Which is dramatic irony?

Which is dramatic irony?

• A. Narrative informs audiences of more than its characters know
• B. Uses words opposite to meaning
• C. A group of sentences about one topic
• D. Describes something as a person

Answer: (A)

Dramatic irony happens when the audience has information that the characters do not, creating tension as we anticipate what will happen to the characters because we know more than they do. This item describes the narrative revealing more to the audience than to the characters, which is exactly that dynamic. For contrast, using words opposite to their meaning is verbal irony, not about the audience’s knowledge relative to the characters. A group of sentences about one topic is simply a paragraph, and describing something as a person is personification. An example to see the idea clearly: the audience knows a secret plan, but the character acts unaware, so we anticipate the outcome while the character remains in the dark.

Dramatic irony happens when the audience has information that the characters do not, creating tension as we anticipate what will happen to the characters because we know more than they do. This item describes the narrative revealing more to the audience than to the characters, which is exactly that dynamic.

For contrast, using words opposite to their meaning is verbal irony, not about the audience’s knowledge relative to the characters. A group of sentences about one topic is simply a paragraph, and describing something as a person is personification. An example to see the idea clearly: the audience knows a secret plan, but the character acts unaware, so we anticipate the outcome while the character remains in the dark.