Final answer:
An example of dramatic irony from Oedipus' last speech is his line, “A blind man, who has his eyes now,” reflecting how he gains insight into his true identity only after he becomes physically blind. This fulfills Tiresias' early metaphor and anchors the peripeteia of Oedipus' tragic arc, providing catharsis to the audience.
Step-by-step explanation:
A powerful example of dramatic irony from Oedipus' last speech occurs when he says: “A blind man, who has his eyes now.” This statement is dramatically ironic because Oedipus, who was once physically sighted but ignorant of his true identity, becomes literally blind but gains personal insight into his tragic situation. Resolutely, Oedipus blinds himself after learning he has inadvertently fulfilled the prophecy by killing his father and marrying his mother, thus embracing the physical blindness that Tiresias, the prophet, metaphorically attributed to him earlier in the play. In his blindness, Oedipus can finally 'see' the truth of his actions, completing a grim prophecy that he had endeavored to avoid. This turn of events is an instance of dramatic irony that Aristotle himself might refer to as the character's peripeteia, or a sudden reversal of fortune, which is a key element of tragedy in classical plays. Oedipus' character arc is not only a source of catharsis for the audience but also demonstrates the limitations of human agency against fate, a prevalent theme in Sophocles' works.