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Irony Example : In a meeting with the oracle at delphi, the young heir to the throne of thebes......

Taken from Category: Literary

The following question was asked on 5th March 2011 by one of our readers. Have you ever wondered whether something you've read or heard is ironic or not? Remember to ask us a question!

Is it ironic that...

in a meeting with the Oracle at Delphi, the young heir to the throne of Thebes learns that he is destined to kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus understands that this is to be his fate, so he runs away to avoid it. If he believes he is doomed to become an incestuous murderer, then it will happen no matter what he does. If he does not believe the prophecy, then there is no need to flee. Oedipus hurries away from the Oracle, with every step moving towards his fate, not away from it. He must have known this, but he was still compelled to take action against the unavoidable future. He could not simply let his tragic fate befall him, but there was no possible way to avoid it - the very essence of fate is that it is certain.

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  • 71% IRONIC
  • 29% NOT IRONIC

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