Question

Read the dialogue between Electra and Aegisthus from the beginning of the excerpt.

AEGISTHUS. Where are the strangers then? Enlighten me.
ELECTRA. Yonder. Their hostess entertained them well.
AEGISTHUS. And did they certainly report him dead?
ELECTRA. Not only so. They showed him to our sight.
AEGISTHUS. May this clear evidence be mine to see?
ELECTRA. I envy not the sight that waits you there.
AEGISTHUS. Against their wont thy words have given me joy.
ELECTRA. Much joy be thine, if this be joy to thee!

Which choice best explains how this dialogue creates dramatic irony?

A.
Aegisthus says he wants to see Orestes' body, but he is not prepared for the shock of doing so.

B.
Electra is telling Aegisthus that Orestes is dead, but the audience knows he is alive.

C.
Aegisthus knows that Electra is not being truthful about having seen Orestes' body.

D.
Electra does not know that her suffering will end, but the audience does.

Answer 1

B

The audience already knows the "strangers" include Orestes alive, so Electra's claim that he has been shown to them dead creates dramatic irony — the characters believe one thing while the audience knows the opposite.