Overview of Irony and Figures of Speech

Overview

This lecture covers irony and various figures of speech, focusing on definitions, types, and their purposes in literature.

Irony is when words are used to convey a meaning opposite to their literal sense.
There are three main types of irony: verbal, situational, and dramatic.
Verbal irony occurs when a speaker says one thing but means another.
Situational irony is when the actual outcome differs from what is expected.
Dramatic irony happens when the audience knows something that characters do not.

Figures of speech use language creatively to express ideas in unique or vivid ways.
Simile compares two unlike things using "like" or "as."
Metaphor compares two unlike things without using "like" or "as."
Personification gives human qualities to non-human things.
Hyperbole exaggerates for emphasis or effect.
Oxymoron combines contradictory words to reveal a paradox.
Onomatopoeia uses words that imitate sounds.
Irony itself is also considered a figure of speech.

Irony — a literary device where the intended meaning is opposite to the literal meaning.
Verbal Irony — saying one thing but meaning another.
Situational Irony — a discrepancy between expected and actual outcomes.
Dramatic Irony — when the audience knows more than characters.
Simile — comparison using "like" or "as."
Metaphor — direct comparison without "like" or "as."
Personification — giving human traits to non-human things.
Hyperbole — deliberate exaggeration for effect.
Oxymoron — pairing contradictory terms.
Onomatopoeia — words that mimic sounds.