Final answer:
Irony in Arthur Miller's play is demonstrated through verbal irony in Danforth's hypocritical statements, dramatic irony with the audience's awareness of the girls' deceit, and situational irony in Elizabeth Proctor's unexpected lie. These examples heighten narrative tension, illustrate societal flaws, and parallel the fears of the McCarthy era.
Step-by-step explanation:
Regarding the examples of irony from Arthur Miller's play, we can classify them as follows:
- Verbal Irony: This occurs when a speaker says one thing but means another. An example from the provided instances would be Danforth's statement "I judge nothing," despite the fact that he regularly passes judgments in court. This illustrates the dissonance between his words and actions.
- Dramatic Irony: Dramatic irony is when the audience knows something the characters do not. The fourth example, where the readers know the girls are faking it but Danforth and the courts believe their act, is an instance of dramatic irony.
- Situational Irony: This occurs when the actual result of a situation is totally different from what you'd expect. Elizabeth Proctor lying after Proctor's confession is an example, because we would expect her to stay true to her character and be honest.
The purpose of irony in this act of the play is multi-faceted. It adds tension and complexity to the narrative, highlights the hypocrisy and flaws in the Salem court system, and underscores the tragic elements of the characters' situations. Arthur Miller incorporated these ironies to reflect the contradictions inherent in human nature and society, and to draw parallels to the fear and irrationality of the McCarthy era, thereby underlining the dangers of extremism and mass hysteria.