Irony In Oedipus The King
Alyx Culver
Over the entrance to the temple at Delphi, the words “Know Thyself” are inscribed. This is a classic example of irony because Oedipus’s main problems come from not knowing his true self. Oedipus runs away from Merope and Polybus when he finds out the prophecy only to see it fulfilled when he returns to his homeland of Thebes. Another problem Oedipus causes himself is not realizing that his tendency to act hotheaded will come back to haunt him.
When Oedipus was born, there was a prophecy told to his parents that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus’s father had him bound and left on the side of the mountain to die of exposure. However, someone from the next city state over found him and brought him to their king and queen, Merope and Polybus. When Oedipus becomes aware of the prophecy, he flees, trying to protect those whom he thought were his real parents. This is an example of Oedipus not knowing his true self in the biggest form. If Oedipus would have known he was adopted and they were not his true parents, he probably would have stayed, and he would not have married Jocasta, damning him and his family in the process. By acting so rashly and running away, he finds himself in a position to murder his real father on his path to …show more content…
Tiresias is the blind leading the blind. “This day will bring your birth and your destruction” Tiresias gives Oedipus this riddle because it foreshadows the origins of Oedipus, the death of his wife, the loss of his sight, and the decree he pronounced on Laius's murderer being carried out upon Oedipus himself. Oedipus’s inability to solve the riddle causes him to quickly lose his patience, and he is made angry by it. Oedipus wants to learn the truth he is blind to, but he cannot comprehend that he is the one who murdered Laius. He is also in denial that he cursed himself, and that he has indeed married his
Over the entrance to the temple at Delphi, the words “Know Thyself” are inscribed. This is a classic example of irony because Oedipus’s main problems come from not knowing his true self. Oedipus runs away from Merope and Polybus when he finds out the prophecy only to see it fulfilled when he returns to his homeland of Thebes. Another problem Oedipus causes himself is not realizing that his tendency to act hotheaded will come back to haunt him.
When Oedipus was born, there was a prophecy told to his parents that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus’s father had him bound and left on the side of the mountain to die of exposure. However, someone from the next city state over found him and brought him to their king and queen, Merope and Polybus. When Oedipus becomes aware of the prophecy, he flees, trying to protect those whom he thought were his real parents. This is an example of Oedipus not knowing his true self in the biggest form. If Oedipus would have known he was adopted and they were not his true parents, he probably would have stayed, and he would not have married Jocasta, damning him and his family in the process. By acting so rashly and running away, he finds himself in a position to murder his real father on his path to …show more content…
Tiresias is the blind leading the blind. “This day will bring your birth and your destruction” Tiresias gives Oedipus this riddle because it foreshadows the origins of Oedipus, the death of his wife, the loss of his sight, and the decree he pronounced on Laius's murderer being carried out upon Oedipus himself. Oedipus’s inability to solve the riddle causes him to quickly lose his patience, and he is made angry by it. Oedipus wants to learn the truth he is blind to, but he cannot comprehend that he is the one who murdered Laius. He is also in denial that he cursed himself, and that he has indeed married his