FREE ESSAY ON DRAMATIC IRONY IN OEDIPUS REX

DRAMATIC IRONY IN OEDIPUS REX

In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, dramatic irony is often present in Oedipus' long speeches.
Oedipus constantly sees things incorrectly, and is in denial that he has, in fact, killed
his father and married his mother. This is first apparent when he demands the death of
the man who killed Laios. Oedipus calls the man who did this an evil murder. Oedipus
assumes that, as he became a citizen of Thebes after the murder, though he did kill
someone, he is ruled out as a suspect of Laios' assassin. In another speech, Oedipus
accuses Creon of setting him up in order to get the throne, by framing him as the
murderer. At this point, Oedipus is in denial that he is guilty, even though all of the
evidence points to him. In reality, Creon does not want to be king at all; he enjoys his
current position of wealth and power without any real responsibility. A third occasion of
irony in the speeches is Oedipus's firm belief that the people who raised him were his
biological parents. Oedipus refuses to believe that Iocaste is his mother, and that by
escaping to Thebes, he did not escape the fate he was told of at Delphi. Because of
Oedipus's denial and stubbornness, he did suffer greatly and 'commit the greatest sin'.