Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ____
Analyze a Dramatic Monologue
for Irony
California State Standards:
3.4 Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text: Determine
characters’ traits by what the characters say about themselves in narration,
dialogue, dramatic monologue, soliloquy.
3.7 Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text: Recognize and
understand the significance of various literary devices, including figurative
language, imagery, allegory, and symbolism, and explain their appeal.
3.8 Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text: Interpret and
evaluate the impact of ambiguities, subtleties, contradictions, ironies, and
incongruities in a text.
TERMINOLOGY.
ANALYZE: to examine something (e.g. piece of writing) by breaking it
into smaller parts.
DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE: a character speaks his/her thoughts aloud,
directly addressing another character. In the movie, The Count of Monte
Cristo speaks directly to Albert during the birthday banquet scene.
IRONY: a situation involving some kind of incongruity or discrepancy
VERBAL IRONY: what is said is the opposite of what is meant. It is not
caustic or critical for that would be sarcasm.
DRAMATIC IRONY: we know something another character doesn’t know.
SITUATIONAL IRONY: a situation that turns out to be very different from
what was expected: the difference between what is expected to happen
and what actually does.
Directions. We are going to write a paragraph that analyzes the Count of
Monte Cristo’s dramatic monologue during the birthday banquet scene.
Note: The expectations for the paragraph are written in the MLA (Modern
Language Association) format.
Smith 1
Bubba Smith
Honors English 10
Mr. Espinozita
6 September 2011
Irony in the Cristo
Write a well-developed paragraph that discusses at least two types of
irony (verbal, situational, dramatic). Your paragraph should begin with a TOPIC
SENTENCE (“the steering wheel of your paragraph” – it helps keep your paragraph
focused; highlight in green) as well as COMMENTARY (your discussion of the
topic; highlight in yellow) and EVIDENCE (quotes from the dramatic monologue;
highlight in pink). End the paragraph with a CONCLUDING SENTENCE that leaves
the reader with a profound thought (highlight in blue). Type the essay in MLA format:
12 point, Times New Roman font; doubled-spaced; pagination; heading with inverted
date; indented paragraphs; centered title (use the same font as the text). Read
the Count of Monte Cristo’s dramatic monologue during the birthday banquet
scene:
Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be
shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that
storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout, as you did in Rome, “Do
your worst … for I will do mine.” Then the fates will know you as we know you,
as Albert Mondego, the man.
PARAGRAPH FORMAT. Write your rough draft on a separate
sheet of paper:
Topic Sentence (Green). Use the following topic sentence:
After toasting Albert at his 16th birthday
banquet, the Count of Monte Cristo delivers a
dramatic monologue replete with irony.
Commentary (Yellow)
Evidence (Pink)
Whenever you incorporate evidence, respond to the
statement, “So what.” In other words, why have you used
the quote? Answer the “So what” by explaining WHAT the
quote does in the passage, what impression should it make
on the reader.
Commentary (Yellow)
Evidence (Pink)
Commentary (Yellow)
Evidence (Pink)
Concluding Sentence (Blue)
NOTE: You may begin with EVIDENCE, followed by COMMENTARY.
Writing is NOT a recipe … you will need to add “extra
ingredients”. One of these important ingredients is
TRANSITIONS. The word “trans” means to move across.
Transitions help you move across or create a “bridge” to make
logical connections between your sentences and paragraphs
Transitions come at the beginning
of your sentence and/or paragraphs:
COMMON TRANSITION WORDS/PHRASES
In Addition
also
besides
further
furthermore
in addition
moreover
next
too
first
second
To Give Examples
for example
for instance
to illustrate
in fact
specifically
To Compare
To Contrast
also
in the same manner however
similarly
on the other hand
likewise
in contrast
nevertheless
still
even though
on the contrary
yet
although
To Summarize/Conclude To Show Place or Direction
in other words
in short
in summary
in conclusion
to sum up
that is
therefore
To Show Time
after
as
before
next
during
later
finally
meanwhile
then
when
while
immediately
To Indicate Logical Relationship
if
therefore
consequently
thus
as a result
for this reason
since
How can you tell whether you need to work on your
transitions? Here are some possible clues:




Your instructor has written comments like "choppy," "jumpy,"
"abrupt," "flow," or "how is this related?" on your paper.
Your readers (instructors, friends, or classmates) tell you that they
had trouble following your organization or train of thought.
You tend to write the way you think—and your brain often jumps
from one idea to another pretty quickly.
You wrote your paper in several discrete "chunks" and then pasted
them together.