Sophocles' use of irony is among the greatest of all time, as masterfully demonstrated in Oedipus Rex. He shows both ambition and understated humor by using irony in several ways, both cosmic and dramatic, as well as verbal irony to add a greater level of wit. Every word spoken carries great symbolic weight, and those words contribute to a narrative that reflects the plans of the gods. In contrast, Johnathan Swift's work takes the form of a social satire, combining economic arguments with sociopolitical commentary to reflect the tragedy of the people. The use of irony in A Modest Proposal is not a structural technique; rather, it is the style of the essay and is written to reflect the raw nature of humanity. The irony develops from the programmatic methods used by the state to control the population while criminalizing abortion. Swift's intention is to simultaneously engage and infuriate the audience, allowing them to see the horrific civil inconsistencies in the real world through reflection on her narrative. A description of a world in which abortion is considered infanticide and is therefore immoral, but eating a human child is morally justified, holds up a mirror to the absurdity of society. The initial sign of cosmic irony in Oedipus Rex takes place before the play formally begins and is not understood by the characters until the second half. In the prologue of Oedipus the King, Oedipus' childhood and the marriage of Queen Jocasta and King Laius are briefly explained. King Laius is cursed for having sinned as a young man and after hearing that his son would kill him and mate with his mother, he attempts to kill the boy. While Oedipus survives, he is secretly and lovingly raised in the city of Corinth by King Polybus and Queen Merope. Exhibiting cu...... middle of paper ......and or as a cruel joke. Although the irony of Oedipus the King is surprisingly more nuanced, it is still a play on the theme of the procreation of children by one's mother. In general circumstances being both father and brother of sons is far from a subtle topic, however, Sophocles uses the immoral to show the hero's downfall, lowering him to the lowest possible rank, afflicted by the infidel. Works Cited Colebrook, Claire. Irony. New York: Taylor and Francis, 2003. Print.Greene, Roland. "Satire." The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2012. 1255-1258. Print.Morreall, John. "Philosophy of Humor". The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2013). Network. 6 November 2013.Sophocles. The three Theban comedies. Trans. Robert Fagles. London: Allen Lane, 1982. Print.Swift, Jonathan. A modest proposal. Columbus: C.E. Merrill, 1969. Print.