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Cosmic irony occurs when a situation with a positive outcome results in a negative outcome due to an unknown force, such as fate or the universe. It is often used intentionally in literature and can be seen in historical situations, such as the introduction of the cane toad in Australia.
One type of situational irony, cosmic irony, occurs when a situation, action, or event that is thought to have a positive outcome results in a negative outcome through circumstances rather than the actions of a specific person. These events are attributed to an unknown force, usually referred to as God, Fate or the Universe, which appears to be responsible for the negative consequences. Also called irony of fate, this is commonly used in casual speech as well as literature and can be seen in history.
Irony occurs when someone directly involved in a situation believes something to be true when, in fact, the opposite or nearly the opposite is true. In most forms of irony, the player directly involved is unaware of his misunderstanding, but the audience and other players are. Cosmic irony regards the universe as the entity responsible for the distorted circumstances, so what the player believes will be true is not.
While cosmic irony can also often be defined as coincidence or bad luck, not all coincidences are cosmic irony. It deals only with those coincidences where the action or event is assumed by the person performing the action to have a positive outcome when the actual outcome results in a harmful consequence for that person. Unlike other forms of irony, where someone else is responsible for twisting circumstances or misconception of a good outcome, in cosmic irony it is an unknown force, such as fate or the universe, that seems to be working against the person .
In literature, cosmic irony is normally used intentionally by the author. A villain may fall for this plot technique, for example, if he hatches a seemingly cunning plan to defeat the protagonist only to find that the very plan the villain has set in motion is what brings about his downfall. William Shakespeare’s play Othello and JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series both illustrate this usage.
Cosmic irony can also be seen in everyday or historical situations. Sometimes, the irony is apparent right away, but often it shows in retrospect. For example, in the early 20th century, Australian sugar cane farmers near Queensland began having a serious problem with an introduced species of cane beetle, which decimated their crops. In 1935, a solution was arrived at: introduce the cane toad, which is harmless to crops but preys on the cane beetle. The farmers’ solution, however, has not only failed to control the pest problem, it has also led to the introduction of one of the most invasive and environmentally destructive species Australia has ever seen.
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