Oedipus rex by Sophocles

🔸️OEDIPUS REX BY SOPHOCLES

🔹️ TRAGIC IRONY IN OEDIPUS REX

Tragic irony:

Irony is derived from a Greek word eironeia which means pretended ignorance. It means a contrast between what is said and what is intended , between expectation and fulfillment.The use of irony whether be it in words or in a situation heightens the tragic effect.The supreme example of this irony is Sophocles' Oedipus Rex in which the hero all unwittingly builds up the complex structure for his own downfall.In Oedipus Rex tragic irony is found in most of the speeches and in most of the situations.

🔹️Irony is Oedipus as solver of riddles:

Oedipus Rex the hero of the play is a man who knowingly kills his father and marries his mother .There is basic irony in the fact that Oedipus whose own birth and parentage is a riddle to him becomes Famous for solver of riddles of Sphinx and feels pride.

🔸️Irony in Initial proclamation(Announcement or ellan) :

In the Initial first proclamation Oedipus utters a curse upon the killer and upon those sheltering (protection) the criminal . Oedipus proclaims that no home or house in Thebes will provide shelter to the guilty man and that the gods will curse those who disobey his command in this respect.Thus the tragic irony is that without knowing the real meanings of his words.Oedipus announces the sentence of banishment(punishment or exile or Dass) against himself.

🔹️Irony in Scene of Quarrel between Oedipus and Teiresias:

The scene of Quarrel between Oedipus and Teiresias is loaded with tragic irony , Teiresias ,the prophet knows everything but does not like to disclose the secret . Oedipus loses temper (Anger)and needles him to tell what he knows .When Teiresias does so,Oedipus insults him by calling shameless ,brainless and sightless.The irony lies in the fact that a physically blind person knows the real truth but Oedipus who physically possesses eyesight is totally blind to truth ,blind to fate, blind to past and blind to his future.

🔸️Irony in Oedipus Attitude towards Creon:

Oedipus calls Creon a traitor. Creon begs Oedipus not to think him a traitor and not to pass sentence of death or punishment against him ,but Oedipus blinded by his authority and his anger ,shows himself unyielding(unbending) .The tragic irony is that in the final scene the roles are reverse (turn or change) .Creon is the king and Oedipus is the beggar.Oedipus begs Creon to look after his daughters ,and request him to pass order of banishment against him.Creon does not show himself to be illogical(unreasonable) or pitiless.

🔹️Irony in Jocasta's Account (Explanation or relation) of the Oracle:

In the beginning of the play both Jocasta and Oedipus appear as persons ignorant(unaware) of the true facts, Jocasta is skeptical( non believer) of oracles .To prove the hollowness of the oracles she says about her husband (Laius ) that he was not killed by their child but by robbers and she has not married her son who is apparently dead. Tragic irony is that her account to disprove the oracles proves the truth later on.

🔸️Irony in Oedipus account of the Oracle:

Oedipus thinks himself to be the son of polybus and Merope.The Oracle tells him that he will kill his father and marry his mother. To avoid committing these crimes ,he runs away from Corinth.The irony lies in the fact that the actions of Oedipus lead to the fulfillment of the prophecy which he has been trying to belie(prove wrong)

🔹️Irony in Scene with the Corinth Messenger:

The messenger from Corinth brings the news that polybus ,the father has died.Tragic irony is that the messenger who wants to free Oedipus from the trouble of marrying his mother unknowingly reveals that Oedipus is the son of Jocasta.

🔸️Irony in the song of Chorus:

At the peak of the play ,the Chorus considers Oedipus as the offspring(child) of a union(sex) between some god and a mountain nymph(Fairy or pari) They pay tribute to Oedipus and his divine parentage.  Soon the Theban Shepherd(respect) comes and Oedipus is proved to be the son of his wife and the murderer of Laius. There is a big contrast between the belief of the Chorus and the actual truth.