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Writers can create situations in which an expected outcome turns out to be the exact opposite. Such irony can be used to powerful effect on readers, but it is also a widely misunderstood technique.
Writers can create situations in which an expected outcome turns out to be the exact opposite. Such irony can be used to powerful effect on readers, but it is also a widely misunderstood technique.
Irony - a literary technique which allows a writer to create a situation where reality is the opposite of what is stated, expected or intended.
Introduction
Introduction
Irony is when what happens is exactly the opposite of what is anticipated. This technique can be used for tragic or comical purpose by writers, and there are many different ways it can manifest.
The Simpsons
The Simpsons
There is a scene in the television series The Simpsons in which Homer, a man who is clumsy, accident prone, and unable to learn from his mistakes, is attempting to hammer a nail into a piece of wood in front of his son, Bart.
To steady the nail, Homer does not grip it between his thumb and forefinger as we might expect. Instead, he puts his thumb on the nail—a clear signal to the audience that he is about to crush it with his hammer.
As Homer prepares to strike, the tension in the scene builds. However, just as he pulls his hand back (and the audience is cringing in anticipation of the approaching blow), Homer manages to strike himself in the eye with the hammer, before he can even swing downwards at the nail.
The scene ends with Homer's customary cry of Doh!, and laughter from both Bart and the audience.
Why is this moment funny?
Well, perhaps it is enjoyable as a form of schadenfreude—that is, deriving pleasure from the misfortune of another. After all, the audience was expecting to see Homer hurt himself with the hammer.
However, this comedic moment is raised beyond such humour by the added use of irony.
Irony occurs when reality is the opposite of what is intended. In this case, the audience was expecting Homer to strike down on his thumb and then cry out in pain. However, before he can get to this downward motion, he manages to hit himself in the eye as he pulls the hammer up.
Therefore, what happens is the opposite of what was expected, and the audience laughs even harder because of this irony.
Types of Irony
Types of Irony
For writers, there are three types of irony that can be used to engage readers: verbal, situational and dramatic.
Verbal Irony
Verbal Irony
There is a moment in the film Jaws when protagonist Brody sees for the first time the shark his team has been hunting.
The creature is massive, and Brody pulls back instantly upon seeing it. Recovering, he slowly steps backwards into the cabin where he says calmly to the captain: "You're going to need a bigger boat."
In this scene, it is obvious to the audience that the boat the crew are sailing on is completely outclassed by the massive shark. Thus, Brody's remark is an understatement, one of the four kinds of verbal irony.
Understatement - a character deliberately underemphasises something they say.
Overstatement - a character deliberately exaggerates something they say.
Sarcasm - a character critiques something or someone by saying the opposite of what they mean.
Socratic - a character deliberately pretends to be unintelligent to get something they want.
Situational Irony
Situational Irony
There is a moment in the television series Blackadder, when the titular protagonist is standing in a World War I trench with his comrades, waiting to go over the top.
As the artillery falls silent, the soldiers allow themselves a moment to imagine that maybe the war is over. One of them cries "Thank God! We lived through it—The Great War: 1914 to 1917". The audience laughs sympathetically at this statement, aware (unlike the character) that World War I ends in 1918, not 1917.
This situation is an example of historical irony, one of the four types of situational irony.
Cosmic - when fate or something supernatural intervenes in a story to reverse what is expected.
Poetic (poetic justice) - when a character gets what they deserve in an unexpected way.
Structural - when a character is unaware of how the world around them really works.
Historical - when a situation in a historical story does not resolve the way the characters expect.
Dramatic Irony
Dramatic Irony
There is a moment in every children's' pantomime when a character is walking blissfully through the woods, only for a scary monster to appear behind them.
The character hears a noise and innocently asks "Is anyone there?" In response, the audience cries as one: "Behind you!!"
In such a scene, the audience is aware of vital information that is denied to a character—a technique known as dramatic irony.
Dramatic irony offers an effective way for writers to build tension in a scene because the audience knows that a character who believes they are safe is actually in great danger.
Audience members must watch this scene play out without any way to help the endangered characters (no matter how loudly they shout "Behind you!!")
Using Irony
Using Irony
There is a lot going on with irony, so don't worry if all of the different types are a little too much to take in.
What is worth remembering, however, is that the use of irony in writing requires intent. That is, a writer must deliberately set up a situation in which reality turns out to be the opposite of what is expected, with humorous or tragic results.
Editor's Notes
Editor's Notes
You may have heard the Alanis Morissette song Ironic, which is responsible for many people misunderstanding the meaning of irony.
This is because the situations described in Morissette's songs, such as "rain on your wedding day" or "a free ride when you've already paid" are not ironic. Instead, they are merely unfortunate coincidences.
Morrissette herself has since poked fun at her lyrics. When performing a satirical version of the song on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Morissette belts out: "It's singing Ironic, when there are no ironies!"
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