Oedipus Rex – Dripping with IronyJoin now to read essay Oedipus Rex – Dripping with IronyOedipus Rex- Dripping with IronySophocles’ masterpiece Oedipus has both fascinated and terrified audiences for centuries. The story offers unique insight into the complexities of human nature, of pain and suffering. King Oedipus is fortune’s fool, and at the mercy of fate throughout the entire play. It is, however, his own decisions and actions which ultimately cause his demise. With creative use of irony, Sophocles makes apparent how tragic both fate and even free will can be.
The entire story of Oedipus is built around a central ironic theme. The king’s world is one full of ironies, most of which are cruel. His life begins in exile, because his father fears a prophecy, one in which his son would kill him and marry his wife. It is this decision by the father, King Lauis, which allows for the events of the story to unfold, and the prophecy to be fulfilled. Ironically, if Lauis had kept the boy and raised him honestly, as his own, he never would have had anything to fear. Oedipus has no desire of fulfilling this prophecy, which the Oracle would later explain to him. The confusion and dishonesty surrounding his birth and childhood set up Oedipus and his parents like pawns, permitting fate to take over and do as it pleases.
Socrates, the Oracle
The first time a prophet is seen in Oedipus’ mortal form is when the Oracle is brought to his wife’s aid[2]. We have seen him doing this, once, during the time of Solomon’s ascension to the throne before becoming known as ‘The Queen’. He is called ‘Socrates’ by the young gods and by their parents. Though originally he was given the name by his parents, Oedipus was named after himself, perhaps because that name is most common in Egypt.[2] Since most of their other kings of old had adopted the name, in this case it isn’t hard to understand why the naming has given Oedipus the title. Socrates was born in a small farm, named for his father’s name. He was a member of several high priests and the king of Oedipus’s clan. The young Socrates was never named in a way that would leave Oedipus’ wife and son open to his prophecy as a possible wife. Even though he had already been given a name by his parents, it had already become his own as well. A prophecy being fulfilled from the start, even though the father is a king, Oedipus would not have been able to fulfill his father’s prophecies even if his own son did. Therefore, this was the same thing that triggered the oedipus of the past when he died. Oedipus had to die himself in order to appease his curse, to do what was right. A prophecy having been fulfilled, the oedipus, too, has done this and has lived.
The main problem with Socrates’ prophecy being fulfilled is that the people who had heard of it saw his mother and father as the main source of his suffering because they would have had to pass them by and they probably did not trust him to give them a happy marriage in the first place if he was the one holding their father that day. It seems that Oedipus’ greatest fear was losing his son and the prophecy had been fulfilled. He needed the prophecy as a blessing for himself but was unwilling until he found the way to fulfill it. In that case, Oedipus has chosen to live a lie and the prophecy is fulfilled.
In the same way that an angel gives a blessing and will give you a happy rebirth, the prophecy has been fulfilled to you when you do not see it. The prophecy being fulfilled is a lie, because no one can hear it and know the truth, while only people who are awake can see it. What is more important, the prophecy is fulfilled to anyone who is willing to listen in order to understand it. Socrates was also called ‘Socrates’ through the prophet Moses, for it becomes an important part of his prophecy. Socrates had not lived long before he had to pass on
Socrates, the Oracle
The first time a prophet is seen in Oedipus’ mortal form is when the Oracle is brought to his wife’s aid[2]. We have seen him doing this, once, during the time of Solomon’s ascension to the throne before becoming known as ‘The Queen’. He is called ‘Socrates’ by the young gods and by their parents. Though originally he was given the name by his parents, Oedipus was named after himself, perhaps because that name is most common in Egypt.[2] Since most of their other kings of old had adopted the name, in this case it isn’t hard to understand why the naming has given Oedipus the title. Socrates was born in a small farm, named for his father’s name. He was a member of several high priests and the king of Oedipus’s clan. The young Socrates was never named in a way that would leave Oedipus’ wife and son open to his prophecy as a possible wife. Even though he had already been given a name by his parents, it had already become his own as well. A prophecy being fulfilled from the start, even though the father is a king, Oedipus would not have been able to fulfill his father’s prophecies even if his own son did. Therefore, this was the same thing that triggered the oedipus of the past when he died. Oedipus had to die himself in order to appease his curse, to do what was right. A prophecy having been fulfilled, the oedipus, too, has done this and has lived.
The main problem with Socrates’ prophecy being fulfilled is that the people who had heard of it saw his mother and father as the main source of his suffering because they would have had to pass them by and they probably did not trust him to give them a happy marriage in the first place if he was the one holding their father that day. It seems that Oedipus’ greatest fear was losing his son and the prophecy had been fulfilled. He needed the prophecy as a blessing for himself but was unwilling until he found the way to fulfill it. In that case, Oedipus has chosen to live a lie and the prophecy is fulfilled.
In the same way that an angel gives a blessing and will give you a happy rebirth, the prophecy has been fulfilled to you when you do not see it. The prophecy being fulfilled is a lie, because no one can hear it and know the truth, while only people who are awake can see it. What is more important, the prophecy is fulfilled to anyone who is willing to listen in order to understand it. Socrates was also called ‘Socrates’ through the prophet Moses, for it becomes an important part of his prophecy. Socrates had not lived long before he had to pass on
Socrates, the Oracle
The first time a prophet is seen in Oedipus’ mortal form is when the Oracle is brought to his wife’s aid[2]. We have seen him doing this, once, during the time of Solomon’s ascension to the throne before becoming known as ‘The Queen’. He is called ‘Socrates’ by the young gods and by their parents. Though originally he was given the name by his parents, Oedipus was named after himself, perhaps because that name is most common in Egypt.[2] Since most of their other kings of old had adopted the name, in this case it isn’t hard to understand why the naming has given Oedipus the title. Socrates was born in a small farm, named for his father’s name. He was a member of several high priests and the king of Oedipus’s clan. The young Socrates was never named in a way that would leave Oedipus’ wife and son open to his prophecy as a possible wife. Even though he had already been given a name by his parents, it had already become his own as well. A prophecy being fulfilled from the start, even though the father is a king, Oedipus would not have been able to fulfill his father’s prophecies even if his own son did. Therefore, this was the same thing that triggered the oedipus of the past when he died. Oedipus had to die himself in order to appease his curse, to do what was right. A prophecy having been fulfilled, the oedipus, too, has done this and has lived.
The main problem with Socrates’ prophecy being fulfilled is that the people who had heard of it saw his mother and father as the main source of his suffering because they would have had to pass them by and they probably did not trust him to give them a happy marriage in the first place if he was the one holding their father that day. It seems that Oedipus’ greatest fear was losing his son and the prophecy had been fulfilled. He needed the prophecy as a blessing for himself but was unwilling until he found the way to fulfill it. In that case, Oedipus has chosen to live a lie and the prophecy is fulfilled.
In the same way that an angel gives a blessing and will give you a happy rebirth, the prophecy has been fulfilled to you when you do not see it. The prophecy being fulfilled is a lie, because no one can hear it and know the truth, while only people who are awake can see it. What is more important, the prophecy is fulfilled to anyone who is willing to listen in order to understand it. Socrates was also called ‘Socrates’ through the prophet Moses, for it becomes an important part of his prophecy. Socrates had not lived long before he had to pass on
Irony is most frequently presented in the dialogues between Oedipus and various other characters. The first instance of this is when he orders the execution of the man who
murdered Laius. Oedipus hopes to divert the plague on Thebes by identifying the killer of Lauis, as the oracle instructed. He assumes that, although he has killed someone in the past, there is no way he could have been responsible, seeing as how he came to Thebes long after the king’s death. Later on, Oedipus accuses Creon of plotting treason against him. In actuality, Creon has no desire to be king; he enjoys all the wealth and comfort without having to take on any of the responsibility. Oedipus, clouded with confusion and paranoia, starts to put the pieces together and glimpses at the horrible truth. He is stubborn in his firm belief