Only a bottle of wine
In First Act, Scene 2, Crownquill goes to Doricourt’s hall where he tries to bribe the Porter to give him any dirt he can on his master. He asks for enough material to fill four pages and he offers in exchange a bottle of wine. The Porter refuses to give him when he wants, acting insulted at the idea that someone would believe he would sell his master. Ironically, the reason he refuses to tell Crownquill anything is not because he loves his master, but because he fells insulted because he is only offered a bottle of wine while other Porters received much more for selling their masters.
Not a beggar
In the second scene of the first act, Saville arrives at to Doricourt’s hall and he is welcomed by one of the French servants. The servant, already having to deal with various curious English men who came to see the wonders brought by to Doricourt to the country mistakes Saville as being a beggar and treats him as such, insulting him and calling him names. This scene is ironic because until then the impression left is that Saville is a gentlemen who wants to be treated as such and a person who would get offended if someone were to treat him in any other way.
Superior but not to women
When Doricourt talks about the English men, he describes them as being superior to the other men in the world. The English men are praised above everyone else and are portrayed as being almost perfect. The natural thing to assume would be that women would be seen as superior to the foreign women as well. Unfortunately, this is not true as the English women are described as being inferior to every other woman in the world. This element is presented as being ironic, especially when considering how the men are praised.
Trust me, he loves you
When Letitia talks with Mr. Hardy, she tells him how she is not sure she made a good impression on Doricourt and how she is sure she did not made Doricourt fall in love with her. Mr. Hardy tries to make Letitia understand that his indifference means, ironically, that he was in love madly with her, not that he did not liked her. This idea is so unbelievable that Letitia comes with a plan to make Doricourt fall in love with her.
Do not talk badly about her
The general impression left in the play is the idea that Saville does not think that women can be good. He constantly criticizes them for no important reason and thinks he is above every woman he comes into contact with. He takes part in various discussions when various men criticize women and is quick to judge them. Because of this, it is ironic to see him take the side of a woman, someone who broke his heart and rejected him for some reason.
