Irony

Also called Dramatic irony, Verbal irony, Situational irony

A gap between what is said or expected and what is meant or happens.

What it is

Verbal irony is saying one thing and meaning the opposite. Situational irony is an outcome that reverses what was expected. Dramatic irony is when the audience knows something a character does not.

Where it applies

Literature above all, and drama texts especially — dramatic irony is the engine of most tragedy.

How it works

Dramatic irony creates tension without any need for suspense about the facts: the audience of Romeo and Juliet knows Juliet is alive, which makes Romeo's certainty unbearable rather than surprising.

Verbal irony builds complicity between writer and reader at a character's expense.

How to use it in your work

Name which kind. "Irony" alone is too vague to score.

For dramatic irony, always say what the audience knows and what the character does not — that gap IS the analysis, and it is where the emotional effect comes from.

Where to get help

Your teacher and your set-text notes. The Romeo and Juliet and An Inspector Calls songs both cover it.