1B) How effective is Sophocles’ use of dramatic irony in this passage?
In this passage Sophocles use dramatic irony to its full effect as it the explosion of Tiresias’s anger, which tells us of Oedipus being blinded by his own arrogance and pride. However we all know that come the end of the play Oedipus will be blind through him ripping out his own eyes.
Within this passage there are many quotes to show the use of dramatic irony used by Sophocles. “You mock my blindness?” as Tiresias questions the insults of Oedipus he is knowing of future events with will happen as he holds the key between sight and blindness as he can predict and see the future even being blind himself. He knows of Oedipus’s downfall and how saying that Tiresias may be blind himself but Oedipus is not going to end up blind but he fails to see that the answer to the question he is seeking is right in front of him but he just cannot understand that he is Liaus murderer. Tiresias then goes on to say “Your precious eyes” as Oedipus will have to cherish his eyes as he cannot have new ones and he isn’t using his eyes to the full extent of how their nature as he cant open his eyes to see the bigger picture of what he has done and is doing and his failings to notice how he is about to destroy his life. In the passage it has the line” You’re blind to the corruption of your own life,” As Oedipus cant see that if he persists his quest to find the murderer of Liaus than he will corrupt his life and watch it fall down around him. It is again another reference to blindness and eyes which is a key them throughout the play. It then goes on to say “the double lash of your mother and fathers curse” he has already fulfilled the curse that he knows of that he has killed his father Liaus and has bedded his mother Jocasta but he has no clue that he has done so but Tiresias is knowing of what he has done.
Oedipus is also blinded by his arrogance and pride to not let the people of Thebes down and this is seen...