Types of Irony
As discussed there are many different types of irony that are (though some questionably) accepted forms of use, which doesn't make an ironist's life any easier. Of the many forms of irony, some are more common than others and those are examined below. These are certainly the major types of irony that you're likely to come across, though most people associate most heavily with the "Situational" or "Cosmic" irony — you've probably heard of it as Sod's Law or Murphy's Law. This, however, is a very narrow view of the many other forms of ironic examples that are available to view and discuss in literature.
- Literary Irony, Socratic Irony — playing the fool for gain
- Dramatic / Tragic Irony — also known as Shakespearean Irony: the audience knows something that the protagonist does not
- Situational / Cosmic Irony — fate personified and "playing games", think Sod's Law
- Postmodern Irony — metafiction and modern ironic expression