us “A blind man,/who has eyes now; a penniless man, who is/ rich now;” (Sc.1,l236-237). This prophecy is also fulfilled by the end of the play, causing more sympathy to be felt toward Oedipus. Another instance where there is dramatic irony is when Iokaste is explaining why she believes that not all prophecies are fulfilled. As she tells the story of the child left on the mountainside, a bad memory crosses Oedipus’s mind. He now began to realize that there were some large similarities with the two stories told. These were the most prominent scenes where dramatic irony occurred and a great deal of pity was felt.In the play, there were also certain scenes that went deeper into Oedipus’s character. During these scenes feelings of sympathy and compassion arise. Towards the end of the play, Oedipus had an extremely different perspective concerning his situation. At the beginning he was trying to cast the blame upon others, such as Kreon, but as the play progressed he discovered that there was no one else to blame, except himself. As a result of the guilt, he gauged out his own eyes so he would never again have to look and the misery and suffering he had caused. Also, as Oedipus bid farewell to his daughters, he explained to them that they would be shunned for the rest of their lives and they will never marry as a result of Oedipus’s prophecy. Not only had it ruined his life, but it had also ruined the life of his daughter and most surely affected his sons and the people of the city as well. The pity that is felt throughout the play, Oedipus Rex, is clearly a feeling of pain at undeserved misfortune. This was built up throughout the play by the use of dramatic irony, the prophecy and power of the gods, as well as the way in which Oedipus could relate to the audience through a few particular scenes....
