Answered on : 2024-02-13
Irony, in a broad sense, involves a contrast between appearances and reality or between expectations and outcomes. Here are the main types of irony:
1. **Verbal Irony**: When there's a difference between what is said and what is meant or intended. This often involves sarcasm or saying the opposite of what one means[4].
2. **Situational Irony**: Occurs when the actual result of a situation is different from what was expected[7].
3. **Dramatic Irony**: Found in literature and occurs when the audience knows something that the characters in the story do not[6].
4. **Socratic Irony**: A pretense of ignorance by one engaging in a discussion to expose the flaws in the opponent's arguments[2].
Irony adds depth to communication and storytelling by highlighting contradictions and hidden meanings[1][3][5][9].