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Distinguishing the Faces of Contrast: Dramatic, Situational, and Verbal Irony
Irony is one literary device custom essay writers employ in their writing. It is less frequently used than other techniques such as symbolism or conflict, and it is often more tricky to identify if it is naturally woven into the plot. Within this category are three main types: dramatic, situational, and verbal.
Dramatic
This type of irony can only happen when the audience knows information that the character does not. The audience experiences the events as they unfold, and because of their prior knowledge, can make accurate predictions of the outcomes. "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles contains a classic example. While still a baby, Oedipus' parents, the king and queen of Thebes, visit the Oracle and learn that their child will grow up to kill his father and marry his mother. Attempting to avoid this fate, the queen orders her servant to take Oedipus into the forest and leave him there to die. A shepherd wandering through the woods takes pity on the child and gives Oedipus to the king and queen of Corinth who raise Oedipus as their own.
Tampering with destiny as well, Oedipus visits the Oracle after he is full grown and learns the same prophesy; not wanting this tragedy to happen, Oedipus leaves Corinth to build a life elsewhere: He chooses to go to Thebes. On the road, he meets up with and engages in a fight with a man that the audience recognizes as his real father, and kills him. Oedipus has no idea that he has already fulfilled half the prophesy, so he continues his journey to Thebes, answers the Sphinx's riddle, and, as his reward, marries the queen, his real mother, with whom he will have four children. At this point, the audience's expectations are fulfilled. When each eventually learns the truth of the events, his wife/mother hangs herself while Oedipus gouges out his own eyes.
Situational
Irony in this form highlights the differences between what the audience expects to happen and what actually happens. Authors and the best essay writer often weave in clues that hint to the final outcome, but these tend to be so subtle that the audience might not recognize them immediately, and can only reflect on the clues after the surprise ending.Kate Chopin's short story "Desiree's Baby" creates an emotional shock for readers using situational irony. Armand Aubigny, a harsh slave owner, seems to change his cruel ways when he falls madly in love with and later marries Desiree, a woman who was abandoned as a child by her real parents, but found and raised by a local wealthy woman. Because of her affluence and beauty, Desiree makes the ideal wife. After the birth of their first child, Armand dotes over his family and his happiness influences him to treat his slaves with civility.
However, as in most Chopin tales, joy is only temporary. Three months later, Desiree notices that her baby's skin pigmentation matches that of the quadroon slave fanning the child. Seeing that his baby is part of the race he despises, Armand becomes even more cruel toward his slaves than he was before Desiree, and tells his wife to leave with the baby. Desiree, dejected, heartbroken, and irrational, carries the baby with her into the bayou and disappears. At the very end of this tale, Armand lights a bonfire burning all the mementos of his wife and child, but comes across a letter written by his very own mother that reveals her to be of black descent. Despite the clues Chopin includes throughout the story about Desiree (grey eyes, pale skin, always wearing white) and Armand (dark, handsome, raised in France) leading the reader to determine each character's origin, these hints are significantly more subtle than one overarching fact: Desiree was adopted and her history is unknown. Thus, the essay writer cheap is shocked by the revelation at the end of the story.
Verbal
Verbal irony occurs when the meaning of a character's speech contrasts, exaggerates, or makes light of the literal meaning of the words themselves. This category is probably the most common.We often use verbal irony in our speech; for example, if a man is driving to work and spills his coffee down the front of his shirt, he might say, "Oh, that's just great!" He does not literally mean the hot mess that ruined his outfit is a fantastic gift. He is using this expression as a contrast for what he really means.In "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller, John Proctor asks his wife to pick some flowers for the house in Act Two because he feels "It's winter in here yet." This statement depicts John accusing his wife of being cold and emotionless. Proctor did in fact commit adultery, and because of his sin, Elizabeth no longer trusts him, if she ever really did. However, by the end of the play, Elizabeth says "It takes a cold wife to prompt lechery," admitting her own guilt for driving John to find love and passion elsewhere.
Irony is not an easy device to master and some cheap essay writer service such as William Shakespeare and Kate Chopin are better at building ironic situations than others. The point of irony though is to create drama and intensity, to encourage the audience to think about themes, and to ultimately provide shock value and entertainment.
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