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Dialect
Definition of Dramatic Irony
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given situation, and that of the... read full definition
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given... read full definition
Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a... read full definition
Key Examples in A Scandal in Bohemia
Part 2
Explanation and Analysis—Compunction:
In the second part of the story, Holmes hatches a plan to trick Irene Adler and get inside of her house. Although he remains loyal to Holmes and discreetly plays his part, Watson feels guilt over his involvement in the scheme. This reinforces the dramatic irony that marks the scene, as Watson feels bad precisely because he knows something the lovely, well-intentioned Irene Adler remains oblivious to. Watson's reflections on his guilt have the additional effect of cementing him as Holmes's foil:
I do not know whether he was seized with compunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but I know that I never felt more heartily ashamed of myself in my life than when I saw the beautiful creature against whom I was conspiring, or the grace and kindliness with which she waited upon the injured man.
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