Let us remember that dramatic irony is when one or more
characters and the audience know something that a principal character does not. Perhaps
the most famous literary example of this is of course in Romeo and
Juliet, when we know that Juliet is not dead but are forced to watch Romeo
kill himself just before his true love awakes. Thus when we think of this definition of
dramatic irony and apply it to this play, we can see the biggest dramatic irony comes as
the two sisters, Cathleen and Nora, look through the bundle of clothes that was
recovered from a drowned corpse whilst their mother is away and find that they belong to
their brother, who has obviously drowned like his other brothers. However, because of
Maurya's fear about her last remaining son going on the sea, they decide to keep this
knowledge from her until Bartley's safe return:
readability="7">Put these things away before she'll come in.
Maybe it's easier she'll be after giving her blessing to Bartley, and we won't let on
we've heard anything the time he's on the
sea.Of course, the irony
heightens the tragedy, as Maurya is still plagued with the premonition that her last
remaining son will die by the sea too, and we as the audience know that her other son
has definitely been drowned the same way that she fears Bartey will
die.
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