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Hyperbole
Definition of Irony
Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how they actually are. If this seems like a loose definition... read full definition
Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how they actually are. If this... read full definition
Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how... read full definition
Irony
Explanation and Analysis—Evidence in the Trifles:
In an example of situational irony, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are the ones who discover evidence relating to Mrs. Wright’s murder of her husband, not the law enforcement professionals or the one who found the dead man's body. While the three men in the story (the county attorney, sheriff, and Mr. Hale) all believe that they are the ones who will crack the case—and actively mock Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters for looking for clues—they are the ones who come up empty-handed.
Related Themes:
Irony
Explanation and Analysis—Mr. Henderson’s Sarcasm:
Throughout the story, the men use verbal irony to mock Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters for caring about domestic activities and “trifles,” such as Mrs. Wright’s abandoned canning jars and unfinished quilt. The final lines of the story contain one such example of this use of irony:
Unlock with LitCharts A+"Well, Henry," said the county attorney facetiously, "at least we found out that she was not going to quilt it. She was going to—what is it you call it, ladies?" […]
"Knot it," was [Mrs. Hale’s] low reply.
He did not see her eyes.
Related Themes:
