Sophoclean irony in oedipus rex by sophocles

Life[ edit ] A marble relief of a poet, perhaps Sophocles Sophocles, the son of Sophilus, was a wealthy member of the rural deme small community of Hippeios Colonus in Atticawhich was to become a setting for one of his plays, and he was probably born there. Sophocles' first artistic triumph was in BC, when he took first prize in the Dionysia theatre competition over the reigning master of Athenian drama, Aeschylus. Instead of following the usual custom of choosing judges by lot, the archon asked Cimon and the other strategoi present to decide the victor of the contest.

Of course, dramatic irony as such is not necessarily tragic. In comedy, for example, the change in circumstances dramatic irony portends can be for the better. But some of the most famous and powerful uses of dramatic irony are associated with tragedy, where it serves to emphasize how limited human understanding can be even when it is most plausible, and how painful can be the costs of the misunderstandings, in some sense inevitable, that result.

Here, too, though, a caution is in order. We will miss much if we insist on seeing only this general fact. The particular "flavor" and thematic resonance of individual instances of dramatic irony in a given tragedy will depend on the particular circumstances of that individual work.

The questions at the end of this memo are designed to prompt us to take stock of the what may be special about what Sophocles wants to use dramatic irony to emphasize in this particular work. In this scheme, the action of Oedipus the King breaks into 4 scenes, each followed by an ode, and all together preceded by the Parodos, and followed by the Exodos.

Dramatic irony is confined to the first 3 scenes, because it is Scene IV that Oedipus learns the full truth about his situation, and in the Exodos he expresses the various aspects of the misery into which this discovery plunges him. Here we are singling out only some of the most prominent.

Oedipus Rex - Wikipedia

Some issues to explore in connection with the passages cited above. The point here is to try to appreciate what might be the particular effects Sophocles seems to be concerned to use dramatic irony to evoke in this particular work, and what might be the thematic ends these in turn could be serving.

Something like these should occur to us whenever we recognize we are dealing with dramatic irony. Each is of course a moment of intense dramatic irony. But in what exactly, in each particular case, does this irony, for the audience, consist?

In this respect, the Choros is parallel to Sophocles' direct audience, the men of Athens, his audience. It is thus on the table to consider whether these lines articulate what some important part of what Sophocles wanted to prompt his countrymen to make of the spectacle they've just witnessed.

By the accidents of history, it may be, they come to be addressed, ultimately, to us. Suggestions, comments and questions are welcome.

Please send them to lyman ksu.

Sophocles - Wikipedia

Permission is granted for non-commercial educational use; all other rights reserved. This page last updated 20 February Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus Rex displays numerous examples of dramatic irony, including the following: At one point Oedipus declares that the man who killed Laius may also kill Oedipus ( Oedipus Rex, also known by its Greek title, Oedipus Tyrannus (Ancient Greek: Οἰδίπους Τύραννος IPA: [oidípuːs týranːos]), or Oedipus the King, is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed around BC.

Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus Rex displays numerous examples of dramatic irony, including the following: At one point Oedipus declares that the man who killed Laius may also kill Oedipus ( Oedipus Rex, also known by its Greek title, Oedipus Tyrannus (Ancient Greek: Οἰδίπους Τύραννος IPA: [oidípuːs týranːos]), or Oedipus the King, is an Athenian tragedy by .

Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex Edited & with an Introduction by Harold Bloom Bloom’s GUIDES. Bloom’s Guides: Oedipus Rex Sophoclean irony is more eloquent yet: creon: Do not seek to be master in everything, for the things you .

Dramatic irony in Oedipus the King. Here are a few of the places where the audience’s prior knowledge of the full story enables dramatic irony. A character -- in this case Oedipus or Iocastê -- makes a remark that he or she understands to apply to the facts in a particular manner, but the audience understands that it applies as well, or instead, to .