Irony in Macbeth - 1655 Words

Dramatic Irony is the result of information being shared with the audience but withheld from one or more of the characters. Example: In Act 1 Scene 4, line 50 , the witches hail Macbeth, â€Å"thane of Cawdor!† Dramatic irony: At this point, Macbeth is unaware that the king has conferred this honor upon him because of his valor in battle, so he attributes his fortune to the witches’ prophecy. However, the audience knows Duncan made the pronouncement in Act 1, Scene 3. Purpose: This dramatic irony is to show Macbeth’s belief that the witches speak the truth and are responsible for his success. This belief can, and does, influence his future actions. Example: In Act 1, Scene 6, line 1, Duncan says, â€Å"This castle hath a pleasant seat† Dramatic†¦show more content†¦Said Lady Macbeth, â€Å"Nought’s had, all’s spent. Where our desire is got without content: ’Tis safer to be that which we destroy than, by destruction, dwell in doubtful joy.† In Act III, Scene i Macbeth said of the witches and the murder, â€Å"For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered; put rancours in the vessel of my peace only for them; and mine eternal jewel given to the common enemy of man.† In those sentences, we can see the irony in the witches’ prophecies. The implied meaning of the witches’ prophecies was that Macbeth would be king. Macbeth took this to mean that he would be a happy king, and so dreams of him on the throne appeared. He thought that becoming king would be easy, he just had to get Duncan out of the way. Everything turned out as Macbeth had imagined, except that he was not happy as the king. The guilt from Duncan’s murder, not to mention that of Banquo’s, made being the king a horrible experience for Macbeth, all because of the witches. This irony would make the audience mistrust the witches in the back of their minds, and therefore also put a vague fear over the whole play, because of the realisation of the witches’ relentless sinister determination to disrupt peace and order in Scotland. Another excellent example of irony in the play starts in Act II, Scene ii, shortly after the murder of Duncan. Macbeth had justShow MoreRelatedMacbeth Irony1610 Words   |  7 PagesMACBETH DRAMATIC IRONY The story of Macbeth written by the infamous William Shakespeare is an excellent storyline known and taught as a great piece of literature. Even after the creation of this tale almost 400 years ago, this wonderful written work is still admired and known all over the world. It is an adventure of a noble and truthful hero who is overcome by the lust for power and by greed. 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