony. ... Meanwhile, back in Corinth, Oedipus grows to manhood believing Polybos and Merope (the King and Queen of Corinth) are his real parents. ... Our first example of unconscious irony can be seen in a discussion about Laios by Oedipus and Creon. ... This passage constitutes unconscious irony as Oedipus believes that he is speaking the truth - that he never met Laios. ... Whoever killed King Laios might who knows? ...

• Word Count: 1118
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

The basic theme of Oedipus Rex is the irony of fate. ... Dramatic irony, the irony of fate, is the most important element in the play. ... Oedipus was born a prince, raised to be a king. ... A person is not a great leader just because they are born a prince and raised to be King. ... However, because Oedipus forsakes the God's by killing his father and sleeping with his mother, he is not worthy of being King. ...

• Word Count: 438
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

The play King Oedipus by Sophocles is a Greek tragedy, which explores the irony of fate. ... Irony reveals information about Oedipus, his journey, family and the city of Thebes. ... When Teiresias is introduced, more information is unlocked about Oedipus, thus creating more conscience irony. ... Throughout Oedipus the King, there are many ironic comparisons between and references to eyes, sight, light, darkness and perception. ... Irony does huge role in Oedipus the King by Sophocles. ...

• Word Count: 1597
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

Oedipus's Tragedy Through the story of "Oedipus, the King," Sophocles illustrates the irony of tragic discovery and fate. ... Oedipus correctly answered "Man" and became the king of Thebes. ... Oedipus is told by the gods to find the killer of King Laius. ... Secondly, King Lauis is Oedipus's birth father. ... Sophocles uses Oedipus to illustrate the irony of tragic discovery and fate. ...

• Word Count: 1375
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

At the close of the Greek tragedy Oedipus The King by Sophocles, Oedipus himself is brought to the realization that everything that is supposed to happen will happen in the end. ... He reaches the Sphinx and correctly solves the riddle which makes him King of Thebes. ... Through this he becomes king, his father's position, and marries his mother, the Queen of Thebes. All is ironic in the story of Oedipus. ... Alas, the ultimate irony is at the close of the story when he gauges his own eyes out. ...

• Word Count: 564
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

King Oedipus is a play in which the plot is based on dramatic irony. ... The main characters of the plot, however, do not know of Oedipus" involvement in this ordeal. ... He is an essential plot device in King Oedipus. ... Without him, Oedipus wouldn't have lived to become king of Thebes.The old man is also related in the play for he was the sole survivor from Oedipus" attack upon king Laius" convoy. ... He also confesses the truth about Oedipus" abandon due to his doomed destiny, which introduces the true climax of the play followed by a rapid decline of the once mighty king. ...

• Word Count: 483
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

After consulting an oracle, for fear that he will one day kill his father and marry his mother, Oedipus' biological parents, King Laius and Queen Jocasta, sent their son away to be killed. ... King Polybus and Queen Merope welcomed the unwanted being into their home. ... Oedipus, after solving the riddle of the Sphinx, is crowned King of Thebes because their former king had unexpectedly been slain. ... Teiresias speaks the truth which emphasizes the irony of Oedipus' skepticism and suspicions of treachery. ... The information given to Oedipus from the aged shepherd, the man that h...

• Word Count: 734
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

The whole play is filled with irony and paradox. ... Oedipus is already setting himself up for trouble because the king is actually his father. ... The soothsayer says,"Oedipus is being blind by refusing to believe that he killed the king." ... Oedipus answers "man" to become king. ... The irony of the play has a lot to do with the course of fate. ...

• Word Count: 897
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Irony and Paradox in Oedipus Rex The play Oedipus Rex is full of both irony and paradox. ... King Oedipus also prays and asks the gods to render justice upon the killer or killers of the King. ... King Oedipus is trying to find out who killed the king and is questioning Teiresias. ... Irony is also present at the beginning of the play in what is done with Oedipus when he is born. ... The ulitimet irony of the play begins when Oedipus finds out about the prophesy of the oracle. ...

• Word Count: 716
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Blindness is the downfall of the hero Oedipus in the play ""King Oedipus-- by Sophocles. Not only does the blindness appear physically, but also egotistically as he refuses to acknowledge the possibility of him actually being the murderer of Laius, the former King of Thebes. ... The people of Thebes are informed that there is an impending curse upon them as a result of the murder mystery of their previous king, Laius. ... ""- This is a pivotal component to the irony behind the idea of blindness throughout the play. ... For this very reason Oedipus blinds himself. ...

• Word Count: 849
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Dramatic irony is a literary technique where the characters have an inaccurate understanding of the facts. ... We realize Oedipus is damning himself when he declares punishment on he who has murdered King Laios. ... The irony is what makes this play powerful because of the viewers knowledge; they can connect with Oedipus and understand he has been cursed from birth. ... Wilson also mentions irony. ... The play Oedipus Rex overall has a powerful affect on its audience because it brings amusement to its audience by the use of the irony used throughout the play that caused the audience to fear f...

• Word Count: 1070
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography

Oedipus is seen as a tragic hero in the play, a principal character, in a position of social importance being the King of Thebes. ... Good tragedies are filled with irony, and dramatic irony is reflected in the play through the theme of blindness versus sight. ... Dramatic irony is further reflected by Teiresias's presence. ... Using irony allows Sophocles to tantalize the audience into wanting to see how the events occurring mentally affect Oedipus regardless of whether they are already aware of the story. Irony is seen continuously in the story. ...

• Word Count: 1270
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Oedipus is looking for the king's murderer. ... Here Oedipus calls the gods to curse the man who murdered the late king Laius. ... Prophets told the King and queen that their son would murder Laius so they sent Oedipus off to be killed in the mountains. ... This play by Sophocles is one filled with irony. Perhaps the largest piece of irony is the curse that he called down upon himself....

• Word Count: 331
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

Blindness, Even With Sight The tragic play Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, is filled with dramatic irony. Dramatic irony is when the audience has knowledge about the main character in the play that a major, predictable event will happen to him/her but the character is not aware of tragedy that will eventually ensue. ... One such example of a dramatic irony in the play is the theme of blindness. When Oedipus persists in finding who is the murderer of the previous king, Laios, Oedipus is blind to fact that he is actually the killer which caused the plaque in the city of Thebes. The irony of it is...

• Word Count: 523
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

As Thebes's King, Oedipus has to solve this plague. ... Oedipus was the only child of Laios and Iocaste, king and queen of Thebes. ... The city, which was recently missing a king, made Oedipus the king since he saved them from the plague. ... This is a tragic drama with lots of dramatic irony, which allows the audience or the other characters to know more than the protagonists do about their own circumstances. ... Teiresias, the blind seer knows the fact that Oedipus is the murderer of King Laios and tries to convince Oedipus should not bother to ask. ...

• Word Count: 1308
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Also as mentioned before when Oedipus lunges at Creon, saying that he betrayed his king. ... We see Creon confront Oedipus after Oedipus blinded himself. ... He became king, had children, and fell in love with his mother. ... He declares that the people of Isthmus have chosen Oedipus as their new king, due to the death of Polybus. ... However it is tragic irony that now when he finally figures out who he really is, he blinds himself. ...

• Word Count: 1572
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

As Thebes's King, Oedipus has to solve this plague. ... Oedipus was the only child of Laios and Iocaste, king and queen of Thebes. ... The city, which was recently missing a king, made Oedipus the king since he saved them from the plague. ... This is a tragic drama with lots of dramatic irony, which allows the audience or the other characters to know more than the protagonists do about their own circumstances. ... Teiresias, the blind seer knows the fact that Oedipus is the murderer of King Laios and tries to convince Oedipus should not bother to ask. ...

• Word Count: 1308
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

As Thebes's King, Oedipus has to solve this plague. ... Oedipus was the only child of Laios and Iocaste, king and queen of Thebes. ... The city, which was recently missing a king, made Oedipus the king since he saved them from the plague. ... This is a tragic drama with lots of dramatic irony, which allows the audience or the other characters to know more than the protagonists do about their own circumstances. ... Teiresias, the blind seer knows the fact that Oedipus is the murderer of King Laios and tries to convince Oedipus should not bother to ask. ...

• Word Count: 1308
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School