Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King

What are examples to dramatic irony in the play Oedipus the King

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British Dictionary

dramatic irony







My own knowledge

they are same things verbal irony,tragic irony in this poem aren't they


There is a great deal of dramatic irony in the play Oedipus the King.

For example:

1) Oedipus is the blindest when he calls Tiresias, the seer blind.
2) Oedipus is cursing himself when he thinks he is cursing the slayer of Laius.
3) Oedipus can answer the impossible Sphinx-riddle, but he has no answer to the riddle of his own existence.
4) Every attempt he makes to help his subjects of Thebes only serves to bring more harm to himself.
5) Every attempt he makes to avert danger, only serve to bring it nearer.


If we attempt to find perfect examples of irony in this drama, following the definition given above then it will be more easy. So then at first place Oedipus himself is a great example of dramatic irony in this drama as he doesn't know who is he? and what is he doing?, but we know the rest of his story from starting.