What is dramatic irony?

Dramatic irony occurs when the audience possesses knowledge that the characters in a story do not have, creating a layer of meaning that the characters are unaware of. This gap in knowledge can enhance the audience's emotional engagement and heighten tension, as they anticipate the characters' reactions to situations that are already clear to them. For example, in a play or movie, if the audience knows a character is walking into a trap while the character believes they are entering a safe space, this creates dramatic irony.

The other options do not accurately define dramatic irony. The first option implies clarity among characters, which contradicts the essence of dramatic irony, as it relies on the lack of understanding from their perspective. The second option refers to verbal irony, which involves the use of words to express something different from their literal meaning. The last one describes a situation of situational irony, where an outcome is contrary to what one would expect, but it does not involve the audience's awareness contrasting with the characters'.