THREE TYPES OF IRONY - NOTES
1. Verbal Irony
• the use of words to express something other than and especially the
___________________________ of the _________________ meaning
• In other words, you say one thing but actually mean the _______________.
• It is NOT the same thing as a __________.
With verbal irony, the speaker _____________________________ that what he or
she means is different or opposite from what is said.
• Verbal irony often involves a ________________________ tone.
Verbal Irony Examples
• After an absolutely terrible and tragic day, you say to
your friend, “Well, today was absolutely fantastic! I wish I
had a picture to capture the joy of this moment.”
• During a hurricane, you say, “What lovely weather we’re
having.”
2. Situational Irony
• There is an incongruity--a big difference (sometimes 180 degrees)--between what
is _________________________ to happen and what _______________________.
Situational Irony Examples
• A man goes over the giant
waterfall Niagara Falls in a barrel
and survives, only to take a
cleanup shower where he slips
on the soap and dies from
trauma.
• An anti-technology website
• A woman in need of medical
help is run over by an
ambulance.
• Situational Irony is NOT the same thing as ________________________.
• What actually happens must be the opposite of or differ greatly from what was
__________________to happen.
HYPOCRISY is a type of Situational Irony
• Hypocrisy is the practice of ________________ beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one
does not really hold or practice
• OR saying you believe one thing but then doing something that _______________
that belief
• OR the act of condemning another person when the critic is guilty of the act for
which he/she demands that the accused be condemned
• This is also sometimes described using the idiom--the pot calling the kettle black
3. Dramatic or Tragic Irony
• A situation where a character whose knowledge is _________________ says, does
or encounters something of greater significance than he or she knows
• In other words, when the _____________________________________________
that one or more of the characters do not yet know or understand
Dramatic Irony Examples
•
•
•
•
The end of Romeo and Juliet
Flashbacks that often reveal something to the audience only
Every horror movie ever made—we see the creepy killer but the victim doesn’t
The movie Titanic—we know what’s gonna happen to that ship!