...Irony 1. Definition There are innumerable definitions of irony, but all of them have in common the following notions: * the opposition of the word’s contextual meaning to its general meaning * mockery as the major goal of irony Irony is… * (from Ancient Greek εἰρωνεία (eirōneía) meaning “dissimulation, feigned ignorance”) a trope based on direct opposition of the meaning to the sense. (J.M. Skrebnev) * a stylistic device in which the contextual evaluative meaning of a word is directly opposite to its dictionary meaning. (V.A. Kuharenko) * a way to express mockery by means of using the word in the meaning that is directly opposite to its principal meaning. (I.V. Arnold) The semantic essence of irony consists in replacing a denomination by its opposite. Irony is a transfer, a renaming based upon the direct contrast of two notions: the notion named and the motion meant. Thus, in case of irony we observe the greatest qualitative shift in comparison with metonymy (transfer by contiguity) and metaphor (transfer by similarity). 2. Types of irony Many times, we can indicate the exact word whose contextual meaning is diametrically opposite to its dictionary meaning. This type of irony is called verbal irony. Yet there are very many cases when we fail to put our finger on the exact word in whose meaning we can trace the contradiction between the said and the implied. The effect of irony in such cases created by a number of sentences, or even by the whole...
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...Irony is extremely prevalent in the story of The Lottery, and its role is slowly revealed as the story progresses. Through the use of setting, characters, character interaction, and symbolism, Jackson is able to create a story in which irony does not create the story, but instead has the story reveal the irony. Using diction, imagery, and readers’ perceptions and associations, ironic elements are emphasized and the analyzation of the story in retrospect proves to be just as insightful as the initial reading. The setting of The Lottery is used as an anchor for the major ironic elements in the story. In the opening paragraph, Jackson uses descriptive language in order to paint a picture of ordinariness for the reader, describing it as...
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...dramatic irony to create sympathy in audience, which makes the play more interesting and it targets audience to read the play. Dramatic irony is evident in the play Hamlet; it is used throughout the play. Without dramatic Irony in Hamlet, there wouldn’t be any suspense and the audience would be less engaged because the characters would know just as much as them, which would make it boring and meaningless. Three of the most dominant dramatic ironies used in the play are: The ghost of old hamlet tells hamlet about the truth, Hamlet pretending to be mad and Hamlet thinking about a suicide. Therefore, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony in Hamlet to create sympathy and engage audience. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony in the ghost of old hamlet to create sympathy, which engages the audience in the play. In act 1 scene 5, the ghost of old hamlet appears to hamlet and reveals to Hamlet that the King was killed by Claudius who spread the story that his death was from a snake bite. “Now, Hamlet, hear. 'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forgèd process of my death Rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown.” (1.5.34-40). It evokes sympathy on the audience causing them to feel pity for Hamlet, because Hamlet’s father was murdered by Claudius and Claudius spread the word that King Hamlet was killed by snake bite. Therefore, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony in the ghost...
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...found out that I could sneak up to the window that looks into her office and from a certain angle I can see her without her ever seeing me. I can see her face and her expressions as she types away on her typewriter and if I look very closely I can see the words she so carefully types. Today, I sneak back up to the window and I see Ms. Chopin laughing. She must be done with whatever it was she was doing. She is not finished; she is still typing away. Some fellow detective friends of mine have been doing investigations similar to mine and they have told me that these laughs that come out of nowhere most likely have to with irony. She must be writing an ironic story, after all, those stories are the only ones people seem to be interested in right now. It seems that the title of her work is Story of an Hour. Kate Chopin’s short story contains dramatic and situational irony, which serve to make the story unique and keep the readers on the edges of their seats waiting for what happens next. My following report proves my findings. The following night I waited for Ms. Chopin to go to bed. I waited exactly 40 minutes after she turned out her lights to carefully sneak in through the kitchen door. Moving carefully and quietly, I entered her office. It seemed quite different from inside; the room was narrower, the walls were not as bright without the sun shining on them, and the floor tiles seemed quite old. I started looking for the papers that would help me conclude my investigation and I...
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...Awakening” Symbolism, Irony In Kate Chopin's short story “The Awakening”, the voice of the story portrays a woman with sexual aspirations, and moral female social rules in search for independence and self discovery. The story is based on the 19th century woman. During this time women barely had any freedom, were not recognized within the society and had no choice but to me submissive to their husbands. The main character of the story named Edna is portrayed to be a happy woman because she has everything; a wealthy, attentive husband, and two children. Thoughtout the story the truth about Edna’s unhappiness is revealed. The voice of the story uses symbolism, irony, and figurative language to express Edna Pontellier’s feelings as she found her way to her happiness and freedom. Throughout the text, Chopin encourages readers to think but using situational irony. “Irony- the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.” (Merriam-Webster). While reading, readers are made to think the opposite of what actually happened at the end of the story. In the beginning of the story, Edna’s husband Leonce tells his wife to send his friend Robert away when he starts to bore her. Unknown to Leonce that he was actually the one who was boring Edna. “"Well, send him about his business when he bores you, Edna," instructed her husband as he prepared to leave.” (Chopin 1). Another example of irony is when Leonce comes...
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...In literature, irony comes in a variety of different forms, but the underlying definition of irony is doing or saying something that contradicts the expectations of the reader. The three types of irony, Verbal, Situational, and Dramatic irony, are used heavily in a variety of short stories to give the story flavor and make it more appealing to the reader. In The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe, The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst, and My Oedipus Complex by Frank O’Connor, all types of irony are used to create foreshadowing, justify the action of characters, and create humor. In The Cask of Amontillado, Montresor seeks to get revenge on Fortunato, since Fortunato has supposedly wronged Montresor in some way. Throughout Montresor’s quest...
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...Ironies of Story of an Hour In the short story, "Story of an Hour" by author Kate Chopin, she uses many different types of literary elements to define her story clearly and to show the significance behind what happens in the story. The primary literary element that was used in the story that is the most prominent is irony. Two kinds of irony that were utilized in this short story. The first one is situational irony, which means the reader is expecting something to happen, but it doesn't actually happen. The second irony is dramatic irony which is used to suggest to the reader in on something that is going on that the characters are unaware. These two ironies add to a surprising ending. "Story of an Hour" was written in 1894 and is about a woman, Mrs. Mallard, who just received news from her sister, Josephine and her husbands friend Richards that her husband has died in a "railroad disaster" (par. 2). Reader's expect Mrs. Mallard's reaction and feelings are expected to be one way, but yet we discover an unexpected surprise. This is the first of situational ironies throughout the story. As Mrs. Mallard heard the news of her husbands untimely death the reader's expected her to react a certain way, but in fact "she did not hear the story as many women have heard the same" (par. 3). After grieving with "wild abandonment" (par. 3) of her late husband's death, Mrs. Mallard seeks solitude in her room. As she gazes out the open window she sinks down into her chair she takes in the...
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...Irony in Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” “The story of an hour” by Kate Chopin is described as a story of great irony having many unexpected twists and turns. Situational and dramatic irony is used throughout the story. This is a story of a woman who finds out her husband’s death in a train accident and reacts with sadness in the beginning, but then realizes a freedom and relief from her repressive life. She experiences a complete joy over the death of her husband and dies from the shock of discovering that he is still alive. The first type of irony encountered is a situational irony, where there is a contrast between what is expected to happen and what actually happens. Mrs. Mallard’s discovery of her lost freedom and regaining her identity comes only after her husband’s death. In the story, dramatic irony is used when others characters believe that she has died because she is so overjoyed to see her husband alive whereas the readers know that in reality, she has died because she had a glimpse of freedom and could not go back living under her husband’s will again. After grieving with wild abandonment of her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard seeks solitude in her room. The open window from which she gazes represents freedom and opportunities. Instead of being gloomy and dark to symbolize death, she sees patches of blue sky, fluffy clouds and treetops. She also hears singing of birds and smells a coming rainstorm. What all this signifies is a new beginning for Mrs...
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...Submitted by: Shambhavi Eng (H) III year 334 Comment on the irony of The Story of an Hour. Kate Chopin is most famous for her short stories and a novel, The Awakening. One of the most recurring themes in her works is marriage and how it affects women. She wrote works of feminist nature before the feminist movement had even begun. The Story of an Hour is a short story centred on a young married woman as she reacts to the news of the death of her husband. It covers the one hour of Louise Mallard’s life, in which she is told of her husband’s death, deals with it, realises that she is free, finds happiness and freedom, loses it and dies. Mrs Mallard was afflicted with a “heart trouble” and so, the news of her husband’s death was broken to her gently. Her immediate reaction was to weep with “sudden wild abandonment” and then later, she goes up to her room to be alone. There she comes to terms with the realisation of her freedom and experiences great joy. When she finally goes downstairs, she sees her husband walking in through the door and dies of a heart attack which, the doctor’s said, was brought on by the joy of seeing her husband alive. The irony here is that the heart attack was brought on not by the joy of seeing her husband alive, but by the loss of the joy of freedom, on seeing her husband alive. Once the news that Mr Mallard is dead reaches Mrs Mallard, the “true woman” inside her, the wife, the “Angel in the house” part of her, dies along with him...
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...The Irony of It “Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor” (Collins). One of the many ways that irony can be presented is through hypocritical statements like this quote. This is true for the short story, “The Lottery” written by Shirley Jackson in 1948 which can easily be compared to the modern film, The Hunger Games, originally a book authored by Suzanne Collins. Both of these pieces encase many different literary devices; irony was the most evident. “The great thing about irony is that it splits things apart, gets up above them so we can see the flaws and hypocrisies and duplicates” (“Irony Quotes”). These literary and commercial works feature the literary device irony to showcase a woman protagonist who happened to experience an unlucky moment which lead to their own death and near death experiences. The Hunger Games features irony chronologically placed throughout the...
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...Dramatic Irony In Hamlet There are several accounts of dramatic irony utilized in ‘Hamlet’ but one that was most effective to the overall play was in act 1 scene 5, when Hamlet converses with the ghost of his father. In this scene, the ghost came to Hamlet to reveal Claudius as his murderer and explained how his brother came to him in his sleep and poured poison in his ear. The ghost of Hamlet’s father tells him to avenge his death but not act violently towards his mother. Soon after, Marcellus and Horatio approached Hamlet but the ghost had vanished and Hamlet requested that the two not speak of the ghost’s visit to anyone. The important truth of old Hamlet’s murder will contribute to shape the plot and define Hamlet’s actions. Without the confession of the ghost, Hamlet would have no knowledge of the truth behind his father’s death. Therefore, every aspect of Hamlet’s ‘madness’ is defined by the new found truth that has been bestowed upon him. This scene creates dramatic irony throughout the play because the motives of Hamlet’s behavior is made clear to the audience. The lack of this scene would be inadequate because Hamlet would have no incentive to avenge his father’s murder because his knowledge stretches to believing a snake bite killed him. The audience is aware that Hamlet’s actions have meaning and everything he does contributes to his prior knowledge of the death/murder. This scene also contributes to other dramatic ironies like the mock play that upsets Cla...
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...In the literal work “The escape” written by W.S.Maugham, irony plays the inevitable part in making the success of the story. The narrator recites how his friend, Roger Charing, tries to get rid of a woman, Ruth Barlow, through the process in which he escape from the little lady, the author expresses his severe irony towards Ruth Balow and her scheming deeds. First of all, irony refers to the incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs. Right from the beginning, Maugham has stated a rather funny anecdote like this: "If a woman once made up her mind to marry a man, nothing but instant flight could save him." It sounds as if the woman is a persistent predator that is willing to chasing its prey to any corners in the world, thus no man can escape from the trap laid by a lady, especially a beautiful one. This suggests the irony towards marriage and, more importantly, expresses the sarcasm towards women in love. Ruth Barlow is characterized as a lovely angel with “splendid dark eyes and they were the most moving I ever saw, they seemed to be ever on the point of filling with tears”, eyes are considers as windows of soul, and through her doleful eyes, we can somehow anticipate her personalities as weak and fragile. Along with scornful appearance is a miserable background. She is described as “twice a widow”, that means she has suffered from the most hurting event in a lady’s life, not only once but even twice – her husbands’ funerals. Such a lady deserves intensive...
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...Wangping121201116 Selected Readings in British and American Literature HanQiqun June,08,2015 Irony Analysis of the story of an hour Guerin concludes that the formalistic critic deals with irony and paradox，with symbols and with the tensions that result from multiple interactions within the organic form of the literary piece.( Guerin 118) "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin is a short story that there is a "deeper level of irony in the story" in it. The short story expresses what happened to Louise Mallard after hearing of her husband Brently’s death in a railroad disaster. Since Mrs. Mallard suffers has heart problems, her sister Josephine told her the horrific news in a gentle way. After crying for a while, she went to her room alone and locked herself there. She should have been mournful and hopeless because of her husband’s death. However, she felt somewhat excited and frenzy. "Free! Body and soul free!" is what she really got from his death. After she accepted her husband’s death and realized she was free then, her husband came back safely. Finally she died. Although she died from the shock of seeing her living husband, the doctor said she was killed by joy. Though Chopin sympathizes the heroine, she puts bitter irony on her, meanwhile her attitude to the independent freedom is contradictory.(周亚萍 221）From the above introduction some perfect examples of irony use can be easily found. Here are the analysis of two of them. One is that Josephine was...
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...We all encounter irony at times in our lives; because of this frequent presence, it subsequently appears in our literature. Irony allows authors to give situations and statements more emotional depth and capture audiences with more psychologically complex ideas. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses irony in order to enrich his book, The Scarlet Letter. In this novel, Hawthorne uses ironic situations in order to show that no one truly has control over his or her world, and that another force may be at work in our lives. Throughout the novel, he creates many cases in which ironic situations not only grab the reader, but teach the characters and reader more about how life works. One of the methods Hawthorne uses to prove the lack of control in our world...
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...Jordan Vickers English 101 3/1/15 Dramatic irony is a form of writing where the intended meaning of the words are very different from the actual meaning. The poems “Casual Wear” by James Merrill and “The ABC of Aerobics” by Peter Meinke are both examples of dramatic irony. James Merrill uses dramatic irony to satirize the wife tourist’s fancy designer clothes being worn by someone who could possibly die due to a terrorist act. Peter Meinke uses dramatic irony to satirize the fact that the protagonist runs for exercise but is also making fun of exercise in the poem. “Casual Wear” is written at first with a detached tone, then the tone changes to personal. “The ABC of Aerobics” is written with a solemn tone. James Merrill uses dramatic irony to satirize the wife tourist’s designer jeans and that she doesn’t know she will die. In the line “Signed with a Flourish, like the dead wife’s jeans,” the speaker is satirizing specifically the claim of responsibility from the terrorist, by comparing it to the fancy designer jeans. “Claiming Responsibility,” demonstrates verbal irony because the speaker is saying that the terrorist is claiming responsibility without actually taking responsibility. “People... of colored mist,” at the end of “Casual Wear,” the reader is left with empty, meaningless people. Peter Meinke uses dramatic irony to satirize the fact that the protagonist runs for exercise but is also making fun of exercise in the poem. The quote, “I join in despair knowing my arteries...
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