list some examples of dramatic irony in Sophocles' play: Antigone.?

Question

and please dont tell me to go google it, that doesnt really help.

Answer 1

First, start of with the definition of dramatic irony, which is a situation where the audience has more information than the character onstage. Usually the information concerns the ulitmate fate of the character. For instance, in Romeo and Juliet we know that Juliet isn't really dead, but Romeo does not and his actions predicated on the limited information he has leads to his death. Dramatic irony also builds tension and feeling in the audience. A character killing themselves because their one true love is dead is sad, but for the audience it's much more sad because we know she's still alive.

Antigone specefic? Well... Tiresias tells Creon exactly what will happen if he enforces his judgement against Antigone. And prior to that Creon's own son tells him that hurting Anitogne will end the life of another, but not Creon's, which foreshadows the ending in no uncertain terms.

The whole time we know as an audience that Creon is wrong, and is making disasterous decisions, but he doesn't wise up until it's too late. And then he's lost his son and his wife in the bargain as well.

Answer 2

The ultimate example of dramatic irony comes from Bill's Macbeth

Duncan: [of traitor Thane of Cawdor] Truly there is no art to find the mind's construction in the face. He was a man in whom I placed an absolute trust.

Enter MacBeth

Duncan: Most worthy kinsman!

In Antigone; Creon is looking for a state criminal. We know it's his own niece.