Poetic justice

For though historical Juſtice might reſt there; yet poetical Juſtice could not be ſo content. It vvould require that the ſatisfaction be compleat and full, e're the Malefactor goes off the Stage, and nothing left to God Almighty, and another VVorld.

Poetic Juſtice, vvith her lifted ſcale; / VVhere in nice balance, truth vvith gold ſhe vveighs, / And ſolid pudding againſt empty praiſe.

[T]he great object [of a comedy] is to cauſe a hearty laugh, in the accompliſhment of vvhich, the rules of the drama and the exerciſe of reaſon are often held in defiance; at the ſame time that poetic juſtice is carefully adminiſtered, and the vices of human nature are held up to merited execration.

[W]e cannot expect, nor does poetic justice allow, that a man shall act contary to his own nature through any force of will.

Literary history, not to mention countless Grade B movies and television serials, teaches us that poetic justice is a standard formula for popular entertainment. […] Since very few people learn their morality from the theater, the enduring appeal of poetic justice must come from the fact that it satisfies needs that go much deeper than simple moral improvement. We can begin to get an insight into these needs by recognizing that poetic justice is a conscious or unconscious imitation of ideal justice.

Operation PAR is the largest provider of addiction and mental health services in the Tampa Bay area. […] Now PAR is going to get poetic justice through an innovative concept which takes seized assets from drug kingpins and gives back to the community in the form of prevention and treatment programs.

It might, of course, be argued that the cowboy who mutilated the face of the prostitute was the one ingloriously killed while defecating, and there is something of poetic justice, at least, in that outcome. Poetic justice, however, does not make for virtuous vengeance.

"To poetic justice." He clinked the can with her glass. / "Poetic justice?" / "If it hadn't been for your grandmother's poems, I would never have looked for her. It is truly just that Edgar and Vera are once again together. At least I believe it's justice."