English 12 / Unit 3: The Enlightenment and Satire
3.3 Types of Irony
Notes
Irony is a gap between what is said or expected and what is meant or happens.
- Verbal irony: the speaker means the opposite of what is said. "What a lovely day," said while standing in a downpour.
- Situational irony: the outcome is the opposite of what was expected. A fire station burns down.
- Dramatic irony: the audience knows more than a character.
- Sarcasm is bitter verbal irony meant to wound. Satirists often use a persona, a speaker whose views the writer does not share.
Practice
A firefighter's house burns down while he is at work. Which type of irony is this?
The outcome is the opposite of what would be expected.
A student looks at a failed test and says, "Great, another wonderful day." This is:
The speaker means the opposite of what the words say.
Why do satirists often write in the voice of a persona?
The persona's flawed logic exposes the satirist's target.
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