Irony in Oedipus Rex
Irony plays a major role in Oedipus. Everywhere you look, it’s there! There are three different types of irony throughout this story: Dramatic, Situational, and verbal. Each of these is displayed quite a bit. Although the irony helps the reader know what is going on, it can also be very confusing. This whole story is based on Oedipus running away from the prophecy of him killing his father and marrying his mother. Little did he know, in the process he killed King Laius, which was the ruler of Thebes and also Oedipus’ father, at the intersection of three roads. Oedipus then became the ruler of Thebes when Laius was killed. Although there are three different types of irony involved in this story, they each have a great impact on the story as a whole.
Dramatic irony has many different effects in Oedipus. Dramatic irony is where the reader knows something that the character does not. Throughout the story, Oedipus makes many comments unknowingly as mentioned on page 1250 line 63 when he says to the Priest, “Sick as you are, not one is as sick as I.” Oedipus is completely unaware of everything that is going on. He does not realize that he is the one committing the crimes. On page 1251 line 109,
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Teiresias and Oedipus have quite a long conversation and during that conversation Teiresias calls Oedipus blind when really Teiresias is the one that is blind. Teiresias calls Oedipus blind because he does not know of the crimes he has committed. Teiresias knows of them and he is the blind one; that’s where the irony comes in at. There is another instance where Oedipus mentions something unknowingly. On page 1256 line 252 he mentions that he will fight for Laius like he is his own father. The verbal irony in Oedipus makes this story more interesting because it helps get the morals across because someone who is not blind can be blind to the truth and someone who is blind can see the truth