The Iron Hand of Dramatic Irony Essay example -- Sophocles Oedipus tyr

The Iron Hand of Dramatic Irony Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus is considered by many scholars to be the most significant masterpiece of Greek drama. Through Oedipus Tyrannus, Sophocles is able to develop and establish dramatic irony, a theatrical device that allows the audience to understand the hidden meanings of the words and actions of the characters, though the characters themselves remain oblivious. Therefore, the behavior of the characters become ironic because they are unable to grasp the reality of the truth that is being unraveled before their eyes. "Dramatic irony may be described as putting into a speaker's (character's) mouth words that have for the audience a meaning not intended by the speaker" ("Dramatic"). Sophocles weaves this device into Oedipus Tyrannus, giving the play a distinct characteristic. He devises a "step-by-step discovery" of the truth (Gould), yielding value for the profound way it is constructed. With the use of dramatic irony, Sophocles incorporates the audience into the play by endowing them with "the divine position of knowing the truth" (Clay 13). A highly established illustration of dramatic irony may be found in Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus, where the character of Oedipus investigates the murder of the previous king of Thebes, only to learn that it is himself who is guilty of committing the crime, a truth known to the audience all along. Thus, Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus has dramatic irony woven into the play from the beginning to the end. The principal aspect of Sophoclean tragedy that is delicately worked into the play is dramatic irony itself. Sophocles masters the technique of dramatic irony in Oedipus Tyrannus as he entails a second, ominous meaning for nearly every... ...ut his tragic downfall. The significant use of dramatic irony in the tragedy of Oedipus compels the spectator to be involved emotionally in Oedipus' blind heroic struggles to find the truth. Thus, Sophocles effectively implements the art of dramatic irony through the tragedy of Oedipus Tyrannus. Works Cited Bates, William N. Sophocles Poet and Dramatist. New York: A.S. Barnes, 1940. 19-20. Writer's Market. 22 February 2001 <http://www.writersmarket.com/encyc/d.asp>. Knox, Bernard, trans. Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Enriched Classic ed. New York: Washington Square P, 1987. Sophocles. Oedipus the King. Trans. Diskin Clay. Ed. William Arrowsmith. New York: Oxford UP, 1978. 13. Sophocles. Oedipus the King. Trans. Thomas Gould. New Jersey: Prentice, 1970. 2. Sophocles. Oedipus Tyrannus. Norton Critical Ed. New York: Norton, 1970.