Isn't It Ironic?

I've been blogging about making writing more literary.  One strategy that can quickly elevate a piece of writing from mundane to literary is the use of irony.  Most people use "irony" in the way it's used in the song "Isn't It Ironic," as in something going wrong in a funny way.  In the song, the word "ironic" is used to categorize misfortunes like rain on one's wedding day or crashing the first time you dared to fly or getting a free ride when you've paid or meeting the perfect man who is already taken.  These examples don't entirely capture any of the three literary definitions of irony, and some don't really fit any of these definitions.  

Real irony goes counter to expectations of the reader or the characters.  Does one expect rain on a wedding day?  If one is paying attention to the weather reports or has an indoor wedding, there's nothing ironic about it.  You expected the rain or at least prepared for it.  Does one expect a handsome man to be married?  Many times, this is no surprise.  It defies no one's expectations.  If all you ever knew about irony was learned from this song, you don't fully understand the meaning of the word.  Now, isn't that ironic? 

The three kinds of literary irony are verbal, situational, and dramatic.  These literary devices can be used in comedy, tragedy, drama, or anything else in order to defy the reader's expectations.  

 

Most people use verbal irony in sarcasm.  The narrator or character means the opposite of what he/she says.  John may say, "Well, isn't that great" in a sardonic tone, when what he means is that's not great or even good.  In "Star Wars," Han Solo says, "What an incredible smell you've discovered" after they've found themselves in a foul-smelling trash compactor. In literature, Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" ironically advocates for the use of Irish babies as food when what he's trying to get people to realize that Irish people are humans, too, and deserve to be treated as such.  Verbal irony is only present when words are being used, such as in speech.  Otherwise, it's another kind of irony.  

Situational irony is when what is happening is different than is expected.  This is the closest to the definition as in the song.  For instance, in "The Gift of the Magi," a man sacrifices his watch to buy a comb for his wife's long hair, while she gives up her hair to buy a chain for his watch.  The situation defies their expectations.  Romeo rushes to Juliet's side only to find her apparently dead.  Because she seems dead, he acts accordingly and kills himself.   However, his false understanding results in both of their deaths.  The reader expects a fireman to put out fires, but in Fahrenheit 451, they do the opposite.  Authors use situational irony for all kinds of literary effects from humorous to tragic.  

 

Dramatic irony comes up all the time in comedy, tragedy, mystery, and everything else.  The narrator reveals the killer is behind the door as the investigator walks into the room.  The reader yells at the investigator to get out because he/she knows something the investigator doesn't.  This is dramatic irony.  In 12th Night, the reader/audience knows Viola is female, even as she dresses like a boy.  This can cause discomfort, emotional intensity, and humor in the love triangle, as she falls for Orsino, the man who has fallen for Olivia, who has fallen for Viola's alternate identity, Cesario.  The example in the paragraph above from Romeo and Juliet also falls into this category as the author/audience knows Juliet lives.  The use of irony heightens the drama as we watch Romeo acting without the piece of knowledge the audience has but Romeo lacks.  

You, too, can use irony in your writing.  Make sure to research and fully understand these three types.  Read examples of them.  Don't fall into the trap of just going with the misleading and shallow cultural understanding of irony.  There is much more to it than that.  Find places where your character's cell phone or computer can die just at the wrong moment, leaving him acting without the knowledge of what others are doing.  Make situations completely the opposite of what your characters expect.  Use verbal irony for humor and to add depth to dialogue.  You'll find your writing becomes much more literary as you do.