An example of dramatic irony in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is King Duncan’s praise of Macbeth for his loyalty and recent successes in battle. In Act 1, King Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s castle and expresses his gratitude toward Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The audience knows that Macbeth and his wife are plotting to kill the king, but Duncan himself is unaware of their treacherous plan. This discrepancy between Duncan’s praise and the audience’s knowledge of the murder plot creates dramatic irony.