Group 4 - 5th Period

Oedipus: Irony
Bharath Balabaskar | Brayden Holmes | Emily

Frausto | Sierra Gayle | Wilbert Liu
Prompt
Literal Meaning of the Topic
Irony – Sophocles was "Sophocles wanted to be entertaining, but what was he trying to tell
obviously trying to entertain the Greeks? How is his message related to Oedipus, his fate, his pride,
the audience with some and the pride of the Greeks?"
type of tragic story for • Noting that Sophocles did intend to entertain, the underlying
entertainment purposes but message to the Greek belief of hamartia, or a tragic flaw. The crux of
actually what message was a true Greek tragedy is hamartia, and in the case of Oedipus, hubris.
Sophocles trying to tell the Oedipus' hubris is seen as a pervasive theme throughout the play,
one that ultimately causes his fate to play out in the tragedy.
people of Greece? How is
this in relation to Oedipus • In relation to presenting the play in a Greek theatre, the underlying
message of excessive pride befalling the tragic hero serves to
and the fate and hubris the
reinforce the idea of an unchanging ultimate fate, but gives power to
people of Greece held the idea of free will to seek the truth and the human aspect of
during Sophocles time. Oedipus.
Irony and Oedipus
Relating back to the topic of Irony, Sophocles created Oedipus to not only
entertain and compete in religious festivals, but to teach the audience, and the
rest of Greece a lesson. During the Classical Period in Greece, tensions were
high and war was waged on many fronts, with different powers fighting for
control. The tragedies Sophocles wrote reflected that turbulent time, with
themes of overthrowing kings and the murder of ones own kin. Through the
use of Irony and other tragic elements in Oedipus, Sophocles warns the Greek
population of the vices of hubris and being too prideful, and how fate can be
far from one’s control.
Situational Irony
• “That man, whoever he may be, I banish from

• When Oedipus sets a curse upon the murderer,
this land where I sit on the throne and hold the
it is already situational irony because he
power; no one shall take him in or speak to
committed the murder of Laius. He speaks of
him. He is forbidden from communion in
ridding the city of a plague and darkness but
prayers or offerings to the gods, or in holy
does not realize that he is the one who caused
water. Everyone is to expel him from their
it. The people who know that he is the
homes as if he were himself the infection
murderer is Tiresias and the shepherd because
which Apollo’s oracle has just made known to
they know his true identity.
me” (Sophocles 15).
Verbal Irony
• When Oedipus refers to Tiresias as blind in all

senses, it is verbal irony because Oedipus is
• “It has, except for you. You have no power or blind in not knowing his origins and his
truth. You are blind, your ears and mind as well personal history. Oedipus does not truly know
as eyes” (Sophocles 25). who his parents are and the event of his birth
and he is telling a person that does know, that
he is blind on the subject.
Tragic Irony
• “He ripped out the golden pins with which her

• Oedipus gouging out his eyes is tragic irony
clothes were fastened, raised them high above
because earlier in the play he insulted Tiresias
his head, and speared the pupils of his eyes…
for being blind in logic but he ends up making
he raised his hands and struck his eyes again,
himself actually blind.
and again” (Sophocles 93).
• As Oedipus is inquiring about what Tiresias knows about the
murder of Laius, he exhibits excessive pride that contrasts
the previously positive characteristics of a caring king as he
exclaims that Tiresias is lower than he is and ought not to
withhold information that could potentially help save the
people of Thebes.
• His hubris and mocking of the blind Tiresias is an example of
Example from Text the Greek word Peripeteia, meaning a reversal of roles, and
relates to the overarching message that Sophocles is
conveying to his audience on tragic flaws as well as
“Wealth, absolute philosophical strives of humanity.
power, skill surpassing • Again: His hubris throughout the play is ultimately ironic as
the things he boasts of and his demeanor ultimately falls
skill...I did not ask for
short in the face of his truth and the prophecies.
it” (Sophocles 26).
• Even as the evidence continues to further incriminate and
lessen Oedipus, his humanity and hubris compels him to
continue seeking the truth despite his ultimately tragic
fate. In this scene, he's denouncing Jocasta's concern to
her being a woman of higher status and that he will find his
Example from Text true linage and dispel what he perceives as embarrassment
to marrying Oedipus who may or may not be of noble
decent.
“But I count myself the son
of Good Chance, the giver
• Again: His hubris throughout the play is ultimately ironic as
the things he boasts of and his demeanor ultimately falls
of success – I shall not be
short in the face of his truth and the prophecies.
dishonored. Chance is my
Mother” (Sophocles 79).
Significant Moments
Significant Moment #1: Oedipus agrees to
investigate Laius's murder
• After Creon returns from the Oracle of Apollo, he addresses Oedipus, the priest, and the
people of the city, with the solution to rid Thebes of the plague and famine that harms it. The
solution from Apollo is that they must either banish or kill the one who murdered the old king
of Thebes, Laius. Oedipus, being the hero that he is, agrees to begin the investigation, and
publicly announces it to the city's people to reassure them that their problem is being taken
care of. This is a significant moment in the novel because it is the first event that leads to the
tragic ending of the novel. Taking upon this quest starts chain reaction that ends with Oedipus
discovering the truth of his birth and marriage. This relates to the prompt in that it is ironic
that Oedipus begins an investigation in which he is the murderer.
Significant Moment #2: Tiresias refuses to say
what he knows, and Oedipus disrespects him.
• To start off his investigation into the murder of Laius, Oedipus sends for Tiresias, a
prophet of Apollo. After being sent for multiple times, the prophet Tiresias finally comes
to Oedipus, but he refuses to say what he knows for Oedipus's own sake. However,
Oedipus, due to his lack of respect for elders, goads him on, insulting him, pushing and
prodding until finally Tiresias gives way, vaguely accusing Oedipus of killing Laius. In turn,
this makes Oedipus more furious, and he even considers that Creon is working with
Tiresias to take the throne away from him. This moment is significant because until
now, the reader had only seen the positive, heroic character traits of Oedipus, and now
his character flaws, in the form of hubris and disrespect, are revealed.
Significant Moment #3: Jocasta kills herself
and Oedipus pokes out his eyes
• As the truth comes out and everyone starts to realize what has happened to Oedipus, he
realizes that all the prophecies regarding him and Laius have come true: he has killed his
true father and married his mother. This truth is too much for Jocasta to bear, knowing that
she had children with her own son, and she pulls her hair out and commits suicide by
hanging herself. Upon discovering this, and dealing with discovering that his entire life has
been a lie, Oedipus gouges out his own eyes with the golden pins on her clothes. This
moment is significant because it is the tragic end to the main character. This event related to
the prompt as the irony shows how Oedipus has always been mentally blind, and now is also
physically blind. With this concluding event, Sophocles conveys his message to his audience.
1988 Prompt:
In "Oedipus Rex" some of the significant events are mental or psychological; for example,
awakenings, discoveries, or changes in consciousness. Describe how Sophocles manages to give these
internal events the sense of excitement, suspense, and climax usually associated with external action.
2000 Prompt:
In "Oedipus Rex" identify the mystery and explain how the investigation illustrates the
meaning of the work as a whole.
So why do we care? (Conclusion)
Irony is one of the most used device in the entirety of Oedipus, and is used
skillfully by Sophocles to get the audience to really feel for his tragic hero. An
otherwise upstanding guy, his flaws were his hubris and unwillingness to
respect his elders. The fates intervened and despite trying his very best to
avoid fulfilling his prophecy, it comes true anyways. Irony in these tragedies
add suspense and make the works all the more impactful to the audience. It
makes them think about what they could have done in the hero’s place and
really emphasizes the lessons and values presented by the author.
• What is the topic?
• Irony (Subtopic of Hubris)
• Relation to Oedipus?
• Oedipus' myth is a prime example of irony (verbal, situational, structural, etc...) and he
epitomizes hubris.
• Literary Devices and Examples (Basically the same as the Significant moments)
• Situational Irony - Oedipus accepts the task of finding Laius' murderer(s) | He's the killer
• Verbal Irony - Tiresias doesn't want to tell Oedipus the truth | Oedipus, blind from the truth, calls
Tiresias blind
• Tragic Irony - Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus stabs his eyes | He just wanted to be a good king :( Just in case
• 2 Related Prompts: you missed
• 1988 - How Sophocles manipulates excitement, suspense, and climax something...
• 2000 – Mystery's impact on the play

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Oedipus: Irony

Bharath Balabaskar | Brayden Holmes | Emily

• “That man, whoever he may be, I banish from

• When Oedipus refers to Tiresias as blind in all

• “He ripped out the golden pins with which her

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