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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
Key Examples in The Faerie Queene
Book I: Canto II
Explanation and Analysis—Gealous Fire :
Spenser employs dramatic irony in a pivotal scene in Book I in which Redcross is separated from Una due to the deceptions of the villainous wizard Archimago. Earlier, Archimago conjured a spirit disguised as Una who attempted unsuccessfully to seduce Redcross. Later, Archimago sets up another illusion in which Una appears to have gone to bed with another knight, horrifying and enraging Redcross. The narrator states that:
All in amaze he suddenly vpstart
With sword in hand, and with the old man went;
Who soone him brought into a secret part,
Where that false couple were full closely ment
In wanton lust and lewd embracement:
Which when he saw, he burnt with gealous fire,
The eye of reason was with rage yblent,
And would haue slaine them in his furious ire,
But hardly was restrained of that aged sire.
Related Themes:
Book II: Canto I
Explanation and Analysis—Ne Would She Speake:
In a scene suffused with dramatic irony, Duessa attempts to deceive Guyon into attacking the Redcross Knight. Describing her false attempt to portray herself as an innocent victim of Redcross, the narrator states:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Which when she heard, as in despightfull wise,
She wilfully her sorrow did augment,
And offred hope of comfort did despise:
Her golden lockes most cruelly she rent,
And scratcht her face with ghastly dreriment,
Ne would she speake, ne see, ne yet be seene,
But hid her visage, and her head downe bent,
Either for grieuous shame, or for great teene,
As if her hart with sorrow had transfixed beene.
Related Themes:
Book III: Canto I
Explanation and Analysis—Malecasta and Britomart :
Spenser employs dramatic irony during Britomart’s stay in the house of Malecasta. Though the reader knows that Britomart is a female knight, her knight’s armor has concealed her body and Malecasta has falsely assumed that Britomart is a male. In a deeply ironic scene, the “Lady of Delight” attempts to court Britomart:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Whom when the Lady saw so faire a wight,
All ignoraunt of her contrary sex,
(For she her weend a fresh and lusty knight)
She greatly gan enamoured to wex,
And with vaine thoughts her falsed fancy vex:
Her fickle hart concerned hasty fire,
Like sparkes of fire, which fall in sclender flex,
That shortly brent into extreme desire,
And ransackt all her veines with passion entire.
Related Themes:
