Tragic Irony in Shakespeares Macbeth :: Free Essay Writer

The Tragic Irony of Macbeth There are umteen causes of irony use in Macbeth. Without the irony, the tragedywould not be instead so tragic. One type of irony used in Macbeth is communicative irony. This is when a character saysone thing and means the opposite. Examples of this are when Macbeth says to Banquo,this night we hold a solemn supper, sir, And Ill request your presence (III, i, 13-14) orwhen he says Fail not our feast (III, i, 28). Verbal irony makes the revivify more tragicbecause, if the reader understands the irony of what a character is saying, then(prenominal) the reader can see the true nature and intentions of the character. Another type of irony Shakespeare used is the irony of a situation. This is whenthe results of an action or case are different than what is expected. One example is whenMacduff is speaking with Malcolm about the tragedies in Scotland, not knowing that hisfamily has been murdered. He says Let us rather adopt fast the mortal sword, and like go od menBestride our down-falln birthdom. Each new mornNew widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows strike heaven on the face, that it resoundsAs if it felt with Scotland and yelled out worry syllable of dolor (IV, iii, 4-7). Macduff, ironically, is remarking on new widows howling, not aware of the factthat he is a widower. This presents a great deal of irony to the reader, as substantially as a tragicsituation. Dramatic irony is also used in Macbeth. This type of irony is when there is acontradiction in the midst of what characters of the play do, and what the reader knows willhappen. In Macbeth, an example is the jocularity with which Duncan, the King, speaks ofInverness. This pleasantry is a facade, because little does Duncan know, but the plot tomurder him is being hatched and will be carried out here at Inverness. How ironic for thereader, and how tragic, to envision Duncan say This castle hath a pleasant seat the airnimbly and sweetly recommends itselfUnto our gentle sense s. (I, iv, 1-3). Finally, irony of Fate is used. This is when a result defeats the heading of anevent. For example, because of Macbeths reaction to seeing Banquos ghost in cultivate IIIscene iv is so dramatic and violent, he casts hesitation onto himself, instead of gaining