Literary Irony In Rip Van Winkle

There are numerous types of literary devices used in literature, but few devices have had an impact on literature such as Irony. In literature irony can be defined as a literary device that is either spoken or written in which the words are use express and indicate a meaning but the implied words may actually have different literal meaning. There are many types of irony; the three most commonly used in literature are verbal, situational, and dramatic irony. Verbal irony can be exemplified when a speaker speaks somethings contradictory to what he or she intends to, while situational irony can be exemplified when incongruity appears between expectations of something to happen, and what actually happens instead, and dramatic irony can be exemplified …show more content…
The story of Rip Van Winkle is a story that recounts the experiences of a character named Rip who has fallen asleep and wakes up twenty years later and comes to the realization of the many changes that society has gone through. An example of situational irony in the story can be identified in Rips indifference to his wife Dame Van Winkle, as Rip is consistently bossed and chided by his wife, but he is still satisfied and content. Another example of irony in the story “Rip Van Winkle” is when Rip goes to the new hotel in the town where the inn use to be and returns to find himself surrounded by a group of politician and qoutes “loyal subject of the king, God bless him!” This represents dramatic irony as the audience knows that the Revolution has already taken place, while Rip does not. A third example of verbal irony can be identified when Rip notices the picture of Washington’s portrait where kings George use to be and says “For all the revolution, in some ways things are just the …show more content…
The short story "The Cask of Amontillado” is a story regarding a character name Montresor and his revenge on a fellow nobleman name Fortunato, the story is known for its use of motifs and foreshadowing elements throughout the story. The elements of irony are consistently used throughout the story of “The Cask of Amontillado”. An example of situational irony can be identified by the word cask which at first means wine barrel but later cask would mean casket where Fortunato would end up being as he is walled up in the catacombs. Another example of irony is the character’s name Fortunato, which means good fortune and luck in Italian, but this name is ironic because Fortunato ends up dying in the end. Another example of irony is Fortunato costume, Fortunato wears a jester outfit which represents joy and celebration but in contrast he will be met with a ghastly fate in the end. Dramatic irony can also be represented when Fortunato tells Montresor not to worry about his health when he quoted that his cough was merely nothing, and when Montresor replies “True-true.” The reader knows that Montresor knows that Fortunato will not die this way. Lastly verbal irony can be identified when Montresor opens a bottle of wine and toasts Fortunato to his long life but he his actually toasting to his