Why do poets use irony

Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor knew well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed: And on the pedestal these words appear: "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair! Round the decay Of that collosal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Note: In this poem, Shelley portrays an ironic situation. The quote within the poem was not ironic at the time of its inscription; rather, the situation became ironic over time as the "works" that Ozymandias believed were great and intimidating eventually disappeared into ruins. Literary Devices. What is it? Why is it important? The poem uses the tone and conventions of epic poetry to describe the mundane scenario of a woman's hair being cut off.

In using a haughty tone to describe an everyday event, Pope makes fun of the pretensions of the epic poem, showing also the vanity of superficial beauty. Another use of irony in poetry is in situational irony. Situational irony occurs when a poet uses a setting or metaphor that is incongruous with the poem's content, making the reader see something new about the object at hand.

A famous example of this type of irony in poetry occurs in T. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Irony often stems from an unanticipated response verbal irony or an unexpected outcome situational irony.

Here are some common examples of verbal and situational irony:. Irony is extremely useful as a plot device. Here are some instances of irony that have taken place:.

Though there are many forms of irony as a literary device, its three main forms are verbal, dramatic, and situational. Verbal irony sets forth a contrast between what is literally said and what is actually meant. In dramatic irony , the state of the action or what is happening as far as what the reader or viewer knows is the reverse of what the players or characters suppose it to be. Situational irony refers to circumstances that turn out to be the reverse of what is expected or considered appropriate.

Dramatic Irony is more of a vicarious violation of expectations or knowledge. Therefore, the reader is left in suspense or conflict until the situation or information is revealed to the characters involved. Dramatic irony allows a reader the advantage of knowing or understanding something that a particular character or group of characters does not. Overall, as a literary device, irony functions as a means of portraying a contrast or discrepancy between appearance and reality.

This is effective for readers in that irony can create humor and suspense, as well as showcase character flaws or highlight central themes in a literary work. Otherwise, the sense of irony is lost and ineffective.

Irony in various forms is a powerful plot device. Unexpected events or character behaviors can create suspense for readers, heighten the humor in a literary work, or leave a larger impression on an audience.