Dramatic Irony In Dante's Inferno '

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Card #3- “On February 24, 1815, the watchtower at Marseilles signaled the arrival of the three-master Pharaon, coming from Smyrna, Trieste and Naples.” (Dumas 1). “‘What a silent party!’ exclaimed Edmond’s father as he haled the fragrance of a glass of yellow wine which had just been placed before Mercedes. ‘It certainly doesn’t sound as though there were thirty lighthearted people here!” (Dumas 18). “‘I don’t know my age because I haven’t measured the time since I came here. All I know is that I was nineteen when I was arrested in 1815.’”(Dumas 48). “A moment later Dantes heard the sound of a mass of stones and earth falling and a hole appeared in the bottom of the passage he had begun to dig. The he saw a head emerge through his hole, and…show more content…
This is both situational and dramatic irony. It is situational irony because Dantes does not know that he is about to be forcibly drowned, which adds suspense to the novel. It is dramatic because the guards do not know that it is actually Dantes in the body bag and not the priest. They are in for a big surprise. “‘Pharaon. Morrel and Son, Marseilles’ painted on her stern in white letters. She was an exact duplicate of the other Pharaon and was laden, like the other one, with a cargo of cochineal and indigo.” (Dumas 130). This example of imagery provides a description of what is happening around the scene of Morrel. Dumas’ use of descriptive words paints a picture in the reader’s mind. “Bertuccio, without answering pointed to Villefort in much the same way Macbeth pointed to Banquo.” (Dumas 258) This is a literary allusion because Dumas compares it to Shakespeare’s Macbeth. “ ’Is he still in love with Mercedes?’“ ‘Head over heels! He’s on his way to see her now, but unless I’m mistaken he’s in for an unpleasant surprise.’” (Dumas 10) This is an idiom. It is significant because it describes how much in love Dantes is with Mercedes. Entry #9 “‘If he knows what’s in this letter,’ thought Villefort, ‘and if he ever learns that Noirtier is Villefort’s father, I’m ruined, ruined forever’”(Dumas…show more content…
Usually, the events leading to suicide would be caused by a major event, and the grievances lead up to the death or almost death of that character. One example would be when Maximilien finds out that Valentine is dead and exclaims that he can no longer live without his true love. On page 450, Maximilien says, “I’ll bury my grief deep inside me and I’ll make it so secret and obscure that you won’t even have to take the trouble to sympathize with me. Goodbye, my friend.” (Dumas 450). The count and Maximilien are having a conversation about how in love Maximilien is without Valentine. He claims that she is his only source of happiness and he will not achieve it from anyone or anything else. Another event of suicide occurs when Morrel is tempted to kill himself so he will not disgrace his family. He decides it is a very valid reason and tells his son after he encounters him in the process. On page 128, Dumas describes how Morrell said to his son, Maximilien, “if I die, you’ll hold your head high and say, ‘I am the son of a man who killed himself because he was unable to keep his word for the first time in his life.’” (Dumas 128) Morrell believes that the only way he will be able to get out of paying this huge debt he is in is to kill himself. Not only does he attempt to justify his reasoning to

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