Irony In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible

Vocabulary Review Pallor is a NOUN that describes one’s appearance. You can have a pallor, but you can not BE a pallor. Correct: Sarah’s pallor was intense after the car wreck. Wrong: Sarah was pallor after the car wreck.

Vocab Assignment: Choose TWO of the verbs (action words) and TWO of the adjectives (describing words) from your list. Write sentences that clearly demonstrate you understand the word’s meaning. Complete this on a separate sheet of paper to turn in today.

Irony There are three types of irony in literature: dramatic irony, situational irony, and verbal irony. Verbal Irony occurs when a character states one thing and means another. Dramatic irony occurs when the reader knows more about a situation or character than the characters in the story do. Situational irony is a contrast between what the reader expects to happen and what actually happens.

Verbal Irony Maria has to endure a very painful, complicated three hour root canal on Monday. On Thursday, she took one of Mrs. Summer’s super hard chemistry exams. Her mom asked her how it went when she got home that day and she said “It was as easy as my root canal.” Why is Maria’s comment an example of verbal irony? What does she really mean?

Dramatic Irony Think back to when you read Antigone as a sophomore. In the opening scene of the play, we see Antigone bury her brother. In the next scene, King Creon tells his guards repeatedly “Find the man! Just go find the man that buried Polynieces!” What creates the dramatic irony in this situation?

Situational Irony Moonbeam was walking back to the commune from the organic market. She had purchased numerous fresh vegetables for the week’s meals. She glared as she passed the hotdog stand, her stomach turning as she mutters to herself about why people shouldn’t eat meat. As she crossed Broad Avenue, she gave herself a warm inner-hug for being so enlightened in her vegan lifestyle. She was still smiling when the speeding vegetable truck ran the red light. She died instantly. What makes this situation ironic?

Think of Your Own Examples With a partner, brainstorm your OWN examples of irony for each type. You may choose to select some from Act One of The Crucible, or develop your own ironic situations. Record these examples in your notes.

Your Turn to Find Examples On your paper, draw this chart to track examples of irony. THIS IS A REQUIRED PORTION OF YOUR NOTE TAKING LOG. Act/CharacterQuote & Page # Context (What’s happening at the time) Type of Irony and Explanation Act II Mary Warren I must not accuse this woman, for she sleeps in ditches, and so very old and poor.” (195) She is explaining to John and Elizabeth what happened in court this day. Situational Irony Mary understands what a good Puritan should do, and she acknowledges that, but then she condemns the woman to death. Act II Elizabeth “I do not judge you!” (194) Elizabeth and John are arguing about whether or not John will go into Salem and announce that Abigail admitted to him that he lied. Verbal Irony Elizabeth DOES judge John. She is suspicious of John’s every move and why he won’t immediately go turn on Abigail.

Incidences of Irony in Act One Abigail threatens the other girls to convince them to lie (saying that the girls only danced). She is the first girl to confess to “witchcraft” and to start naming innocents. Abigail claims that Goody Proctor is lying about her (that her name is “white”), we discover that she had an affair with John Proctor.

Act One - Continued Rev. Hale was convinced that there was “witchcraft” brewing in Salem, even believing that he drove demons from Tituba and the girls. What type of irony is this? We know that the girls were simply pretending… Yes, it’s dramatic irony.

Act Two John Proctor claims that Elizabeth will not forgive the “single error” in his life, but (it seems that) he cannot forgive himself this error. Abigail claims (in Act 1) that she hates Goody Proctor for lying about her, yet in Act 2 she lies about Goody Proctor saying that Elizabeth is a witch.

Act Two - Continued John Proctor cannot remember (or does not say) the commandment regarding adultery when Rev. Hale asks him to say his commandments. He told Hale that he knew all of the commandments and he was a devout Christian. What type of irony is this? Rev. Hale refuses to condemn Rebecca and Elizabeth as witches, but he also refuses to deny the possibility.

Act Three Can you find them?