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Difficulty: MediumDramatic Devices and Conventions

Read the dramatic excerpt below:

ELESIN: [Addressing the palace guards with a triumphantly raised goblet]
Let the drums beat loud throughout the kingdom tonight! The King’s traitorous uncle has fled across the river, leaving his army leaderless and scattered in the dark woods. We are completely victorious!

[Unbeknownst to Elesin, the traitorous uncle has already secretly infiltrated the courtyard and stands disguised among the guards directly behind him, drawing a concealed dagger.]

Which dramatic device is primarily demonstrated in the scene above?

  1. Dramatic ironyAnswer
  2. B
    Soliloquy
  3. C
    Tragic flaw
  4. D
    Deus ex machina

Answer

Dramatic irony is the correct answer because the audience possesses critical knowledge of the danger behind the speaker that the speaker himself is completely unaware of.
Dramatic irony occurs when the audience possesses vital information about a character's true situation that the character does not know. Here, the audience knows the enemy is disguised behind Elesin with a weapon, while Elesin mistakenly believes the enemy has fled.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the speaker's statement and situation.
Elesin believes the enemy has fled and celebrates total victory.
Understanding the character's perception of the situation.
2
Analyze the stage direction.
The stage direction reveals to the audience that the enemy is actually standing right behind Elesin with a drawn dagger.
Identifying the contrast between audience knowledge and character awareness.
3
Identify the dramatic device that relies on this disparity of information.
Dramatic irony is defined by the gap in awareness between the audience and the character on stage.
Matching the dramatic element to its formal literary definition.

Key Concept

Dramatic Irony in Play Structure
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Dramatic Devices and Conventions

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