Prophecy and dramatic irony
What Prophecy and dramatic irony means in English Literature A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definition of Prophecy and dramatic irony
Check what you remember
Read the wording for your board, then hide it and explain Prophecy and dramatic irony in your own words. Rough notes are fine. This is a self-check, with no mark or grade.
Reference: AQA
Predictions such as the witches' in Macbeth, and the effect when the audience hears of a vow to destroy the hero early so each later scene feels like a step towards a known end.
Topics that use Prophecy and dramatic irony
- Aspects of tragedy (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Ambiguity and unresolved endings
- Audience expectation and response
- Catharsis
- Classical tragedy
- Complication, climax and catastrophe
- Determinism and free will
- Domestic tragedy
- Hamartia
Using Prophecy and dramatic irony in the exam
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