IRONY TERMS

Question 1

Situational Irony

Answer 1

events turn out the opposite of what is expected

Question 2

Dramatic Irony

Answer 2

the reader (or audience) knows something that the character(s) does/do not know ― a character unwittingly acts in a way that is inappropriate to the circumstances, or expects the opposite of what fate has in store for him/her; he/she says something that anticipates the actual outcome, but not at all in the way that he/she means it ― another character may share the ironic awareness with the reader/audience, but the important distinction here is that (unlike with verbal irony) the character who says or does something is not aware of the ironic implications

Question 3

Verbal Irony

Answer 3

the use of words to express a meaning opposite to or different from the words’ literal meaning ― the character who is speaking is aware of this contrast

[e.g., a character says, “What a great day for a picnic!” during a storm]
[e.g., a character keeps telling another character that she is concerned for his well-being while she is plotting his murder at the same time]