Roman Fever by Edith Wharton is an excellent example of quality literature. Wharton uses the literary devices of foreshadowing, irony, and allusion throughout the story. These are implemented to enhance the quality by aiding in unifying the theme, expanding characterization and to link back to the central purpose of the story. Foreshadowing is used early on in the story. Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade sit upon a restaurant terrace having lunch and conversing as most friends do. Mrs. Slade remarks that “ After all it’s [Rome] still the most beautiful view in the world.” To which Mrs. Ansley replies “It always will be, to me.” Foreshadowing that something about Rome to Grace Ansley is much more significant to her than to Alida Slade. The interesting …show more content…
The events that are foreshadowed lead up to the bombshell reveal of Barbara’s biological father. The central purpose of this story is to reveal the theme that when a person lets passion cloud their judgment a negative outcome is almost assured. This extensive use of foreshadowing aids in the designation of superior literary quality. Wharton makes excellent use of irony throughout “Roman Fever”. Irony can come in various forms throughout literature and can be described as either being situational or verbal irony. In the case of “Roman Fever”, the irony in the story is situational. Situational irony is when the outcome of an event completely goes against or contradicts the desired outcome of an event. The situational irony comes with Grace Ansley and the night she went out to meet Alida Slade’s fiance. In a twist of fate and events, Ms. Slade feared her fiance, Delphin, being attracted to her best friend, Grace Ansley, so in attempts to see if Grace were to accept Delphin’s feelings-- if he were attracted to her --Alida writes a fake love letter to Grace. In the
Irony - Situational - where the character does something the reader does not expect In "The Cheat's Remorse", Phil cheats the young lady with his phoney coin. After he wins the dollar, he thought he would be happy; instead, he feels remorse and tries to return the dollar. - Dramatic - when the reader knows something the character is not aware of, until later in the story.
Nathaniel Hawthorne employs irony to help to develop his short story, “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” The main character of this work of literature is a young man named Giovanni who travels to Padua from southern Italy to pursue a college education. While he is in this city, he comes across a beautiful woman by the name of Beatrice who likes to tend to the garden of her father who is a doctor named Signor Rappaccini. Giovanni falls in love with Beatrice upon seeing her and meets her on numerous occasions with each encounter hinting she is not exactly normal. He ultimately comes to realize she is toxic due to constantly being exposed to the poisonous plants her father has.
Situational irony is when a story twists and changes something that the reader would not expect to happen. Within the story “The Ransom of Redchief” by O. Henry or Guy de Mauoassant’s story “The Necklace”, they use situational irony multiple times in their story. When situational irony is used it has an affect on the reader, it shows an emotion, if a twist happens and it ends up bad it could be a sad emotion . In a good twist, and it would be a emotion of happiness or joy, the opposite. Situational irony keeps the story going, keeps the reader amused, and puts emotion to the story.
In “Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, there is situational irony when brother comes back for Doodle to find him dead. This added greatly to make the plot more complex. Lastly, situational irony is used in “Gift of the Magi” when Della and
Situational irony is a key factor for a dramatic, two sided story. To use situational irony tells the reader to expect the unexpected, to think beyond enemy lines. Just like in the thrilling short stories in O. Henry’s “The Necklace” and Guy De Maupassant’s “The Ransom of Redchief.” Situational irony shows that things do not always go the way you think they will. But why does the author make the reader almost feel sorry for the antagonists in the story.
Throughout story's many authors use situational irony to affect the reader's emotions. “The Necklace” by Guy De Maupassant uses situational irony to make the reader feel pity for the characters. For instance Madame Loisel
Irony occurs when words, actions, or plot development contradict with what is intended or expected to happen and can be split into two main types: dramatic irony and situational irony. Dramatic irony takes place when the spectator knows more about a character’s situation than a character themself. Such situation occurred when Puck, the play’s main source of amusement for the audience and trouble for the characters. Oberon’s jester mixes up the people who he is assigned to put the love juice on. At the beginning Demetrius and Lysander are in love with Helena and poor Hermia is hopelessly in love with Demetrius.
Ansley and Mrs. Slade tend to have both lived the considerably conventional feminine lives of a widow, mother, wife, and girl. Their identities have primarily been based on those of their husbands then lost. Mrs. Slade is evidently proud of the admiration that she received as “Slade’s wife” (Wharton, 13). However, there is the necessity for noting that after her husband’s death, there is nothing left but to mother her daughter. The fact that the lives of the women tend to feature less meaning after the death of their husbands is depicted in their reduction to the somewhat jaded sightseers and conversations serve as their primary way of killing time before it turns lady-killing violently.
Situational irony is when authors use the plot of their story to create an unexpected twist and catch the reader off guard. For example, Guy de Maupassant uses situational irony to produce a feeling of sympathy in his short story“The Necklace.” “The Ransom Of Red Chief” by O. Henry is another story that uses situational irony to produce a humorous feeling in the reader. By reading these two short stories, it is clear that the authors use situational irony to affect the readers’ emotions.
There are many examples of dramatic irony in the story Romeo And Juliet act IV. Dramatic irony is when the reader knows important facts that some of the characters in the story do not know. Some examples or dramatic irony would be when Juliet takes a position that would “ kill “ her for 42 hours but the situation was miss interpreted to where she was actually dead. That was an example of dramatic irony because Romeo didn’t know that Juliet was “ dead “ but Friar Lawrence knew. This leads to the audience knowing what happens but the characters do not.
Throughout history, many influential writers have used literature to teach people about human nature; these writers used their works improve the morals of humanity. In the 18th century, Romantic and Gothic writers used many literary elements to make their works more meaningful. These included figurative language, symbolism, imagery, allusions, mood and tone to enhance the theme in their stories. Two men who did this were the Gothic writer Edgar Allan Poe, and the Gothic romance writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. The works “The Masque of the Red Death” by Poe, and “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Hawthorne, are examples of using literary elements to enhance theme.
Situational Irony in a story is like a suprise you don't know that it is going to happen unless you can tell the future. Situational irony is and unexpected twist or something that you did not expect to happen producing different emotions. For example in “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant and “The Ransom of Red Chief” by O. HENRY situational irony creates different emotions. In these two stories there are multiple examples of situational irony.
This theme is better developed and strengthened by the use of three main literary devices, irony, unreliable narrator, and foreshadowing. Irony helps build
- Daphne Du Maurier This relates to the story Roman Fever because the two women want a “Novel” relationship with the man. “Mrs. Ansley was much less articulate than her friend, and her mental portrait of Mrs. Slade” This quotation shows what Mrs. Ansley thought about. That she wanted a future with Mr. Slade a “Novel” with him. They want to have a extensive time with the man that they can tell their kids about the time they have been together.
The story "Desiree's Baby" by Kate Chopin contains a plot twist that builds the irony. Unknown identities and racial tension have a way of constructing the story. These key roles have the effect of leaving the audience thinking a certain outcome, but irony comes in with a whole different ending then what was expected. The irony in “Desiree’s Baby” creates the tragic outcome.