Dramatic Irony

Dramatic Irony

Dramatic Irony is what happens when the audience or reader is aware of critical information that the characters are unaware of. In the case of Oedipus Rex the audience knows that Oedipus' father is Laios and his mother is Jocasta.

"It was some God that breathe you in to set us free?" (p 66)

The audience knows that the Gods sent Oedipus To Thebes to fulfill his fate.

"Whoever killed King Laios might – who knows? – Decide at any moment to kill me as well." (66)

This is indeed ironic considering the audience knows Oedipus killed Laios.

"By avenging the murdered king I protect myself." (66)

By avenging the murdered king, Oedipus is doing the exact opposite of protecting himself. He is finding his fate and will cause himself a great amount of grief.

"Now our afflictions have no end" (67)

Oedipus’ afflictions indeed do not have an end. He does not realize this yet, instead he is talking about the city of Thebes when it is himself he should be worried about.

"Is this your prayer? May it be answered."

The prayer Oedipus is talking about was for the avenging of the killer of Laios.

"Until now I was stranger to this tale. As I had been stranger to this crime."

Oedipus is talking of Laios’ death. He believes that he knows nothing of the death yet he is the one that killed Laios.

"I make this proclamation to all Thebians; If any man knows by whose hands Laios, son of Labdakos, net his death, I direct that man to tell me everything. "(68)

Oedipus is the killer; therefore, he knows all the details of the murder.

"I solemnly forbid the people of this country, where power and throne are mine, ever to receive that man or speak to him, no matter who he is, or let him join in sacrifice, lusration, or prayer" (68)

Oedipus says this of the man who killed Laios. Since he is the killer, he is condemning himself.

"Thus I associate myself with the oracle and take the side of the murdered king" (68)

By taking the side of the murdered king, he is going against himself, the king’s killer.

"I pray that man’s like be consumed in evil and wretchedness. And as for me, this curse applies no less, if it should turns out that the culprit is my guest here, sharing my hearth" (68)

Again, this edict is for the man who killed Laios, or Oedipus. He is therefore once again condemning himself.

"Their son should have been my children’s brother." (68)

Oedipus says this of Jocasta and Laios’ son. He is both.

"I shall take the son’s part just as though I were his son, to press the fight for him" (68)

Oedipus does not realize that he is indeed Laios’ son.

"I’ll find the hand that brought death to Labdoko’s and Polydoro’s child." (68)

Oedipus says this but he is the killer.

"An honest question, but no man in the world can make the gods do more than the gods will" (69)

Oedipus is trying to run away from his destiny, yet here he says that the gods only let things they want happen, and they wanted Oedipus to marry his mother and kill his father.

"Can you use Birdflight or any art of divination to purify yourself, and Thebes, and me from this contagion?" (69)
Since Oedipus is the cause of all the problems, he can never be purified from it.

"You would betray us and wreck the state?" (69)

Oedipus says this to Teiresias when he will not Oedipus what he knows. However, the truth does wreck the kingdom.

Oedipus to Creon "I find it hard to learn form the deadliest enemy I have." (73)

Creon is not Oedipus’ deadliest enemy, Oedipus himself is.

"Apollo never caused that child to kill his father and it was not Laios’ fate to die at the hands of his son. (76)

Jocasta telling how the oracles are wrong.

"His form was not unlike you own."

Jocasta speaking of Laios to Oedipus. Oedipus is Laios’ son, so it is not unlikely that he would have the same form as his father.

"He comes from Cornith to announce your father’s death." (79)

Jocasta tells this to Oedipus. The audience knows however that the man he means is not really Oedipus’ father. Oedipus killed his father.

"They prophesied that I should kill Polybos. Kill my own father, but he is dead and buried, and I am here – I never touched him." (80)

Oedipus did kill his father. He killed Laios

"Have not more fear of sleeping with your mother." (80)

Jocasta says this to Oedipus. Oedipus has already slept with is mother.

"I will never go near you parents again" (80)
Oedipus says this when he is standing right next to Jocasta, his mother.

"The Queen like a woman, is perhaps ashamed to think of my low origin." (81)
Oedipus says this after Jocasta leaves, we know Jocasta has figured out Oedipus is her son.

"I am a child of luck." (81)

Oedipus is anything but a child of luck. He is doomed.

"How could I wish to be someone else? How could I not be glad to know my birth?" (81)

Not very long after he says this Oedipus will discover that he curse he has long feared did indeed come true. He will be wishing he is anyone other than himself.

Dramatic Irony

Verbal Irony

Synopsis

Bibliography

Cleverness

Reason for Irony

Links

Oracles

Main page

"It was some God that breathe you in to set us free?" (p 66)	The audience knows that the Gods sent Oedipus To Thebes to fulfill his fate.
"Whoever killed King Laios might – who knows? – Decide at any moment to kill me as well." (66)	This is indeed ironic considering the audience knows Oedipus killed Laios.
"By avenging the murdered king I protect myself." (66)	By avenging the murdered king, Oedipus is doing the exact opposite of protecting himself. He is finding his fate and will cause himself a great amount of grief.
"Now our afflictions have no end" (67)	Oedipus’ afflictions indeed do not have an end. He does not realize this yet, instead he is talking about the city of Thebes when it is himself he should be worried about.
"Is this your prayer? May it be answered."	The prayer Oedipus is talking about was for the avenging of the killer of Laios.
"Until now I was stranger to this tale. As I had been stranger to this crime."	Oedipus is talking of Laios’ death. He believes that he knows nothing of the death yet he is the one that killed Laios.
"I make this proclamation to all Thebians; If any man knows by whose hands Laios, son of Labdakos, net his death, I direct that man to tell me everything. "(68)	Oedipus is the killer; therefore, he knows all the details of the murder.
"I solemnly forbid the people of this country, where power and throne are mine, ever to receive that man or speak to him, no matter who he is, or let him join in sacrifice, lusration, or prayer" (68)	Oedipus says this of the man who killed Laios. Since he is the killer, he is condemning himself.
"Thus I associate myself with the oracle and take the side of the murdered king" (68)	By taking the side of the murdered king, he is going against himself, the king’s killer.
"I pray that man’s like be consumed in evil and wretchedness. And as for me, this curse applies no less, if it should turns out that the culprit is my guest here, sharing my hearth" (68)	Again, this edict is for the man who killed Laios, or Oedipus. He is therefore once again condemning himself.
"Their son should have been my children’s brother." (68)	Oedipus says this of Jocasta and Laios’ son. He is both.
"I shall take the son’s part just as though I were his son, to press the fight for him" (68)	Oedipus does not realize that he is indeed Laios’ son.
"I’ll find the hand that brought death to Labdoko’s and Polydoro’s child." (68)	Oedipus says this but he is the killer.
"An honest question, but no man in the world can make the gods do more than the gods will" (69)	Oedipus is trying to run away from his destiny, yet here he says that the gods only let things they want happen, and they wanted Oedipus to marry his mother and kill his father.
"Can you use Birdflight or any art of divination to purify yourself, and Thebes, and me from this contagion?" (69)	Since Oedipus is the cause of all the problems, he can never be purified from it.
"You would betray us and wreck the state?" (69)	Oedipus says this to Teiresias when he will not Oedipus what he knows. However, the truth does wreck the kingdom.
Oedipus to Creon "I find it hard to learn form the deadliest enemy I have." (73)	Creon is not Oedipus’ deadliest enemy, Oedipus himself is.
"Apollo never caused that child to kill his father and it was not Laios’ fate to die at the hands of his son. (76)	Jocasta telling how the oracles are wrong.
"His form was not unlike you own."	Jocasta speaking of Laios to Oedipus. Oedipus is Laios’ son, so it is not unlikely that he would have the same form as his father.
"He comes from Cornith to announce your father’s death." (79)	Jocasta tells this to Oedipus. The audience knows however that the man he means is not really Oedipus’ father. Oedipus killed his father.
"They prophesied that I should kill Polybos. Kill my own father, but he is dead and buried, and I am here – I never touched him." (80)	Oedipus did kill his father. He killed Laios
"Have not more fear of sleeping with your mother." (80)	Jocasta says this to Oedipus. Oedipus has already slept with is mother.
"I will never go near you parents again" (80)	Oedipus says this when he is standing right next to Jocasta, his mother.
"The Queen like a woman, is perhaps ashamed to think of my low origin." (81)	Oedipus says this after Jocasta leaves, we know Jocasta has figured out Oedipus is her son.
"I am a child of luck." (81)	Oedipus is anything but a child of luck. He is doomed.
"How could I wish to be someone else? How could I not be glad to know my birth?" (81)	Not very long after he says this Oedipus will discover that he curse he has long feared did indeed come true. He will be wishing he is anyone other than himself.

Dramatic Irony	Verbal Irony	Synopsis
Bibliography	Cleverness	Reason for Irony
Links	Oracles	Main page