Irony in

Irony and it's types used in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles

1. Irony In ”Oedipus Rex”

2. Unaiza Saeed Sabiha Aslam Tayyeba Ayyub Roohi Fatima Sabooha khan Tareen Afreen Zaid Bin Atta Group Members:

3. A short introduction of “Oedipus Rex” “Oedipus Rex” is a Greek tragedy written by “Sophocles”. “Oedipus Rex” tells the story of a king Oedipus , a man who becomes the king of Thebes , while unwittingly fulfilling a prophecy that he would kill his father, Laius, and marry his mother, Jocasta. “Fate” is a theme in “Oedipus Rex”.

4. What Is Irony?

5. “ The expression of one's meaning by his language and actions that normally signifies the opposite is called Irony.”

6. Dramatic Irony Verbal Irony Situational Irony Cosmic Irony (Irony of Fate) Types Of Irony

7. Dramatic Irony: “A situation where the audience knows the reality but the characters are unaware themselves.” For example, in the film “Titanic” audience are aware that the ship will be drown but the characters are unaware.

8. Snow White’s Apple –  Snow White and the Seven Dwarves The apple that puts Snow White into a deep sleep is dramatic irony, because the audience knows that the Wicked Stepmother cursed the apple, but Snow White does not.

9. Tayyeba Ayyub

10. Verbal Irony: A verbal irony involves the words one says but actually does not mean it. When in response to a foolish idea, we say, “what a great idea!”

11. Verbal Irony

12. Situational Irony: Situational irony occurs when something happens that is very different than what was expected .

13. Cosmic Irony “Cosmic Irony” stems from the notion that the the Fates are amusing themselves by toying with the minds of mortals with deliberate ironic intent.

14. “ IN OEDIPUS REX” Oedipus, The King does not know what is happening in his life. He is unaware that the Oracle has come true and he has became the victim of his fate.

15. Zaid Bin Atta

16. Ironies used in “Oedipus Rex”

17. Dramatic Irony: The entire play could be said to be an example of dramatic irony. The audience becomes aware of Oedipus’ prophecy from the very beginning of the play. Although Oedipus is unaware of his fate, the reader knows the tragic future of the character. The reading from the Oracle stated that Oedipus was destined to murder his father and marry his mother. Oedipus seeks to find the murderer which is but himself. Ironically, his curse falls upon himself.

18. The play opens with a scene already full of dramatic irony. The city of Thebes is suffering from a plague and the people have turned to their king, Oedipus for help. Of course, neither they nor Oedipus himself realize that he is the reason for the curse on the city. “ Whoe'er he be, I order That… all men from their houses banish him; Since it is he contaminates us all, Even as the Pythian oracle divine Revealed but now to me.'' -Oedipus.

19. In another scene Oedipus insists that he'll make sure Laius's murderer is punished: ''On these accounts I, as for my own father, Will fight this fight, and follow out every clue, Seeking to seize the author of his murder.'' - Oedipus He says these lines unknowingly as the audience knows who’s son he is but Oedipus himself is unaware.

20. Oedipus addressing to Teiresias “Teiresias: seer: student of mysteries, Of all that’s taught and all that no man tells, Secret of heaven and secrets of the Earth: Blind though you are” -Oedipus But we all know who is blind in real. Oedipus is blind of the truth but he does not know.

21. Jocasta to maidservant In another scene when maidservant from Thebes tells Jocasta about the death of their King. Jocasta says: “O riddles of God’s will, where are you now! This was the man whom Oedipus,, long ago. Feared so, fled so, in dread of destroying him- But it was another fate by which he died”

22. Oedipus says on the death of the King of Thebes: “These (Oracles) are empty words” But we, as audience knows that oracle has came true but Oedipus and the other characters are unaware.

23. Afreen

24. " Verbal Irony"

25. verbal irony in “Oedipus rex”

26. At one point Oedipus declares, “If someone knows the killer is a stranger, from some other state, let him not stay mute.” Oedipus, of course, was originally not from Thebes. Oedipus to his people

27. Oedipus hopes that the killer of Laius will suffer “the worst of agonies” – a fate, of course, that will eventually be his own Oedipus says, “. . . I pray, too, that, if he should become an honored guest in my own home and with my knowledge,                                 I may suffer all those things I’ve just called down upon the killers.

28. Oedipus to Teiresias When Teiresias tell Oedipus that He is the one who killed King Laius. Oedipus says: “Say what you will. Whatever you say is worthless”. -Oedipus But in reality Teiresias is right.

29. Sabiha Aslam

30. These lines shows verbal irony in novel: “I count myself the son of Chance, the great goddess, giver of all good things—I'll never see myself disgraced” - Oedipus These lines are spoken by Oedipus before he is aware that the prophecy he tried avoid has come true

31. Oedipus says these lines while pronouncing a curse on the murderer of Laius. He hasn't yet realized he is the murderer and is thus cursing himself. “I curse myself as well…if by any chance he proves to be an intimate of our house” - Oedipus

32. Oedipus says these lines when he was searching for King Laius’s murderer: “I say I take the son’s part, just as though I was his son” He is using the words “as I was his son” shows his unawareness of the reality that he is the son of King Laius.

33. Oedipus to Teiresias In another place, when Teiresias does not tell Oedipus about the murderer. He says to Teiresias: “You sightless, witless, senseless, man old man.” But in reality Oedipus is the one who is sightless as he is unaware of the truth.

34. Unaiza Saeed

35. Cosmic irony in “Oedipus rex” In the start Oedipus says to his people about King Laius : “Having the power that he held before me. Having his bed, begetting his children there Upon his wife, as he would have, had he lived Their son would have been my children’s brother.” But the fate is that Oedipus unknowingly kill his father, Laius , and marry his mother, Jocasta.

36. In the end of the novel, Chorus suggests in the following speech which comes just after Oedipus enters having blinded himself: “What God, What dark power lept beyond all bounds, beyond belief, to crush your wretched life?” Cosmic irony is therefore shown in the way that Oedipus has no idea whatsoever at the beginning of the play of who he really is.

37. In the end, the fate of Oedipus is shown to have nothing to do with his own personal character: there was nothing, after all, that he could do to avoid it. The fate of Oedipus is an example of cosmic irony because it depicts the gods to be cruel individuals who use humans as playthings.

38. Conclusion: This piece of literature by Sophocles is full of Ironies. Dramatic Irony is the major Irony used in “Oedipus Rex” It is all about the Oracles and fate of Oedipus. Who himself was unaware of the truth but audience and some characters were aware.