PHILOSOPHERS+2

[|Summary of Oedipus the King] Oedipus-King of Thebes Jocasta-Oedipus' mother/wife Creon-His brother-in-law/uncle A priest Teiresias, an Old Blind Prophet Messengers Herdsman Oracle- (Teiresias) There was an oracle to the king of Thebes, or Oedipus' father, that said one day Oedipus would kill him Therefore the king had a messenger take his Oedipus to the mountain to starve when he was an infant Messenger showed mercy and therefore gave him to a family Oedipus returns one day with a band of robbers not knowing the group they had ambushed was his father's Kills off his father Returns to Thebes Becomes king and thats when everything falls out of play 15-20 years later wonders what happened to the old king Begins to realize what had happened...
 * __Oedipus the King[[image:oedipus.jpg width="60" height="96" caption="Sophocles the author of Oedipus the King"]]__**
 * Philosopher-** A person who offers views or theories on profound questions in ethics, metaphysics, logic, and other related fields
 * Characters-**

An example of situational irony that occurred in the beginning of the play began was when Oedipus was the only one who knew the answer to the riddle that the Sphinx asked. This is a good example of sit. irony because no one would expect Oedipus, out of everyone, to know the answer and be the savior of the city. It is also ironic that Oedipus walked with a cane and the riddle was based on the idea of a cane.Oedipus is portrayed as a hero and very knowledgeable, but in reality, he does not even know his own identity. __Dramatic Irony:__ Oedipus killed the king (his father), and only the audience and the oracle knows it was him. Oedipus has no clue he was the murdrer until later on in the scene.
 * Part 1**

__Situational Irony:__ Oedipus tries to find the murderer of the King, but did not expect the find out that it was himself. (pg. 441, line 124, Oedipus to Teiresias) //You would provoke a stone! Tell us, you villain, tell us, and do not stand there quietly unmoved and balking at the issue."//

__Dramatic/Situational Irony__:(pg. 435, line 124) "The clue is in the land, that which is sought is found, the unheeded thing escapes: so said the god." -Although he does not realize it, Creon is foreshadowing that Oedipus is actually the murderer.

__Situational Irony:__ Oedipus denies the fact that he killed his father, the king, even though he finally realizes the oracle is right. -This is developing depth of the character because Oedipus is learning new information about himself as the plot progresses.

It mostly consists of dramatic irony throughout.
 * Part Two** of Oedipus is not so much full of ironies, but it is full of the ironies of part one, except for one new irony.

__Situational Irony-__ King Laius leaves Oedipus for death on the hill top, but he is rescued and dies from his son anyway. Oedipus discusses this with the herdsman and that is when he realizes that he really did kill his father.

__Dramatic Irony-__ This is when the messenger tells Jocasta that Oedpius's believed-to-be father, Polybus, is dead. The audience knows Oedipus's father is not Polybus, it is in fact Lauis, and Oedipus killed him on his way to Thebes. Another example of dramatic irony is when Teiresias tells Oedipus, "I say that you, with both your eyes, are blind." Teiresias says that Oedipus is blind even thought he can physically see. Teiresias is not referring to the to the physical state of Oedipus, but to his insight.

Cites: http://ri.essortment.com/oedipusandth_rzul.htm

Ouestions:
 * 1) Now after seeing the presence of these ironies, do you think there are any more dramatic ironies in the play?
 * 2) Do you think there were any more situational ironies?
 * 3) Notice how there were no verbal ironies above. Do you think there were some verbal ironies in the play at all? If so, what line?
 * 4) Ironies are what help the plot develope in the play. After seeing the listed ironies, how do you think the play would differ if you took out one of the ironies, say the first dramatic irony?
 * 5) Do you feel these ironies were important to the play? Explain your answer