What Is Situational Irony?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Situational irony

takes place when the opposite of what is expected actually happens

. … As figurative language, situational irony allows writers to show the characters’ intentions versus the outcomes, appearance versus reality.

What are 3 situational irony examples?

  • A fire station burns down. …
  • A marriage counselor files for divorce. …
  • The police station gets robbed. …
  • A post on Facebook complains about how useless Facebook is. …
  • A traffic cop gets his license suspended because of unpaid parking tickets. …
  • A pilot has a fear of heights.

What is the best definition of situational irony?

Situational irony is

the irony of something happening that is very different to what was expected

. … Writers sometimes use situational irony as a literary technique to convey a particular message.

What is situational and dramatic irony?

Dramatic irony is when the audience knows more than the character. It creates tension and suspense.

Situational irony occurs when there is a difference between what is expected to happen and what actually happens

. For example, a fire station burning down is a case of situational irony.

What does the word situational irony mean?

The third, and debated, use of irony regards what’s called situational irony. Situational irony involves

a striking reversal of what is expected or intended

: a person sidesteps a pothole to avoid injury and in doing so steps into another pothole and injures themselves.

What is an example of situational irony?


When a child therapist sets out to help a little boy who can see dead people, the last thing he expected to learn was that he, himself, is dead

. It’s one of the most famous examples of situational irony and is beautifully used in this scary movie to keep the audience on their toes.

What are the 10 examples of irony?

  • A fire station burns down.
  • A marriage counselor files for divorce.
  • The police station gets robbed.
  • A post on Facebook complains about how useless Facebook is.
  • A traffic cop gets his license suspended because of unpaid parking tickets.
  • A pilot has a fear of heights.

What is an example of dramatic irony?

If you’re watching a movie about the Titanic and a character leaning on the balcony right before the ship hits the iceberg says, “

It’s so beautiful I could just die

,” that’s an example of dramatic irony. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something that the characters don’t.

What is a situational example?

The definition of situational is a person or thing in regards to surroundings or circumstances. An example of situational is

how a person reacts in different environments

; called situational reactions. adjective. 1. Situational variations were determined based on the responses collected from the survey.

What is an example of verbal irony?

Verbal irony occurs when a speaker’s intention is the opposite of what he or she is saying. For example,

a character stepping out into a hurricane and saying

, “What nice weather we’re having!” Situational irony occurs when the actual result of a situation is totally different from what you’d expect the result to be.

What are the 4 types of irony?

  • Dramatic irony. Also known as tragic irony, this is when a writer lets their reader know something that a character does not. …
  • Comic irony. This is when irony is used to comedic effect—such as in satire. …
  • Situational irony. …
  • Verbal irony.

What are the 3 types of dramatic irony?

There are three stages to dramatic irony:

installation, exploitation, and resolution

. In Othello’s case: The installation happens when Iago persuades Othello that Desdemona is having an affair with the mysterious Cassio (not to be confused with the watch brand)

What’s the difference between verbal irony situational irony and dramatic irony?

Verbal irony (i.e., using words in a non-literal way) Situational irony (i.e., a difference between the

expected and actual outcomes of a situation

or action) Dramatic irony (i.e., an audience knowing something the characters don’t)

Why do we use situational irony?

Furthermore, situational irony occurs

when there is an incongruity between what is expected to happen and what actually happens

. Authors use this device to create a more relatable situation or character within literature. It can also be used to change the tone or mood of a written work.

What is an example of situational irony in Romeo and Juliet?

Hence, the situational irony is

that Romeo kills himself

, or in this scene is planning to kill himself, thinking that Juliet is truly dead when she is actually still alive. Another example of situational irony also revolves around Juliet’s faked death with respect to Friar Laurence and is revealed in Scene 2 of Act 5.

How do you use irony correctly?

She has an ironic sense of humor. It’s ironic that computers break down so often, since they’re meant to save people time. It is ironic that the robber’s car crashed into a police station. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word ‘ironic.

Timothy Chehowski
Author
Timothy Chehowski
Timothy Chehowski is a travel writer and photographer with over 10 years of experience exploring the world. He has visited over 50 countries and has a passion for discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and hidden gems. Juan's writing and photography have been featured in various travel publications.