What is Irony?Irony is a difference in what a

person expects to happen and what really does happen.

This disparity (or, difference) may occur in a number of different ways.

In fact, there are three (3) common types of irony.

Situational IronyThis type of irony is derived from

events or situations themselves, not verbal interactions.

Situational irony involves a discrepancy between expectation and reality.

For example…

Situational Irony“When John Hinckley attempted to assassinate

Ronald Reagan, all of his shots initially missed the President; however a bullet ricocheted off the bullet-proof Presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest. Thus, a vehicle made to protect the President from gunfire was partially responsible for him being shot.”source www.wikipedia.com

Verbal IronyVerbal irony is the most common type of

irony.Verbal irony is a difference between what a

speaker says and what he or she believes to be true. (A speaker will use verbal irony to say the opposite of what he or she means.)

Verbal irony is tough to master in literature since it depends on the audience knowing what is and is not true and/or intended.

Example of Verbal IronyYou had a tough day. You’ve failed a test,

wrecked our car, and had a fight with your best friend. If your parent asks you how your day was and you reply “Great day. Best ever,” you would be using verbal irony.

When a person says “beautiful weather today, huh?” when it is storming outside, they are using verbal irony.

Dramatic IronyDramatic irony occurs when the audience knows more about the events in a particular story than the characters in the story.

Dramatic irony occurs in a wide variety of works, ranging from the comic to the tragic.

Examples of Dramatic IronyRomeo and Juliet: The audience knows that Juliet has been given a sleeping potion that mimics the symptoms of death; however, Romeo is unaware and kills himself thinking he has lost his love.

The story of Oedipus (and oh, what a story it is!)