Recently I sat down to read Kate Chopin's short story, The Story of an Hour, at the recommendation of a friends. At just over 1,000 words it's a very short story indeed, it was a fun read that really drove home the idea that a lot can happen in an hour. It also provided some excellent examples of irony as a literary device done right. If you haven’t read it before, check it out at Kate Chopin International Society's website.
Shortly after finish the story (it’s really only a couple of pages, if that) my boyfriend, playing with friends on Xbox live as he often does, started laughing when of his mate’s spaceship crashed into a meteor. My boyfriend then crashed his own ship into a meteor and proclaimed, ‘how ironic’. While an entertaining coincidence, I wouldn't call this ironic. Why not? Read on to find out.
The trouble with irony
The term irony originated from the eirôn, one of the three stock characters in ancient Greek comedy became part of the English language as a figure of speech in the 16th century. Irony has long been misunderstood and incorrectly used, it may even be the most abused word in the English language. From there, irony has become a very misunderstood and incorrectly used word. When it comes to writing though, irony can be an excellent literary device to employ, so as long as it is used appropriately and effectively. Definition of irony Irony is a common literary term and rhetoric device. Whether in fiction, non-fiction, or in life, irony is around us day to day. There are three types of irony. Dramatic irony is the type commonly thought of in storytelling, but there is also verbal and situational irony. The following presentation aims to explore and explain the deeper layers of meaning in life and literature through irony. What exactly is irony? Irony is a figure of speech uses words in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. It also describes a situation that finishes in quite a different way than generally anticipated. Irony has been used for countless years in speech, art and even everyday life. The three types of irony In the ordinary use of language, Pocket Fowler's Modern English Usage describes irony as: an expression of meaning by use of words that have an opposite literal meaning or tendency. When someone stares out of the window at the pouring rain and exclaim ‘What a lovely day!’, that person is using a trivial form of irony. There are three types of irony: verbal, situational and dramatic. There are additional subcategories, but these are the primary three. Verbal irony is the use of words to mean something different than what the person actually means, or says they mean. It is important to note that for verbal irony to occur, the speaker must intend for this inconsistency. In other words, it must be intentional. Situational irony is the difference between what’s expected and the actuality of a situation. It occurs when the exact opposite of what is meant to happen, happens. Situational irony is the cause for much of the confusion surrounding the definition of irony. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience is more aware of what is happening than the characters, or when the audience is aware of something specific that the characters in the story are not yet aware of. It is the commonly thought of form of literary irony and writers frequently employ it in their works. Dramatic irony, unlike verbal and situational irony, exists purely in the …show more content…
First, Roderigo saw Iago as a friend and helped him advance his relationship with Othello. Othello even labelled him ‘honest Iago’ and allowed Iago to advise him on his wife. Iago then convinced Cassio to drink, which lost Cassio the respect of Othello and the position he held. Finally, Iago deceived Emilia into giving him Desdemona’s handkerchief. In a rage, Othello stormed into Desdemona's room and murdered her in her bed. Soon afterwards, Iago is named as the man responsible for orchestrating the entire façade. Othello experienced the recognition that comes with ironic tension and realised that he has unjustly murdered Desdemona, who he promised to always love and trust, in an act of tragic
Shortly after finish the story (it’s really only a couple of pages, if that) my boyfriend, playing with friends on Xbox live as he often does, started laughing when of his mate’s spaceship crashed into a meteor. My boyfriend then crashed his own ship into a meteor and proclaimed, ‘how ironic’. While an entertaining coincidence, I wouldn't call this ironic. Why not? Read on to find out.
The trouble with irony
The term irony originated from the eirôn, one of the three stock characters in ancient Greek comedy became part of the English language as a figure of speech in the 16th century. Irony has long been misunderstood and incorrectly used, it may even be the most abused word in the English language. From there, irony has become a very misunderstood and incorrectly used word. When it comes to writing though, irony can be an excellent literary device to employ, so as long as it is used appropriately and effectively. Definition of irony Irony is a common literary term and rhetoric device. Whether in fiction, non-fiction, or in life, irony is around us day to day. There are three types of irony. Dramatic irony is the type commonly thought of in storytelling, but there is also verbal and situational irony. The following presentation aims to explore and explain the deeper layers of meaning in life and literature through irony. What exactly is irony? Irony is a figure of speech uses words in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. It also describes a situation that finishes in quite a different way than generally anticipated. Irony has been used for countless years in speech, art and even everyday life. The three types of irony In the ordinary use of language, Pocket Fowler's Modern English Usage describes irony as: an expression of meaning by use of words that have an opposite literal meaning or tendency. When someone stares out of the window at the pouring rain and exclaim ‘What a lovely day!’, that person is using a trivial form of irony. There are three types of irony: verbal, situational and dramatic. There are additional subcategories, but these are the primary three. Verbal irony is the use of words to mean something different than what the person actually means, or says they mean. It is important to note that for verbal irony to occur, the speaker must intend for this inconsistency. In other words, it must be intentional. Situational irony is the difference between what’s expected and the actuality of a situation. It occurs when the exact opposite of what is meant to happen, happens. Situational irony is the cause for much of the confusion surrounding the definition of irony. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience is more aware of what is happening than the characters, or when the audience is aware of something specific that the characters in the story are not yet aware of. It is the commonly thought of form of literary irony and writers frequently employ it in their works. Dramatic irony, unlike verbal and situational irony, exists purely in the …show more content…
First, Roderigo saw Iago as a friend and helped him advance his relationship with Othello. Othello even labelled him ‘honest Iago’ and allowed Iago to advise him on his wife. Iago then convinced Cassio to drink, which lost Cassio the respect of Othello and the position he held. Finally, Iago deceived Emilia into giving him Desdemona’s handkerchief. In a rage, Othello stormed into Desdemona's room and murdered her in her bed. Soon afterwards, Iago is named as the man responsible for orchestrating the entire façade. Othello experienced the recognition that comes with ironic tension and realised that he has unjustly murdered Desdemona, who he promised to always love and trust, in an act of tragic