Irony is a mode of expression that conveys a reality different from and usually opposite to appearance or expectation. This can be done through words, “verbal irony,” in which speakers say one thing but really mean the opposite. In “situational irony,” what actually happens is the opposite of what is expected, and “dramatic irony” occurs when the reader knows something important that a character in the story does not know. The surprise generated by the ironic use of opposites often produces a comic effect, making irony often funny.
In the Bible, when the Romans said to Jesus, “Hail king of the Jews,” they were mocking him, and thus the statement is an example of irony.
Click on one of the three different types of irony to reveal an example. Click 1, 2, or 3 to view different examples of the specified type of irony.
