This is a through analysis on the various levels of ironies embedded in Sophocle's great canon, "Oedipus Rex". The analyses traces various instances of ironies in the play.

1. IRONIES IN OEDIPUS
REX
HEDIA & ANDY

2. Dramatic Irony Definition
 occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience
but not by the characters in the play.
 it is used to describe Oedipus' character as arrogant and blind toward the
truth.

3. The Ironic Behavior Of Oedipus
 he is not capable to grasp the truth that is being unrevealed before his
eyes.
 Oedipus is blinded by his ignorance. He is a very confident man and
powerful in the way he acts and talks.
 Oedipus is so blind to himself, that instead of relying on the oracles, he
counts on his own knowledge to find out the truth.
 Oedipus mocks Tiresias for being blind but he himself is blind to his own
sins and to the truth.
 Oedipus who solved the sphinx's riddle took so long to finally put the
pieces together to finally see the truth.

4. Examples of Dramatic Ironies
 The eventual irony is that as Oedipus tries so hard to avoid the oracle's
prediction, he commits the very act because of the deception of others.
 He states "Apollo told me once—it is my fate—I must make love with my
own mother, shed my father's blood with my own hands. So for years I've
given Corinth a wide berth, and it's been my good fortune too." (Lines
1090-1094)
 But when the truth is finally revealed, Oedipus cannot live with what he has
feared most.

5. Dramatic Ironies
 One example of dramatic irony is when Oedipus is looking for the killer of
the king Laius-his father. The irony here is that he is looking for himself
because he is the murder of his father.
 Oedipus knows that he killed someone, but what he does not know is that
it was Laius, the one he murder.
 Oedipus wants to punish the person who killed Laius, but we, the audience
know that Oedipus was the one who killed Laius.

6. Dramatic Ironies
 Oedipus approaches Creon and accuses him of being Laius' killer.
 "You—here? You have the gall to show your face before the palace gates?
You, plotting to kill me, kill the king—I see it all, the marauding thief
himself scheming to steal my crown and power!." [Lines 594-598]
 Oedipus also accuses Creon of wanting to take over the kingdom.
 Creon ends up taking over in the end, after all as a promise to Oedipus.

7. Dramatic Ironies
 When the messenger went to Thebes to tell Oedipus that, his father,
Polybus is dead. Jocasta states “You prophecies of the gods, where are you
now?... not murdered by his son.” (Lines 1036-1040)
 It is ironic how she believes that the oracle’s predictions are conformed to
be wrong because Oedipus did not kill “his father”, Polybus.

8. Ironic Conversation
 JOCASTA: Stop—in the name of god,
 if you love your own life, call off this search!
 My suffering is enough.
 OEDIPUS:
 Courage!
 Even if my mother turns out to be a slave,
 and I a slave, three generations back,
 you would not seem common.
 JOCASTA:
 Oh no,
 listen to me, I beg you, don't do this.