Instead of simply allowing the hero to win with no strings attached, a writer will often reveal a terrible cost to this 'victory,' forcing the character to choose between what they want and what they need.Įxample: Throughout the seventh book of the Harry Potter series, readers follow Harry on his quest to find and destroy Voldemort’s six Horcruxes. Within the context of a story, why might a writer use situational irony? To put a character in an impossible situationĪ hero will often work towards a singular goal that they hope will solve all their problems.
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However, if a professional stunt driver crashes into a tree on their way home from receiving a "best driver" award, that is situationally ironic. If you buy a new car and then accidentally drive it into a tree, that is coincidental and unlucky, but not ironic. To clarify: “the irony of events” is not the same as "coincidence" and "bad luck" (apologies to Alanis Morrisette). For example, when the "unsinkable" HMS Titanic met an untimely end on its maiden voyage. When the truth contradicts an expected outcome, it's situational irony - also known as "the irony of events." Situational irony is closely related to the idea of cosmic irony, where the universe seemingly contrives an event for its own amusement. This dramatic irony gives the scenes where they fall in love a bittersweet edge, making us sympathize with both characters.įind out which literary luminary is your stylistic soulmate. The deception will wound her, and Patrick will (justifiably) lose her trust. The audience knows that Kat will eventually discover the truth. The audience knew all along! (image: Touchstone Pictures)Įxample: In the modern-day Shakespeare adaptation Ten Things I Hate About You, bad-boy transfer student Patrick is paid by his classmate to woo the cold and aloof Kat. If the reader or audience is already "rooting for" the characters, they will hold on to the hope that things will turn out okay for them. If a character is happy, but we know that tragedy lies ahead, a reader cannot help but sympathize with them. For this reason, the scene where Bilbo and Gollum engage in a game of riddles becomes even tenser for the audience.įor some truly impressive suspense-building, check out this list of the 50 best suspense books of all time. However, Gollum does not yet realize he has lost the ring, and Bilbo doesn’t yet know who the ring belongs to. He puts it in his pocket and soon afterward encounters Gollum.Īt this point, readers understand the significance of the ring and its importance to Gollum. Will the character discover the secret we already know? What will happen when they find out the truth? What if they find out the truth too late? Subconsciously, all of these questions run through our minds as the story unfolds.Įxample: The Hobbit contains a perfect example of this when Bilbo happens upon the ring while lost on a mountain. So, why might a writer employ dramatic irony in a story? To build fear and suspense That shot in a horror film when the killer slowly appears in the background, unseen by our hero? A short story set in the idyllic town of Pompeii in 78AD? Both of these are riddled with dramatic irony. A favorite device of William Shakespeare, dramatic irony occurs when the reader knows essential information that the main characters do not.
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