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dramatic irony
dramatic irony, or tragic irony, a figure of speech in which what is said by the characters in a play has a different and more serious meaning to the audience who are more aware than are the characters concerned of the catastrophe which is either impending or has occurred. As, for example, Duncan's speech in Macbeth on arriving at Macbeth's castle, where his murder has already been planned, or Macbeth's ‘Fail not our feast’ to Banquo when he has arranged Banquo's murder for that same evening.
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Cite this article
MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "dramatic irony." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "dramatic irony." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-dramaticirony.html MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "dramatic irony." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-dramaticirony.html |
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dramatic irony
dra·mat·ic i·ro·ny • n. see irony1 . |
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Cite this article
"dramatic irony." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "dramatic irony." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-dramaticirony.html "dramatic irony." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-dramaticirony.html |
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