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. ...

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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
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• 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. ...

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• 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. ...

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• 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. ...

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• 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. ...

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• 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. ...

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• 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. ...

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• Grade Level: High School

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
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• 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
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• 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
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• 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

Oedipus the King is a very tragic story. Oedipus is a high and mighty king with no worries what so ever. ... Years ago King Laïos was killed, now Oedipus is trying to find his murderer. ... He come to find out that the dead king Laïos was indeed his father, and Oedipus was the one to kill him as he was escaping the prophecies. ... In Oedipus the King, the king is blind and is fooled by all surrounding him. ...

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The King also threatens death to any persons attempting to bury Polynices properly. ... However, soon this civil law is challenged when Tiresias, a Theban soothsayer warns the King that the gods disagree with his decision to defile the body of Oedipus's son. ... Fate is most noticeable in Oedipus the King. ... Creon, after leaving to consult the oracle, announces that the murderer of Laius, King of Thebes prior to Oedipus, must be found, and the discovery and punishment of this person will cure the city. ... Sight and blindness is a motif throughout the plays, and plays a crucial role...

• Word Count: 964
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• Grade Level: High School

The symbolism of sight versus blindness throughout Sophocles" "Oedipus the King" represents the idea of knowledge versus ignorance. ... Many statements made by Oedipus not only show the conflict between others" knowledge and his ignorance, but also the irony of what he believes to be true. ... When the blind prophet subtlety suggests that Oedipus is the killer, Oedipus becomes enraged. "... ... Thus the misguided Oedipus implies that he knows the truth and Tiresias does not, revealing the irony of his statement. ... Sophocles uses these ideas effectively in "Oedipus the King" ...

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• Grade Level: High School

Oedipus the King is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles about a man whose fate is stronger than his power. Dramatic irony is a major device used in this play. Attempting to end the plague by finding the murderer of Laius, former king of Thebes, Oedipus's destiny slowly drives him to his tragic death. ... Oedipus fails in trying to pursue the truth. ... For killing the king not knowingly he is destined to punishment. ...

• Word Count: 439
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In the article "The Greatness of Oedipus the King," Charles Segal offers an accurate description of Oedipus that states: "the search for the origins and meaning of our life, our balance between one and many selves, our recognition of the large areas of darkness about who we really are, and the effort to explore the essential mystery of our selfhood" (Segal 73). ... Thus, Oedipus has unknowingly set himself up to be banished from the kingdom. Furthermore, this is an example of Sophocles" talent for weaving the universal question of predestination into this tale of irony. ... Because of his stu...

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Oedipus the King was written during the ancient Greek times. ... We are introduced to King Oedipus from the beginning where he is addressing his people on the current situation of Thebes. ... It could also be that king polybos wanted to protect Oedipus. ... The readers have been exposed to the dramatic irony and this affects the judgment towards Oedipus. ... It was circumstantial of how he became King. ...

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• Grade Level: High School

One example of irony would be in Oedipus Rex. In Scene 1 on page 54, Oedipus is talking about the murder of Laios. ... This example of irony continues as Oedipus continues to say, "I decree that he be driven from every house, Being as he is corruption itself to us: the Delphic Voice of Zeus has pronounced this revelation. Thus I associate myself with the oracle And take the side of the murdered king." ... Another example of irony occurs again earlier in Oedipus Rex. ...

• Word Count: 370
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• Grade Level: High School

Major Characters Antigone Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus, late king of Thebes. ... He is able to use irony and good descriptions to help the reader understand what is going on in the drama. 12. ...

• Word Count: 1938
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• Grade Level: High School