Dramatic, Situational, and Verbal Irony

The difference between what is expected to happen and what actually occurs. Often, roles and outcomes are dramatically reversed.

• Situational Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Verbal Irony

When a character says the opposite of what they really mean.

• Situational Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Verbal Irony

When the audience knows something that the characters in the story do not.

• Situational Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Verbal Irony

In Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows that Juliet takes a sleeping potion, but the other characters think she is dead.

• Situational Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Verbal Irony

In Beauty and the Beast, Belle tells Gaston, the unpleasant man who is trying to win her love, “I just don’t deserve you!”

• Situational Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Verbal Irony

When standing in front a grand mansion, Tom says, “this place is a dump.”

• Situational Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Verbal Irony

In Snow White, the viewers see the wicked stepmother curse an apple. Snow White doesn’t know it is cursed and eats it.

• Situational Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Verbal Irony

In the novel Wonder, Julian and his mother try to get Auggie kicked out of school. It turns out the Julian is the one who doesn’t return for the following school year.

• Situational Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Verbal Irony

In the Harry Potter series, one of the people Harry hated the most was actually tying to help protect him all along.

• Situational Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Verbal Irony

When Greg got into a car accident on his way to work, he said, “well this is just wonderful.”

• Situational Irony

• Dramatic Irony

• Verbal Irony