Verbal; Situational; Dramatic Irony Verbal; Situational; Dramatic

Irony Irony is the difference between what someone expects to happen and what actually does happen. We usually divide irony into three main categories: verbal irony, situational irony, and dramatic irony.

Verbal Irony

Verbal Irony Verbal irony occurs when there is a contrast between what is said and what is really meant. Examples: Suppose a friend falls down the stairs, and you ask him if he is hurt. He responds, “I’m fine. The ground is as soft as concrete.” Steve sees that he earned a poor grade on his test and is disappointed in himself. Jared, who sits next to him, looks over and says, “Wow, way to go, Einstein.”

Sarcasm vs. Verbal Irony A cutting and bitter expression of strong disapproval. Personal, jeering, intended to hurt. The actual intent is expressed in words that carry the opposite meaning. Saying, “I could care less.” When in fact you do care. May be marked by “grim” humor. Less harsh than sarcasm.

Situational Irony

Situational Irony Examples: Situational irony occurs when what happens is very different from what someone expects to happen. Examples: Suppose a race-car driver survives a horrible accident without any injuries. However, when he gets home, he trips on a cord and breaks his arm. Suppose your neighbor spends all day trying to fix his refrigerator because it is broken. After working on it for four hours, he realizes that it has simply been unplugged the whole time.

Dramatic Irony

Dramatic Irony Examples: Dramatic irony occurs when the audience or reader knows something that a character does not know. Examples: In The Lion King, Simba runs away from home because he thinks he is responsible for his dad’s death. However, the viewer knows that Scar is really the one who killed Mufasa. In most scary movies, the audience knows something bad is about to happen to a character, but the character does not know this (for example, the viewer might know that a bad guy is hiding in the closet). Dramatic irony helps to build suspense and excitement for the reader/viewer.