Use of Irony in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex

There is also a great deal of irony exhibited by OedipusÆ search for his fatherÆs killer. Unbeknownst to him, Oedipus is the murderer of former King Laius. An oracle warned the King that his son would kill him and marry his wife, Jocasta, so he abandons Oedipus to his death. Encountering a man he does not know is his father, Oedipus kills the King and marries Jocasta. He is told by Teiresias that he is the killer of his father, but Oedipus becomes furious over the old seerÆs words. He blames him for conspiring with Creon to seize control of Thebes. When Oedipus realizes he has been blind and knows the truth, it is the height of irony. Oedipus must become blind in order to see. As he states, ôWhy should I see / whose vision showed nothing sweet to meö (Sophocles 1967, 169).

At the beginning of the play, Oedipus holds himself up to the people of Thebes as their greatest defender. He vows to right the wrongs that plague Thebes, particularl

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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 853
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page)