Irony, Arrogance, and Oedipus - 1703 Words

Listen to me. You mock my blindness, do you?/ But I say that you, with both your eyes, are blind (I, 195-196). With these memorable words, the sightless prophet Teiresias all but paints the entire tragic story of Sophocles Oedipus the King, one of the most prominent pieces of Greek literary heritage. Greeks knew and loved the story of Oedipus from childhood, just as children today cherish the story of Cinderella. In his version of the beloved tale, Sophocles concentrates his attention on the events directly leading to Oedipus destruction, portraying Oedipus as a helpless pawn of fate. The most prominent literary device is dramatic irony, primarily of the spoken word, through which--especially in the Prologue--Sophocles captures†¦show more content†¦Oedipus here demonstrates the overbearing, impetuous personality that brought about the entire situation in the first place. The irony, of course, is that he says far more than he realizes. He uses the word sick in two diff erent senses: physical illness and emotional distress. In his blindness, he does not see what is apparent to the audience (especially one reading an English translation): He is sick in yet a third way, for in his twofold crime of coming to his fathers bed, wet with his fathers blood (I, 242), as Teiresias expresses it later, he has committed vile perversion. Oedipus condition is far more serious than he can possibly imagine. As Oedipus speaks with the people, his brother-in-law Creon, whom he had sent to inquire of the Oracle at Delphi, returns with a message from the gods. With characteristic rashness, Oedipus has only seconds before vowed to fulfill whatever act or pledge of mine may save the city (Prologue 74, emphasis added). Having allowed the adulation of the people to go to his head, he cannot shake the vision of hero-protector; he still arrogantly regards himself as the sole hope of the city: . . . I should do ill/To scant whatever duty God reveals, he proclaims (Prolo gue 79). At this point, his delusions are masked by his concern for the people; yet they foreshadow the ugly hubris he will manifest plainly in Scenes I and II as he basely accusesShow MoreRelatedEssay about Irony, Arrogance, And Oedipus1678 Words   |  7 Pagespaints the entire tragic story of Sophocles Oedipus the King, one of the most prominent pieces of Greek literary heritage. Greeks knew and loved the story of Oedipus from childhood, just as children today cherish the story of Cinderella. In his version of the beloved tale, Sophocles concentrates his attention on the events directly leading to Oedipus destruction, portraying Oedipus as a helpless pawn of fate. The most prominent literary device is dramatic irony, primarily of the spoken word, throughRead MoreThroughout most famous Greek literature, a great hero usually saves the day. In the story of900 Words   |  4 Pagesusually saves the day. In the story of Oedipus though, the good man with one minor flaw goes throug h great pain. This pain in the play Oedipus Rex is the focal point for the whole play. Almost every aspect of the play builds up and foreshadows Oedipus’ fall from power, and entry into pain. Sophocles in his tragedy Oedipus Rex creates a mood of dramatic irony using the dualities of sight and blindness, and light and darkness. This dramatic irony highlights Oedipus’ hamartia and in doing so SophoclesRead MoreOedipus Fate Essay843 Words   |  4 PagesOedipus the King is a story about a prominent king torn by fate and the effect his own actions have upon his destiny. Much can be learned from the catastrophic story of Oedipus, who was prophesied to kill his father, to marry and have children with his own mother. As soon as Oedipus learns of this prophecy, he tries desperately to escape it, by running from his hometown, and even avoiding his supposed parents. Despite the fact that fate may have played some role in Oedipus demise, it ultimatelyRead MoreOedipus The Kin g And The Moor Of Venice1294 Words   |  6 PagesOedipus the King was written by Sophocles in 430 B.C, and Othello, the Moor of Venice was written by William Shakespeare in 1604. Both stories involve tragedies that occur to the protagonists. Tragedy’s definition, â€Å". . . presents courageous individuals who confront powerful forces within or outside themselves with a dignity that reveals the breadth and depth of the human spirit in the face of failure, defeat, and even death† (Meyer 1091). Sophocles’ play informs us, the protagonists arrogances andRead MoreVerbal Irony In Oedipus Rex941 Words   |  4 Pages‘Oedipus Rex’ is a tragic play written by Sophocles, that is known for its countless examples of irony found within it. The story of Oedipus is a classic Greek tragedy. Oedipus is the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta in Thebes. The Oracle at Delphi reveals to them the tragic fate within their family. Their son Oedipus was destined to kil l his father and marry his mother. To try and prevent this horrendous fate, King Laius sends his son to be terminated at the mountain of Kithairon. Although KingRead More Odepius Rex Demonstrates Success Leads to Folly Essay820 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Oedipus Rex demonstrates that success leads to folly, arrogance and mistakes in behaviour.† Discuss. Oedipus the King is a play that recognises the importance of humility and recompense. Oedipus’ acknowledgement of the Gods’ superiority is evident in his fear of the prophecy coming true, indeed, he flees from Corinth for precisely this reason. But at the same time through Oedipus’ self-blinding (where he â€Å"alone† is responsible for his fate) there is a sense of wilful defiance in the face of theRead MoreFigurative Language In Oedipus And Shakespeare1183 Words   |  5 Pagessuch as Teiresias, Oedipus, Margaret, Richmond and Anne play a substantial and crucial role in the development of their respective plays. These roles include the juxtaposition of the characters’ attributes with one another as well as proving important context and background information. The playwrights also infuse their own senses of wit and ironic humor into their work through the use of wording and style. Figurative language in Shakespeare’s Richard III and Sophocl es’ Oedipus Rex serves to developRead MoreThe Structure Of The Play As An Unfolding Of Ironic Revelation1048 Words   |  5 Pagesrevelation. In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, Oedipus attempts to escape the fate that seeks him. It seems as if the more he tries, the closer he gets to fulfilling his own fate. It is evident that Sophocles uses Oedipus’ hubris and arrogance as a way of foreshadowing what will happen to him at the end of the play. Throughout the play, Sophocles uses blindness and the inescapability of fate in order to create a play in which tragic irony triumphs. While the prophet that Oedipus summons, Teiresias, is blindRead More The Dichotomy of Sight in Oedipus at Colonus Essay1185 Words   |  5 PagesThe Dichotomy of Sight in Oedipus at Colonus   A simple process formed the backbone of most Greek philosophy.   The ancients thought that by combining two equally valid but opposite ideas, the thesis and the antithesis, a new, higher truth could be achieved.   That truth is called the synthesis.   This tactic of integrating two seemingly opposite halves into a greater whole was a tremendous advance in human logic.   This practice is illustrated throughout Oedipus at Colonus  in regard to Sophocles’Read MoreOedipus The King : Dramatic Irony Greatly Influenced The Audience s Perception Of Oedipus1017 Words   |  5 PagesLiterary Essay Tenzin.Youden In Sophocles’ play â€Å"Oedipus the King†, dramatic irony greatly influences the audience’s perception of Oedipus. When creating Oedipus the King, Sophocles understood that his audience would know the outcome of the play before the completion, so he was determined to create a play, which was interesting, yet deliberately revealing at the same time. Sophocles purposely provided explicit scenes within