The Importance Of Irony In Oedipus The King

Sophocles was the author of many Greek tragedies, and was best known for his work in this area. His expertise shines in the tragic Oedipus Rex, in which a king falls from the highest honor to the lowest disgrace. The main character Oedipus, attempts to escape his destiny as foretold by oracles. However, due to his naive and arrogant nature he unwittingly fulfills his prophecy, displaying the ultimate irony. Despite his excessive attempts, he falls short of the glorious triumph he aimed for and lands among the lowest, forced into exile and forever shunned by the people who once glorified him. Irony plays a major role in this play, through Oedipus’s endeavors to find Laius 's killer, within Laius’s attempts to prevent his own death through the murder of his son, and in the desperate …show more content…
Lifting the plague in turn cause Oedipus to cast a curse upon himself, In the beginning of the play the courageous king Oedipus vows that “ when [he drives] pollution from the land [he] will not serve a distant friend’s advantage,” (Sophocles Line 166-167) but from the benefit of a relative of King Laius. This statement alone brings him closer to his own demise; his zeal for justice shall uncover the injustices fate has dealt him. Moreover, Tiresias warns him of the emotional and social peril he places himself in with his mission, the old oracle has realized “how terrible is wisdom when it brings no profit to the man that’s wise!”. This warning from an old wise oracle goes over the head of young and eager Oedipus, who in turn, demands Teiresias tell him what he knows. Finally, as he comes ever closer to the abrupt end of his glory days Jocasta attempts to dissuade pleading him to “ ... not hunt this out...if [he has] any care for [his] own life.” (Sophocles, Line 1207-1209). Despite the many warnings Oedipus receives he ironically fails to see the truth of his lineage and who murdered King