Where does the term irony come from in literature?
The term comes from the Latin word ironia, meaning “feigned ignorance.” Storytellers of all stripes use irony as a literary device to create tension, humor, or as the central conceit in a plot. To help you make heads or tails of this literary technique, this article will dig into three common types of irony (plus one uncommon one):
Is the word irony synonymous with bad luck?
Irony is not synonymous with sarcasm, coincidence, or bad luck. While these concepts can have ironic characteristics, they’re not interchangeable. More on that later. Irony creates contrast between how things seem and how they really are beneath the surface.
Which is the best definition of situational irony?
Situational irony involves a striking reversal of what is expected or intended: a person sidesteps a pothole to avoid injury and in doing so steps into another pothole and injures themselves.
How is irony related to the idea of cosmic irony?
Situational irony is closely related to the idea of cosmic irony, where the universe seemingly contrives an event for its own amusement. For example, when the “unsinkable” HMS Titanic met an untimely end on its maiden voyage. To clarify: “the irony of events” is not the same as “coincidence” and “bad luck” (apologies to Alanis Morrisette).
How is irony used in situational and dramatic irony?
In situational irony, both the characters and the audience are fully unaware of the implications of the real situation. In dramatic irony, the characters are oblivious of the situation, but the audience is not.
Which is the best example of verbal irony?
For example, if someone has a painful visit to the dentist and when it’s over says, “Well, that was pleasant,” they are using verbal irony because the intended meaning of their words (that it wasn’t at all pleasant) is the opposite of the literal meaning of the words. Verbal irony is the most common form of irony.
Which is an example of irony in The Hobbit?
Dramatic Irony Example: The Hobbit. The Hobbit contains a perfect example of this when Bilbo happens upon the ring while lost in a mountain. He puts it in his pocket and soon after encounters Gollum. At this point, readers are aware of the significance of the ring and of its importance to Gollum.
How is irony different from satire and sarcasm?
The distinctive quality of sarcasm is present in the spoken word and manifested chiefly by vocal inflection, whereas satire and irony, arising originally as literary and rhetorical forms, are exhibited in the organization or structuring of either language or literary material.
Is the word irony synonymous with the word incongruous?
This sense, however, is not synonymous with “incongruous” but merely a definition of dramatic or situational irony. It is often included in definitions of irony not only that incongruity is present but also that the incongruity must reveal some aspect of human vanity or folly.
How does irony depend on two story phenomenon?
First, irony depends on a double-layered or two-story phenomenon for success. “At the lower level is the situation either as it appears to the victim of irony (where there is a victim) or as it is deceptively presented by the ironist.” The upper level is the situation as it appears to the reader or the ironist.
When is irony the same as coincidence and bad luck?
Situational irony. When the truth contradicts an expected outcome, it’s situational irony — also known as “the irony of events.” Again, just to clarify, irony is not the same as “coincidence” and “bad luck.”. If you buy a new car and then accidentally drive it into a tree, that is both coincidence and bad luck.
When does Jonathan Swift use the word irony?
The use of words to mean something very different from what they appear on the surface to mean. Jonathan Swift uses irony in “ A Modest Proposal ” when he suggests the eating of babies as a solution to overpopulation and starvation in Ireland.