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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
Chapter 41: Two Visitors
Explanation and Analysis—A Burning Mind:
After the attack at the theater in Chapter 40, Father Salví rushes after Ibarra and María Clara. The priest cannot bear the thought of a romantic interaction between them. It seems like he is nobly preserving Christian morals, but in fact Salví is in love with María Clara. The description is made with dramatic irony, as the townsfolk think Salví is righteous while the reader knows he is acting in his own self-interest. The narrator alludes to Salví's thoughts:
The priest went off, unaware of the crowd's presence. He beheld in front of him the handsome bust of a maiden, asleep, breathing softly, her eyelids shaded by long lashes that formed gracious curves like those of Raphael's Virgin. The tiny mouth smiled. Everything about her breathed virginity, purity, innocence. That face was a sweet vision in the middle of white bedclothes, the face of a cherub amid clouds.
His imagination saw more sights . . . and who can write what a burning mind can imagine!
Related Themes:
