Irony:

Verbal, Situational, and Dramatic

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Irony

(The general definition of)

A contradiction between appearance and reality,

between expectation and outcome, or between

meaning and intention.

Three different kinds of irony:

Verbal

Situational

Dramatic

Verbal Irony

Occurs when someone says something that deliberately contradicts what that person actually means.

Ex: Positive connotations- “My, you’ve certainly made a mess of things!” could be said to a hostess who presents a spectacular dish prepared with obvious care and skill.

Ex: Negative connotations- Sarcasm. “Go ahead and keep sleeping during class, why don’t you?” could be said to a sleepy student even though the teacher clearly doesn’t want the student to keep sleeping.

Situational Irony

Occurs when something happens that contradicts our expectation.

Ex: “The Gift of the Magi” story

Rock trio ZZ Top is famously associated with the chest-length beards of guitarist Billy Gibbons and bassist Dusty Hill. The group's drummer, who only has a mustache, happens to be named Frank Beard.

A man jumps over a giant waterfall like Niagara Falls in a barrel and survives, only to take a clean-up shower where he slips on the soap and dies from trauma.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, an actor famous for his violence in film, campaigning against violence in video games in general - which ironically includes those featuring his own characters.

An anti-technology website.

Situational Irony cont.

Rapper Ice-T, once famous for his “Cop Killer”

album, now plays a cop on Law & Order: SVU.

A fat personal trainer

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Dramatic Irony

Occurs when the reader or audience is aware of

a contradiction that a character(s) does not

know.

Ex: Romeo and Juliet

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