irony英美文学名词解释

irony英美文学名词解释

Irony：

Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such

a way that their intended meaning is different from the literal

meaning. It is a literary device used to create a contrast or

incongruity between two ideas for the purpose of emphasizing

a point or provoking thought. Irony can be further divided into

verbal irony, dramatic irony, and situational irony.

Verbal Irony:

Verbal irony is a figure of speech in which someone says

one thing but means another, often in a humorous or sarcastic

way. For example, when a person says “That was so smart” in

a sarcastic tone, they are making a verbal Irony.

Dramatic Irony:

Dramatic Irony occurs when the audience or reader of a work

of literature knows more than the characters in the story. This

is often used to create suspense or humor. For example, in the

Greek play Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is unaware that he has killed

his father, but the audience knows the truth.

Situational Irony:

Situational Irony also known as cosmic irony, is a type of

irony in which an outcome of a situation is completely different

from what would be expected. For example, if a fireman’s house

is on fire, it is ironic because the fireman is expected to put

out fires, not have his own home on fire.。