Verbal Irony :
Verbal Irony Verbal irony presents a contrast between what is actually said and what is intended. Basically, this means the use of words to present opposite meanings.
Verbal irony refers to spoken words only.
Example: If a student were to fail a test and their friend said to them “great job!”
Example from “The Interlopers”: Georg Znaeym says, “And if we choose to make peace among our people there is none other to interfere no interlopers from outside…”
Situational Irony :
Situational Irony Situational irony occurs when events happen which are opposite what was expected or intended.
Example: A person lies and says he is sick to avoid going somewhere, and then actually gets ill.
Example from “The Interlopers”: The men finally end their feud but the wolves kill them before they get a chance to tell their family and friends
Dramatic Irony :
Dramatic Irony Dramatic irony occurs when we, the reader, know something that one or more characters in the story do not know.
Example: In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the reader knows Juliet is only sleeping, but Romeo believes she is dead and proceeds to take his own life.
Example from “The Interlopers”: We know the men ended their feud, but no one else in the story does so the feud will continue.
Purpose of Irony :
Purpose of Irony Irony is usually incorporated in literature to
create suspense
add emphasis
make humorous
Irony can be intentional or unintentional.