Define dramatic irony in a drama and give an American example.

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Dramatic irony occurs when the audience has crucial information that the characters do not, creating tension as we wait to see how the truth will unfold. In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, an American drama, we recognize that the Salem witch-hunt hysteria is unjust and fueled by fear, personal vendettas, and reputational concerns, while many characters on stage either believe the accusations or fail to see the manipulation at work. That gap between what the audience knows and what the characters believe is the essence of dramatic irony, making the scenes feel tense and revealing about human nature under pressure. Other options miss this core dynamic: complete understanding of every motivation would remove irony, the audience never understanding what’s happening would erase tension, and saying the irony is irrelevant ignores how Miller leverages this contrast to critique hysteria.