Dramatic irony is when the audience knows more than the character. But what is it called when character 2 knows more than character 1? and doesn't reveal that information (to the audience either) until near the end?
5
-
1Welcome user610620, this greatly depends on the genre of your story as each answer will be different. Consider Agatha Christie's character Hercule Poirot, who always knows more than the protagonist and the audience. In The Mysterious Affair at Styles his good friend is left guessing who the murderer was out of sensitivity and to prevent interference in collecting evidence. Poirot knew who the killer was from the very beginning, but had to build the case for a conviction. Almost any motive can explain hiding information, in fact. Please narrow the scope of your question.– Vogon PoetCommented Mar 20, 2022 at 16:49
-
1The question is what is it called when a character (like Hercule Poirot) knows more than another character, given that when an audience knows more than the character it's called "Dramatic Irony". This means a character knowing more than a character is not Dramatic Irony, but instead called "_____ Irony". (fill in blank)– user610620Commented Mar 21, 2022 at 6:41
-
@user610620 It might not be called anything "irony"...– storbrorCommented Mar 21, 2022 at 8:47
-
exactly, so what is called– user610620Commented Mar 21, 2022 at 9:34
-
1What we are telling you is that it may not be irony at all. The word that goes into your blank depends entirely on the motive for keeping the secret. If you want a generic one-size-fits-all word for A withholding info from B, then that word is "a secret." The word "Irony" by definition implies creating an amusing effect. If you are amused when Poirot reveals that "I knew who the murderer was from the start," then the word is just, "irony" with no qualifier. @storbror is correct.– Vogon PoetCommented Mar 21, 2022 at 14:08
Add a comment
|