Question

How does dramatic irony work?

Answer 1

Saying something dramatic and not meaning it:

*Girl wears brand new outfit and goes out and it starts raining she gets the outfit wet.

As she goes back home mother says: "I love what you did to the outfit"
(:

Answer 2

@RaviRizaei That is actually an example of verbal irony.

This is how dramatic irony works. The playwright sets up a situation where the audience knows something that at least one of the characters does not. Then that character (characters) does (do) or says (say) something that goes against what the audience already knows. Dramatic irony can be used to create plot twists or to create tension within the audience (that feeling of "Don't do it! Don't do it!"

A classic example of dramatic irony is in Romeo and Juliet when Romeo commits suicide because he believes Juliet is dead. When Juliet awakens and finds Romeo dead, she commits suicide as well. Juliet killing herself is not ironic because she is not lacking any information that the audience already has, but Romeo killing himself is where the irony lies because he does not know that Juliet is only in a temporary coma. While the death of Juliet is not ironic in itself, Shakespeare used that act to strengthen the irony of Romeo's death.

Answer 3

jagatuba, so does the dramatic irony have to last throughout the whole story, play, etc.?

Answer 4

No, it doesn't have to last throughout the entire story.