Dramatic irony is a popular literary device that exploits a discrepancy between a character’s perception and what a reader or
audience knows to be true. The term is used to refer to a situation in which the reader or audience possesses some material
information that the character lacks, and it is this imperfect information that motivates the character’s action and accounts for the
work’s conflict and resolution. Examine the use of dramatic irony in two or more works. In what ways does dramatic irony build
tension or suspense, and to what end?
Write a 1,500-word essay (6 double-spaced pages) that answers a broad thematic question or discusses a complex aesthetic topic
by comparing two or more works. Students may analyze works from any unit of the course, and may thus compare a lyric poem to a
novel or a dramatic comedy to a short story, etc. Students should carefully read Chapter 45 in Literature, “Writing a Research Paper”
(1966-1990), and are encouraged to consult the anthology’s “Glossary of Literary Terms” (2052-81).
Sample Solution
