Sufiya is Full of Shame (Situational Irony)
Throughout the novel, Sufiya is described as being intensely racked with shame. She receives the shame of everyone from her parents to Omar. Things become so bad that she is possessed by a beast within her and goes on a killing spree as it grows stronger and transforms her body. However, Sufiya is one of the most innocent characters in the novel and essentially acts without self-interest, unlike everyone else. In this instance of situational irony, she commits no shameful acts of her own volition, but still suffers from the weight of more shame than anyone else.
Raza is Killed by the Shakil Sisters (Dramatic Irony)
Raza spends the end of the novel fully expecting to be killed by Sufiya. She is circling the capital and is sighted in places all around its perimeter. He grows concerned as he believes she will take revenge for all the years he spent locking her away and being ashamed of her behavior. He seems resigned to his fate up until the moment he escapes his compound, fleeing with Omar to Nishapur. However, there he is killed by Omar's mothers, the Shakil sisters, in an act of revenge for his killing of their other son, Babar. In this moment of dramatic irony, Raza spends all of his time preoccupied with escaping his daughter and inadvertently flees to his own demise as a result.
Raza Escapes in Woman's Clothing (Situational Irony)
Raza narrowly escapes the mob outside of his compound by disguising himself as a woman, with the help of Bilquìs. During his time in power, he played an active role in the oppression of women, enforcing a number of stringent laws about what they were and were not allowed to do. In this instance of situational irony, he uses the guise of women's clothing to escape, despite having acted against women's interests in his country.
Iskander Describes Himself as the Incarnation of the People's Love (Situational Irony)
In an interview with a British journalist, Iskander describes himself as the "incarnation of the people's love." This is an absurd statement in that Iskander shows antipathy to the people over whom he has power and is actually a calculating and cruel leader. He merely uses this description to solidify his popular public image. In this example of situational irony, Iskander states that he is the "people's love" despite being selfish and heartless.
