Irony In The Necklace

Throughout the tale, “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, the writer successfully utilizes irony to help contribute to the reader’s knowledge to a specific character in the story. With the use of verbal and dramatic irony throughout the tale, Maupassant helps the reader grasp a better understanding of Madame Loisel (Mathilde) and her character. Although the reader could have a concept of Mathilde and her personality, the use of irony contributes greatly to Mathilde’s deceitful and disrespectful nature. With the aid of dramatic irony, Mme. Loisel’s deceitfulness is proven further in the story. As Mathilde requests four hundred francs from her husband, she is merely “...going over her allowance and thinking also of the amount she could ask
for without bringing an immediate refusal and an exclamation of dismay from the thrifty clerk”(5). Dramatic irony is shown in this section of the story, as the reader is aware of Mathilde’s deceitful intentions, while her husband is not.