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Literary Devices
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
Dramatic Irony
Explanation and Analysis—Right Under Their Noses:
A key example of dramatic irony in “Lamb to the Slaughter” is the fact that Mary feeds her murder weapon (a previously frozen leg of lamb) to the detectives who are at her house looking for the weapon that killed Patrick. This is an example of dramatic irony because readers and Mary know that she is literally feeding the detectives evidence, but they are none the wiser, partially because Mary has concocted a strong alibi, and partially because they underestimate her based on sexist expectations.
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Explanation and Analysis—Conversing with Sam:
The second half of the story—which comes after Mary kills her husband Patrick in a fit of rage—is full of dramatic irony, as readers and Mary know that Patrick is dead but the other characters do not. One of the scenes that best captures the dramatic irony in the story is when Mary goes to the grocery store and has a conversation with Sam, the grocer, about what she plans to make for Patrick for dinner that night, acting as if Patrick is still alive.
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