Irony in Romeo and Juliet

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Irony in Romeo and Juliet
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Definition

• you expect one thing to happen, but the
  unexpected happens instead
• 3 types
• Situational
• Dramatic
• Verbal

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Verbal Irony

• a character says one thing and means the opposite
• Ex.) A girl has been bothering her boyfriend to
  ask her to prom. When he finally does ask, she
  says, What a surprise.
• Ex.) You get an ugly shirt for Christmas and say,
  Oh, you shouldnt have.

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Situational Irony

• an event occurs that directly contradicts the
  expectations of the characters or reader
• Ex.) The firehouse burns down.
• The police station was robbed.
• The teacher failed the test.
• The student that didnt study passed the test.
• The marriage counselor gets a divorce.

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Dramatic Irony

• the audience knows something the characters do
  not
• ex.) The audience knows that the girl Romeo is
  attracted to at the party is a Capulet. Romeo
  doesnt know that.

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Example

• Act 4 Scene 1 lines 6-15
• Paris Immoderately she weeps for Tybalt's death,
• And therefore have I talked little of love
• For Venus smiles not in a house of tears.
• Now, sir, her father counts it dangerous
• That she do give her sorrow so much sway,
• And in his wisdom hastens our marriage
• To stop the inundation of her tears,
• Which, too much minded by herself alone,
• May be put from her by society
• Now do you know the reason of his haste.

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Example

• Romeo returns to Verona. He find Juliet drugged,
  in a death-like sleep. He assumes she is dead and
  kills himself. When Juliet wakes up and finds him
  dead, she kills herself with his knife.

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Example

• Romeo and Juliet do spend eternity together. It's
  just not the way the audience hoped.

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Example

• Consider the opening lines of the prologue
• Two households, both alike in dignity.

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Example

• Act 2, Scene 1
• Mercutio and Benvolio see Romeo sneaking off. He
  is looking for his one true love.

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Example

• Act 5 Scene 1
• Juliet says, I will confess to you that I love
  him.