Standard 3.8
Interpret and evaluate the impact of ambiguities,
subtleties, contradictions, ironies, and incongruities.
Irony
Number of Questions
The literary response and analysis
section of the CAHSEE contains 20
multiple choice questions.
There are two questions on the
CAHSEE that ask questions
regarding your understanding of
standard 3.8
Purpose
Understanding irony within
the text allows you to better
understand the deeper
meaning--the humor, the
tragedy--of the piece
What is Irony?
Irony-a contradictory
statement or situation.
Types of Irony
There are 3 different types of irony:
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Verbal irony
Situational irony
Dramatic irony
Verbal Irony
Verbal irony happens when a character says
one thing but means the opposite.
Tips: Usually verbal irony also has an ironic
tone.
Verbal Irony - Example
For example, in Julius Caesar, Mark Antony
repeats the words "and Brutus is an honorable
man" in the famous “Friends, Romans,
countrymen” speech. Mark Antony’s meaning,
however, is that Brutus is completely dishonorable
because Brutus, Caesar’s best friend, joined the
other conspirators and plunged a knife into
Caesar’s chest.
Note: Verbal irony may be confused with sarcasm,
but sarcasm is harsh and direct, while verbal irony
is implied.
Situational Irony
Situational irony- when what
happens in the story is the opposite
of what is expected to occur.
Situational Irony
In Guy de Maupassant’s story
“The Necklace” the main character
works for years to replace an
expensive necklace she borrowed
and lost only to learn years later that
the necklace was a fake.
What makes this situation ironic?
Dramatic Irony
Dramatic irony- happens when
the reader has information that
one or more of the characters
does not have.
Tip: Dramatic irony involves more
than just spoken words.
Dramatic Irony Example
In Othello, dramatic irony occurs
when Othello refers to Iago as “honest
Iago.” Unknown to Othello, Iago is a
villain who deceives him into thinking
that Desdemona (Othello’s wife) has
been unfaithful. For this, Othello
unjustly kills his wife, believing the
whole time in Iago’s honesty.
(The audience knows the situation better than the
character in the play--and feels the agony as an
onlooker.)
Situational/Dramatic
Ironies
Note the difference in examples for verbal
and dramatic irony:
Antony calls Brutus “honorable”
and knows he is not honorable,
while Othello calls Iago “honest”
and does not know of Iago’s
deceit, his dishonesty.