Dramatic irony was used in Oedipus the king as an essential tool to develop the play. Dramatic irony involves readers knowing what is happening in the plot, where as the characters have no knowledge about it. This makes the audience feel privileged, as they know more than the main characters in the story. In Oedipus the king the use of dramatic irony develops the play through pathos towards Oedipus, creating suspense and foreshadowing the outcome of the play.