Examples Of Dramatic Irony In Macbeth

Macbeth analysis Essay

Throughout the tragic play Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, many examples of dramatic irony are added throughout the play to add suspense. Dramatic irony is when the audience knows more than the audience does. William Shakespeare wrote the play with many examples of dramatic irony, certain characters express many of these examples, and these characters are, King Duncan, Macbeth and lady Macbeth.

During the time that King Duncan is alive, he expresses many instances of dramatic irony. During the scene where the King is announcing who will be the successor to King Duncan, Macbeth had already to planed to betray the King by killing him. King Duncan says “There’s no art/ To find the mind’s construction in the face./ He was a gentleman on whom I built/ An absolute trust./” (1.4.13-16). Since Macbeth and his wife (Lady Macbeth) have already planned to kill King Duncan, he does not know that the trust he thinks that Macbeth

As previously stated by the witches in the prophecies that Birnam woods would move to Dunsinane. A messenger says that, “Well, say, sir./ As I did stand my watch upon the hill,/ I looked toward Birnam, and anon methought/ The wood began to move./” (5.5.36-39). The example of dramatic irony is that the audience knows that the woods are moving because an army is behind them moving toward the castle to Macbeth. As the play winds down one prophesy’s say that Macbeth will be killed by no many of women born, little does he know that Macduff was born from a C-section. When Macbeth and Macduff are fighting before Macduff kills Macbeth, Macduff says, “ Despair thy charm,/ And let the angel whom thou still hast served/ Tell thee Macduff was from his mother’s womb/ Untimely ripped./(5.8.17-20). Since no man of women born will kill Macbeth, a C-section is way of getting around this so the fact that Macduff is born from a C-section Macbeth knows he will