Why do you use irony

Create a discrepancy between what is expected and what actually happens, as in these examples. Verbal irony is type of irony that we have not focused on here, but you can learn more about it at the second link, below, under "More about irony.

In the short story "The Gift of the Magi," a young couple is too poor to buy each other Christmas gifts. The man sells his pocket watch to buy his wife a set of combs for her long, beautiful hair. She, meanwhile, cuts off her beautiful hair and sells it to a wig-maker for money to buy her husband a watch-chain. Note: The author uses irony in this story to compel the reader to stop and think about love, sacrifice and what is truly valuable.

Ozymandias I met a traveler from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert One of the most famous examples of irony in literature comes from The Gift of the Magi by O. In this story, a newly married couple decides independently to sacrifice and sell what means most to themselves in order to purchase a Christmas gift for the other.

Unfortunately, the gifts they receive from each other are intended for the very prized possessions they both sold. As a result, though their sacrifices symbolize the love they have for each other, the actual gifts they receive are all but useless. Many common phrases and situations reflect irony. Irony often stems from an unanticipated response verbal irony or an unexpected outcome situational irony.

Here are some common examples of verbal and situational irony:. Irony is extremely useful as a plot device. Here are some instances of irony that have taken place:. Though there are many forms of irony as a literary device, its three main forms are verbal, dramatic, and situational. Verbal irony sets forth a contrast between what is literally said and what is actually meant.

In dramatic irony , the state of the action or what is happening as far as what the reader or viewer knows is the reverse of what the players or characters suppose it to be. Situational irony refers to circumstances that turn out to be the reverse of what is expected or considered appropriate. Dramatic Irony is more of a vicarious violation of expectations or knowledge.

Therefore, the reader is left in suspense or conflict until the situation or information is revealed to the characters involved. Dramatic irony allows a reader the advantage of knowing or understanding something that a particular character or group of characters does not. In my recently published book, Irony and Sarcasm , I attempt to disentangle knotty issues like these.

In general, irony refers to a clash between expectations and outcomes. Typically, the outcome is the opposite of what someone wanted or hoped for. This clash carries over to verbal irony, in which people say the opposite of what they literally mean. Some cases, however, are relatively straightforward. Consider situational irony, in which two things become odd or humorous when juxtaposed. And the January rescheduling of an annual snowball fight at the University of British Columbia was correctly described as ironic because of the reason for the cancellation: too much snow.