How to use Dramatic Irony in your story

Dramatic irony occurs when the audience has more story information than the characters. Then the audience is able to see irony, danger and humour that characters cannot. This is why dramatic irony in Hollywood is called superior position. Like most dramatic devices, dramatic irony relies on the principle of what information the audience and characters are given.

Let’s look at Alfred Hitchcock’s classic example of suspense -- the ticking bomb under the seat of two unaware characters -- to analyse briefly the nature and power of superior position. Because we the audience see the great danger of the ticking bomb and the characters don’t, from our sweaty seats we scream at them: “Look down! Run!” We are gripped in suspense watching this terror play out live before us for a long period of time. As Hitchcock liked to note, the effect of a shock on an audience lasts seconds. While the suspense and fear an audience feels when watching a danger revealed via superior position can last many minutes, even hours. Using superior position is a fundamental way Hitchcock played with our minds so effectively in his films. (Another key suspense technique he applied was the ticking clock, often in conjunction with superior position.)

Let’s consider another example of suspense based on superior position, this time from The Godfather. Remember the scenes where we are let in on the plan of Michael Corleone to kill the crooked cop McCluskey (and the gangster Sollozo). After this plan has been revealed to us but not to the villains, we watch with tight breath as the plan is enacted against the dangerous cop, who might uncover the secret and kill Michael.

Dramatic irony can also create great poignancy and humour. For example, it can be employed in a love story where we know a male character loves a woman, but she doesn’t know it. In The Mark of Zorro, for instance, we enjoy the irony and poignancy of the scenes between Zorro and Lolita, whom he secretly loves. Or, regarding comedic effect, in the same film we are amused by the sly digs and tricks of Don Diego Vega against the villains, who do not know that this playacting fop is actually their dangerous enemy Zorro. But we do!

Writing Takeaway

Using dramatic irony in a story is not an option. It is one of the most effective dramatic devices you can use to add conflict, layers, and suspense to your story. (Not to forget humour!) All writers must vary the ways they play conflict in a story and dramatic irony is a fundamental and exciting way to do that.

When outlining your plot and scenes ask yourself these two questions:

What is the most dramatic way to play this conflict and its scenes?

Would these scenes work better if I played it that the audience knows more than the characters?

Think very carefully about the answers to these two questions! And always remember that dramatic irony/superior position if done right will make your story more inventive, dramatic, and resonant. And you a more skilled and effective writer.

“Scott McConnell is an excellent Script Editor.” Snorri Þórisson, CEO Pegasus Pictures 

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