The Impact Of Irony In Oedipus The King

3 Pages 823 Words

“Sons and daughters of Thebes, behold: this was Oedipus,
Greatest of men; he held the key to the deepest mysteries;
Was envied by all his fellow-men for his great prosperity;
Behold, what a full tide of misfortune swept over his head,
Then learn that mortal man must always look to his ending,
And none can be called happy until the day when he carries
His happiness down to the grave in peace.” (77)
The last lines in the Exedos presented here from Oedipus the King, which was written by the tragedian Sophocles, explicitly reveals the theme to be learned from this tragedy. Sophocles taught that the way to human happiness was through reverence and humiliation; he reminds the audience that the aim of man’s existence is to achieve the highest possible individual development within limits, which Oedipus does not. This theme can be applied universally to man today; everyone should strive to be the best that he can be and this is an idea portrayed in almost every society in the world. Oedipus believes that he is the best that he could ever be when in fact his destiny reveals the opposite. Irony is uniformly employed throughout the play to prolong dramatic tension, dramatacize the climax, and heighten the catharsis in the resolution. Dramatic irony is consistently implemented within the text which easily allows the audience to feel fear and pity for Oedipus. Oedipus’ incognizance to his fate maximizes the dramatic tension throughout the play.
Swegles 2
The beginning lines in the First Episode sets the stage for dramatic tension within the play. Oedipus’ opening speech to the gathered audience is consumed with dramatic irony. “Until now I was a stranger to this tale, as I had been a stranger to the crime” (10).
The audience knows that Oedipus killed his father and therefore being aware of his fate, the audience can distinguish the horror of Oedipus’ threat against the murderer of King Laius. Th...