Situational Irony

Hard Times

by Charles Dickens

Hard Times: Situational Irony 1 key example

Book 3, Chapter 9
Explanation and Analysis—A Deathbed Confession:

One example of situational irony in the book takes place when Tom passes away. Tom, who at his last meeting with his sister blamed her for his problems and refused to speak with her, dies with her name on his lips:

At length this brother coming nearer home, with hope of seeing her, and being delayed by illness; and then a letter in a strange hand, saying, “he died in hospital, of fever, such a day, and died in penitence and love of you: his last word being your name [...]”