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. Oedipus is a great example of a character who is unaware of his tragic end, even though many signs, clues, and blunt statements were made throughout the play.
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 that Teiresias, the blind holy prophet, is summoned by the king to tell the truth about who the murderer is. As we know, Teiresias is sworn to tell only truths. Finally with a considerable amount of prodding and harassment, Oedipus makes the blind prophet speak all that he is trying to keep secret from the him. However, instead of listening to the words of truth that are spoken by the all knowing prophet, Oedipus becomes very angry and blames him and his brother in law, Creon, for trying to take over his thrown. Oedipus insults Teiresias by saying, "you sightless, witless, senseless, mad old man! You child of endless night! You cannot hurt me. Or any other man who sees the sun (983)." Teiresias comments that although you Oedipus can see now, the truth will eventually blind you and will cause you to lose all that you have. At this point, Oedipus is "blind" to the truth of what the prophet spoke and dismisses him for being a deceitful, insane man. The audience on the other hand knows that the prophet is telling the truth about the tragedy that has already occurred and they cringe about the tragedy yet to come, that will end in Oedipus" eventual downfall. .
Not only is the audience aware of Oedipus blindness to see the truth, but this knowledge also leads to understanding his internal conflict that consumes him.
Hamlet Hamlet is a young man who's father dies and his life is turned upside down. ... Hamlet is battling his conscience. ... Hamlet is extremely indecisive. ... Hamlet wants to kill his uncle because he killed hamlets father. ... Hamlet only trusts Horatio. ...
The old king Hamlet is murder by Claudius and therefore Hamlet must take his revenge. ... Hamlet begins to doubt the ghost. ... Hamlet is contradicts himself. ... Hamlet's next problem is that of morality. ... Hamlet's flaw of irresolution, the uncertainty on how to act or proceed, is shown when Hamlet sees a play and the passion the actors had, after Hamlet's third soliloquy, in Hamlet's fourth soliloquy, and in Hamlet's indecisive pursuit in avenging his father's death. ...
Hamlet In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet never loses his sanity, in his plan to feign madness. ... It is after this statement that Hamlet begins to act mad. ... Guildenstern asks Hamlet what he means by this and Hamlet professes he is "" . . . but mad north-north-west. ... Polonius believe he [Hamlet] was mad. ... In a conversation, Gertrude questions Hamlet's sanity. ...
Hamlet In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet never loses his sanity, in his plan to feign madness. ... It is after this statement that Hamlet begins to act mad. ... Guildenstern asks Hamlet what he means by this and Hamlet professes he is "" . . . but mad north-north-west. ... Polonius believe he [Hamlet] was mad. ... In a conversation, Gertrude questions Hamlet's sanity. ...
Laertes is a mirror to Hamlet. ... Laertes is decisive and Hamlet is not. ... Fortinbras acts as Hamlet's inspiration; he motivates Hamlet to go forward with his plan to kill Claudius, which in the end leads to Hamlet's downfall. ... Horatio is Hamlet's friend and solid rock on whom Hamlet can trust and depend. ... Horatio cared for Hamlet greatly, and so Hamlet cared greatly for Horatio. ...
KING Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius? HAMLET At supper. ... If Claudius does not stand on one side of a titanic conflict, his betrayal of Hamlet's father and Marriage to Hamlet's mother, do ignite one: Hamlet's conflict with himself. ... In the end Hamlet dies along with most of the principle characters whether they were duplicities against Hamlet or not. ... By the end of the play Hamlet has thoroughly explored the question but like Hamlet, it remains an enigma. ...
Hamlet The study of Shakespeare's Hamlet has been one that is very extensive as well as enormous. ... A critic of Hamlet once said, "a man set out to read all the books about Hamlet would have time to read nothing else, not even Hamlet." ... "Hamlet is the tragedy of reflection. ... For where Hamlet saw that "the time is out of joint," Hamlet himself was "out of joint." ... (Mack. 64) Hamlet begins his questioning with the death of elder Hamlet. ...
Hamlet 1 Throughout Hamlet, Hamlet expresses his thoughts via several soliloquies. ... In this scene, Hamlet is being "set up" by Ophelia, Polonius, and Claudius. ... This is quite different than the "emotional Hamlet" seen in 1.2, or the "vengeful Hamlet" seen in 1.5. ... The three claim to be concerned for Hamlet's mental state of mind. This is ironic, because as the characters within the play see Hamlet mentally deteriorating, readers see Hamlet mentally developing. ...
Hamlet Tania Kozie-Slobodzian Hamlet is categorized as one of Shakespeare's tragedies. ... Horatio a friend of Hamlet tells Hamlet that he is afraid because he thinks he has seen a ghost who resembles the late King. ... The Ghost of Hamlet's father appears in front of Hamlet. The ghost is in fact Hamlet's late father. ... Now that Hamlet is said to be crazy, Polonius goes to the King and tells him about Hamlet's strange behavior concerning Ophelia. ...
