read the excerpt from part two of trifles. county attorney. oh, i guess theyre not very dangerous things the…

read the excerpt from part two of trifles. county attorney. oh, i guess theyre not very dangerous things the ladies have picked up. (moves a few things about, disturbing the quilt pieces which cover the box. steps back.) no, mrs. peters doesnt need supervising. for that matter, a sheriffs wife is married to the law. ever think of it that way, mrs. peters? which of the following most accurately describes this excerpt? it is verbal irony because the county attorney means precisely the opposite of what he is actually saying. it is dramatic irony because the audience knows that the county attorney does not actually mean what he is saying. it is situational irony because the county attorney has actually issued a relevant warning to mrs. peters without realizing it. it is not an example of any type of irony because the county attorney is simply making a statement.

read the excerpt from part two of trifles. county attorney. oh, i guess theyre not very dangerous things the ladies have picked up. (moves a few things about, disturbing the quilt pieces which cover the box. steps back.) no, mrs. peters doesnt need supervising. for that matter, a sheriffs wife is married to the law. ever think of it that way, mrs. peters? which of the following most accurately describes this excerpt? it is verbal irony because the county attorney means precisely the opposite of what he is actually saying. it is dramatic irony because the audience knows that the county attorney does not actually mean what he is saying. it is situational irony because the county attorney has actually issued a relevant warning to mrs. peters without realizing it. it is not an example of any type of irony because the county attorney is simply making a statement.

Answer

Brief Explanations:

  • Verbal irony occurs when a speaker says one thing but means the opposite. In this case, the County Attorney says Mrs. Peters doesn't need supervising, but in reality, the items (trifles) the ladies have picked up are crucial evidence (the opposite of "not dangerous").
  • Dramatic irony is when the audience knows something the characters don't. Here, it's about the speaker's own contradiction (not audience - character knowledge gap).
  • Situational irony is a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens. This is more about the speaker's words vs. meaning.
  • The County Attorney is not just making a simple statement as there is a contradiction in his words.

Answer:

It is verbal irony because the County Attorney means precisely the opposite of what he is actually saying.