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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
Dramatic Irony
Explanation and Analysis—Patroclus's Death:
Book 16 of the Iliad contains a significant amount of foreshadowing, dramatic irony, and situational irony, as Patroclus is sent off to fight in Achilles's armor. In addition to offering the reader details about what will take place, Homer also stages an asymmetry of knowledge between the various characters. In the end, Patroclus's participation in battle makes Achilles rejoin the fighting—but it also brings consequences that none of the characters foresaw.
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Dramatic Irony
Explanation and Analysis—Divine Intervention:
Because the narrator is privy to the gods' involvement in the war, the Iliad contains a great amount of dramatic irony. In many instances, the reader is in the know about developments on Mount Olympus that directly affect the unknowing mortals down in Troy. However, the mortals aren't the only ones who are sometimes missing the full picture. Because the scheming gods also keep secrets from each other, the immortals are sometimes the subjects of dramatic irony as well. Even Zeus doesn't always know everything.
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