Irony Paper Oedipus and Story of an Hour Essay Example

Jocasta committed suicide, while Oedipus blinded himself for failing to see what fate had in store for him. Sophocles expertly employs verbal irony throughout the play - such as when Oedipus pledges to find Laius' murderer without realizing he is referring to himself.

In this passage, Oedipus exhibits a type of irony when he expresses concern that Laius’ killer may also try to kill him. However, it is ironic because Oedipus is actually the murderer. These ironies provide significant foreshadowing. For example, when Oedipus curses the murderer of Laius, it foretells his own fate because the audience already knows that he is the killer. The curse reads, "Now my curse on the murderer."

In his statement, Oedipus curses the individual who committed the crime, whether they are a stranger or a member of their own household. He desires for this person to suffer greatly and even puts a curse on himself if he knows them. This curse informs the audience, who already know about the true prophesies, that Oedipus will face more difficulties. The ultimate irony is that discovering his true identity leads to Oedipus' downfall. His realization that he was oblivious to the truth pushes him towards self-destruction as he starts seeing things clearly; however, it becomes unbearable and causes him to gouge out his own eyes.

In literature, irony is versatile and can serve various purposes in shaping the plot. Sophocles utilizes dramatic irony in Oedipus the King to foretell forthcoming events while highlighting Oedipus' ignorance of his own destiny. In contrast, Kate Chopin's The Story of an Hour, another work employing irony, takes a different approach. As a female writer prior to the women's liberation

movement, Chopin employs a distinctive brand of irony to showcase women's empowerment, challenging traditional gender roles concurrent with that time period (Sophocles). The story commences by introducing Mrs.

Mallard, a young woman with a heart condition, receives the devastating news of her husband's death in a train accident from her sister Josephine and her husband's friend Richards. Overcome with shock, Mallard weeps in Josephine's embrace before retreating to her room. Sitting facing an open window, she tries to suppress her tears but suddenly experiences an overwhelming sense of liberation.

Mrs. Mallard experienced a newfound happiness and looked forward to many years ahead, which she would enjoy on her own. She felt empowered and accompanied Josephine downstairs where they were surprised by the entrance of Mr. Mallard, who was unaware of the train accident. Josephine's cry of shock caused Mrs. Mallard, who had a fragile heart, to pass away.

Upon the doctors' arrival, they declared that Mrs. Mallard had passed away due to heart disease, specifically the joy that leads to death. The story's irony stems from the societal expectations for women to conform to certain roles and Mrs. Mallard's unexpected reaction that defied traditional gender norms, which was unprecedented at the time. Women were viewed as inferior to men and were expected to be submissive to their husbands after marriage.

The Story of an Hour implies that Mrs. Mallard's husband, who was likely a typical husband of his time, exerted dominance over her. Despite claiming that he always loved her, as a typical 19th century husband, he controlled her as if she were his possession. Mrs. Mallard felt elated by the newfound freedom from the male-dominated life

she had been living. She finally felt like her life was hers to live and no powerful will would control her anymore. She whispered repeatedly, "Free! Body and soul free!" while looking out of the window where she saw the beauty of the spring day and prayed for a long life. It was only yesterday that she had feared a long life ahead with a shudder.

The unexpected entrance of her supposedly deceased husband robbed Mrs. Mallard of her newfound freedom and ultimately caused her demise. While doctors attribute her death to the shock of seeing him alive, readers understand that it was the loss of her autonomy that killed her. This final plot twist serves as an example of irony, a literary technique employed to captivate readers and expose them to unconventional concepts. The stories of Oedipus the King and The Story of an Hour may differ greatly, but both employ irony to advance their narrative and impart a moral lesson.

The universality of irony as a theme is demonstrated across time and cultures.