Irony And Symbolism In Oedipus The King

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Symbolism
Oedipus’ swollen feet
When Oedipus was three days old, his parents received a prophecy saying that he would one day kill his father. So, they pierced and bound his feet and sent him off to be abandoned on a mountainside. Oedipus survived the incident, but was left with scars on his feet. In fact, his name in Greek translates to "swollen foot”. Oedipus’s scarred feet are more than symbolic. They show the fact that he has been marked for suffering right from his birth. This shows how Sophocles had the idea that humans have no power in the face of the gods. The scars also demonstrate the irony of Oedipus's ignorance. Although his name blatantly points attention to his feet. Which are the keys to discovering his identity, Oedipus doesn’t realize his true identity until it’s too late.

The Crossroad
Sophocles specifically places the confrontation at a three-way intersection. Crossroads are a symbol of life …show more content…

One characters that is responsible for creating tension In the play is Tiresias. In Episode 1 Tiresias and Oedipus are having a argument it states “I say you are the murderer you seek. Again that horror! You'll wish you hadn't said that. Shall I say more, and raise your anger higher?” This scene is already has tension because of Oedipus tone, which is anger. Sophocles used Oedipus tone because we can see he is unable to control himself which ultimately his downfall throughout the play.

However the tension in this scene is mainly created by Tiresias. Keep in mind that this is episode 1 yet Tiresias tells Oedipus he is the killer. This creates tension because the main plot of the story is Oedipus the figure out he is the killer. Since Oedipus refuses to listen it creates dramatic irony since the audience knows Oedipus is the killer. I know Tiresias creates tension because he can see into the future so he's not

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