- Verbal irony is a trope in which the intended meaning of a statement differs from the meaning that the words appear to express. For example, the sick person said he felt "just great."
- Situational irony involves an incongruity between what is expected or intended and what actually occurs. [This is what we're talking about above.]
- Dramatic irony is an effect produced by a narrative in which the audience knows more about present or future circumstances than a character in the story. [http://grammar.about.com/od/il/g/ironyterm.htm]
Definition of Irony -- http://www.wordcentral.com/cgi-bin/student?book=Student&va=irony
Irony. The difference between what someone would reasonably expect to happen and what actually does happen.
Situational Irony . When one’s efforts produces the opposite results of what was expected
- Example from “The Ransom of Red Chief.” A boy is kidnapped, but instead of the kidnappers demanding money for the kid’s return, the parents demand money to take him back.
- Historical Example: Surrendering guards at the Bastille still managed to kill 98 citizens.
Verbal Irony. A contrast between what is said and what is actually meant
- Literary Example: Prometheus says to Zeus, “You are as kind as you are wise.” Zeus thinks it’s a compliment. Because Prometheus doesn’t think Zeus is wise, it’s actually an insult.
Dramatic Irony. When the audience knows things the characters do not
- Romeo and Juliet Example: We know Juliet has taken a sleeping potion. Everyone else, except Friar Lawrence, thinks she is dead.
- Literature Example: In Horton Hears a Who, we know that Horton really is talking to little people on a bubble, but everyone else thinks he’s crazy.
- http://www.elacommoncorelessonplans.com/literature-reading-standards/exemplars-g-9-10/short-story-guides-lessons/teaching-irony.html
Dramatic Irony. When the audience knows things the characters do notExample: Stanley Yelnats was excited to get to go to Camp Greenlake and found out it was not a camp and there was no lake.
More Examples:
Ironic or Unfortunate?
Lyrics "Ironic" by Alanis Morissette
An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
Isn't it ironic, don't you think?
It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
And who would've thought, it figures
Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids good-bye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well, isn't this nice"
And isn't it ironic, don't you think?
It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
And who would've thought, it figures
Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up in your face
A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic, don't you think?
A little too ironic, and, yeah, I really do think
It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
And who would've thought, It figures
Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
And life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out
Irish comedian Ed Byrne:"Like a traffic jam when you're already late."
That's not ironic, it's just a pain . . , that's what that is. When was the last time you were late for something, got stuck in a traffic jam and said "Look at the irony on this, there's irony for ya! I'll tell ya I was in a fierce ironic traffic jam the other day I'll tell ya. The irony was ninety!"
No, there's nothing ironic about being stuck in a traffic jam when you're late for something. Unless you're a town planner. If you were a town planner and you were on your way to a seminar of town planners at which you were giving a talk on how you solved the problem of traffic congestion in your area, but couldn't get to it because you were stuck in a traffic jam, that'd be well ironic. "I'm sorry I'm late - you'll never guess..."
"It's like rain on your wedding day." Only if you're marrying a weatherman and he set the date.
I could go on and I will.
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break, that's inconsiderate office management. A no-smoking sign in a cigarette factory - irony. It's not a difficult concept, Alanis. It's very rare you see an ironic no-smoking sign, although if you ever see one of those that say "thank-you for not smoking" and you are, that's fairly ironic.
The best line in that song has got to be the line "It's like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife."
That's not ironic, that's just . . . stupid. How big is your sink, Alanis? We haven't got 10,000 spoons beween us, have we?
What do you need this knife for? To stab the bloke who keeps leaving spoons all over your house.
But we'll give her the benefit of the doubt. Imagine you needed a knife for something, couldn't find one because all you find was 10,000 spoons. Could happen. And therefore you couldn't do whatever it was you needed the knife for - then the next day it turned out that a spoon would have done.
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
Isn't it ironic, don't you think?
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
And who would've thought, it figures
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids good-bye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well, isn't this nice"
And isn't it ironic, don't you think?
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
And who would've thought, it figures
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up in your face
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic, don't you think?
A little too ironic, and, yeah, I really do think
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
And who would've thought, It figures
And life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out
That's not ironic, it's just a pain . . , that's what that is. When was the last time you were late for something, got stuck in a traffic jam and said "Look at the irony on this, there's irony for ya! I'll tell ya I was in a fierce ironic traffic jam the other day I'll tell ya. The irony was ninety!"
No, there's nothing ironic about being stuck in a traffic jam when you're late for something. Unless you're a town planner. If you were a town planner and you were on your way to a seminar of town planners at which you were giving a talk on how you solved the problem of traffic congestion in your area, but couldn't get to it because you were stuck in a traffic jam, that'd be well ironic. "I'm sorry I'm late - you'll never guess..."
"It's like rain on your wedding day." Only if you're marrying a weatherman and he set the date.
I could go on and I will.
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break, that's inconsiderate office management. A no-smoking sign in a cigarette factory - irony. It's not a difficult concept, Alanis. It's very rare you see an ironic no-smoking sign, although if you ever see one of those that say "thank-you for not smoking" and you are, that's fairly ironic.
The best line in that song has got to be the line "It's like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife."
That's not ironic, that's just . . . stupid. How big is your sink, Alanis? We haven't got 10,000 spoons beween us, have we?
What do you need this knife for? To stab the bloke who keeps leaving spoons all over your house.
But we'll give her the benefit of the doubt. Imagine you needed a knife for something, couldn't find one because all you find was 10,000 spoons. Could happen. And therefore you couldn't do whatever it was you needed the knife for - then the next day it turned out that a spoon would have done.
