Students Critical Essays on Oedipus Rex

Sample 1 Dramatic irony in Antigone

Dramatic irony is irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation, understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters of the play. This concept is prevalent through the play. Oedipus, the main tragic hero in this play, and his wife/mother, Iocaste, are in ironic situations. Dramatic irony enables audience to continue to explore what’s going on next.

Oedipus’s fate is the primary dramatic irony. He still winded up to his fate of killing his father and married his mother despite his temptation to escape from Corinth and to assure the prophesy never come true.

In the beginning of the play, Oedipus pronounced exile for the punishment of the murderer of King Laios. "I pray that man’s life be consumed in evil and wretchedness. And as for me, this curse applies no less." Oedipus declared. As Oedipus learned the entire plague that he has brought, he did punish himself by going to self-exile.

Teiresias, a soothsayer, although he is blind, he is able to see a lot. While Oedipus is not blind, he is totally unable to see his lot. " You planned it, you had it done, you all but killed him with your own hands if you had eyes. I’d say the crime was yours, and yours alone." The ignorant Oedipus said. "That the man you have been looking for all this time, the damned man, the murderer of Laios, the man is in Thebes." Teiresias displayed his ability to predict Oedipus’ lot by replying intelligently.

Oedipus and Iocaste’s ecstasy over the death of King Polybos is another irony in this play since Polybos was not Oedipus’s real father. Another dramatic irony would be their worship of Apollo, Apollo symbolizes god of sun, or light. Oedipus is blind throughout the entire play. He is blind before knowing the truth. Even after knowing the truth, he is blind outside. Furthermore, Oedipus’s suspicion that Creon plot against his throne. However, Creon did become King of Thebes through his honesty following Oedipus’ self-exile.

The overall effect of these intensive uses of dramatic irony raises people’s concern. People enjoy and learn from Oedipus’ irony fate.

E7 Sze Chiu Rong

Mr. K 12/3/98

Dear editors:

I’m writing to you to express my opinions about the proposal that graduates be paid salaries in proportion to their grades for the last two years of high school.

Although graduates may earned superior academic record over the last two years, however, they may lack working experience. Since learning is totally different from working. I’m positive that all employers want to hire experienced employees. Graduates’ working ability cannot be reflected through grades appeared on the transcript.

On the contrary, some graduates with low grades for the past two years may have tremendous working experience. Hence, using grades to determine students’ grade is inappropriate. Some graduates have the potential to do well in high school, unfortuantely, several factors may prohibit them to do well, such as illness. These graduates’ great opportunity of getting highest grade was miss. Does that mean that they have to suffer again following their graduation? Since these students may share a great sense of responsibility, they possess highest leadership ability, eloquence, and their quality of work is absolutely without doubt. With all these wonderful criteria, do they still receive lower salaries simply because of their past low grades?

We cannot judge a thing base on only one thing. We have to take everything into consideration. Just like admission officers who try to recruit students, they do not just look at their academic records, or SAT scores, or extra curricular activities. On the contrary, they look at their overall performance. A combination of all these factors with strongest quality will ensure these students’ admission to that particular school. Similar to salaries, in general, in my point of view, graduates should be paid in salaries according to the present quality of work they perform regardless of their past grades, their capability to handle their job, whether punctually or not. Neatness counts and adeptness counts. If graduates have met all these standards, they deserve earning highest salaries.

I sincerely hope that you could consider all my point of views. Hopefully, make a slight change to this proposal. I appreciate that. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Sze Chiu Rong