Language Fun: Irony

by Connie Kent

Irony is when something happens that is the opposite of what was expected. It is one of the most misunderstood figures of speech in common English—many people think that the definition of irony has to do with coincidence or bad luck. Many people think irony is sarcasm. Sarcasm is a type of irony.

Irony is really when our expectations are overturned or disrupted. There are three types of irony in literature:

• Verbal irony: Verbal irony is when a character says something that is different from what they really mean or how they really feel. If the intent of the irony is to mock, it is known as sarcasm. Socratic irony is a type of verbal irony, where a person feigns ignorance in order to entice someone else to make claims that can then be argued with.
• Situational irony: Situational irony occurs when there is a difference between what is expected to happen and what actually happens. For example, a fire station burning down is a case of situational irony.
• Dramatic irony: Dramatic irony is when the audience knows more than the characters. The characters’ actions have a different meaning for them than they do for the audience, which creates tension and suspense. When used in tragedies, dramatic irony is referred to as “tragic irony.” For example, in Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows that the lovers are each alive. Each drinks their poison without knowing what the audience knows.

Here’s an example of irony:

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