Good Intentions Turn Sour
John Bold, who is an activist and campaigns for fairness and reform, is the one who causes the most harm to the residents of Hiram's Hospital. Despite his good intentions, his campaign to uncover supposed corruption in the almshouse ends up leaving the elderly men living in poverty and without a warden. This is ironic because John was trying to do what he thought was right, but ended up having the opposite effect. The campaign meant to do good ends up having a negative outcome for the very people it was intended to help. This irony critiques the notion that activism is always a good thing, suggesting that it can sometimes have unintended consequences.
Unwarranted Libel
Mr. Harding is a good man and a conscientious warden yet he is publicly maligned and slandered by the same people that admire his moral character and dedication to his duties. This ironic situation is exacerbated by the fact that John Bold, who is campaigning for justice and reform, is the one who initiates the smear campaign against Harding. Even though Harding has done nothing wrong, he is persecuted and slandered for his actions. This situation is ironic because it shows how the truth can be twisted and misrepresented to fit a narrative. Additionally, the fact that Harding is forced to resign from his position at Hiram’s Hospital and move to a smaller parish to live in poverty is ironic. This serves to highlight the hypocrisy of those who claim to be fighting for justice but are responsible for more injustice.
Irony of Generosity
The revelation that Harding is receiving an excessive salary from the hospital makes the bedesmen and the public turn against him. This irony is emphasized by the fact that the bedesmen are receiving extra benefits from Harding's fund, yet they still sign a petition against him. This is an example of situational irony, as it is unexpected that those who have benefitted from the protagonist's generosity would be the ones to turn against him. It highlights the rawness of human character, as even a benevolent soul can be betrayed if their actions are perceived as taking advantage of a situation. Even though the bedesmen had been pushing for reform and had allowed their ambitions of greater income to drive a wedge between them and the warden, they do not get the reward they wanted. This is ironic because Mr. Harding suffers the greatest loss, even though his intentions were noble and selfless.
Lack of Filial Duty
The irony in John courting Eleanor lies in the fact that John is the one who initiated the legal proceedings against Eleanor's father, Mr. Harding. Although John started the lawsuit in the spirit of public duty, it still put him at odds with Mr. Harding and the rest of the family. Even though John already had a romantic involvement with Eleanor, his efforts to reform the charity put a strain on their relationship. John is essentially trying to tear down the foundation of the family by attacking Mr. Harding and his position. Despite the fact that John was trying to do the right thing, his actions nearly ended up destroying the relationship between Eleanor and himself. This irony is further highlighted when John and Eleanor ultimately marry after the legal proceedings are halted.
