Balik, Liang, Shaffer 1
Ragan, Denise, Michelle
Mr. Clarkson
Honors English 10
23 April 2009
Synthesis
Dramatic irony creates a more emotional experience for the audience in both Oedipus
Rex and Columbo. Dramatic irony is a type of irony in which the audience knows something that
the main character does not. It is used to manipulate the emotions of the audience members. The
audience is more connected when they know what is going to happen to a main character. In
Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is unaware that he murdered his father and slept with his mother. The
audience, however, knows this fact. While Oedipus thinks that he left his father behind in
Corinth, the audience secretly knows that the truth is that he killed Laius, his father, on the
crossroads. Oedipus did not know who his real father was. The audience becomes more certain
of the truth when Jocasta tries to prevent Oedipus from finding the truth. (Baker)
Another example of dramatic irony occurs when he makes his speech to comfort the
grieving people of Thebes. The plague in the city caused a great deal of death and destruction.
Dramatic irony is invoked when the people of Thebes ask Oedipus for help when in reality
Oedipus causes the plague because he killed King Laius. (Baker)
In current times, dramatic irony is constantly used on television to create an air of tension
and anticipation. Television uses dramatic irony for both comedic and dramatic purposes. In
many television mysteries, the audience knows who murdered the victim but the police and
detectives do not have a clue. The audience feels nervous and apprehensive as they watch the
police interact with the murderer and solve the mystery. Dramatic irony in television allows the
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audience to feel sympathy and empathy for the main character. As the audience watches the
character find out what is happening, they will feel some sort of emotion towards the character.
(Baker)
One specific television show that constantly uses dramatic irony to attract viewers is
Columbo. Almost every episode of Columbo begins with a homicide scene in the first act. The
audience, therefore, would know the identity of the killer and his or her motive. Later, the
audience watches some very intense scenes as Lt. Frank Columbo tries to capture the killer and
solve the murder case. This television show demonstrates dramatic irony because the main
character, Lt. Frank Columbo does not know the identity of the killer but the viewers watching at
home do. The irony makes television show more interesting and attractive. (Flanagan)
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Works Cited
Baker. "Critical Concepts: Dramatic Irony." Kansas State University. Aug. 2000. Lynmann
Baker Inc. 22 Apr. 2009 <http://www.k-state.edu/english/baker/english320/ccdramatic_irony.htm>.
Flanagan. "Dramatic Irony." About. May 2005. New York Times. 22 Apr. 2009
<http://contemporarylit.about.com/cs/literaryterms/g/dramaticIrony.htm>.