“[Austen] began by being an ironical critic; she manifested her judgement of them not by direct censure, but by the indirect method of imitating and exaggerating the faults of her models, thus clearing the fountain by first stirring up the mud. This critical spirit lies at the foundation of her artistic faculty. Criticism, humour, irony, the judgement not of one that gives sentence but of the mimic who quizzes while he mocks, are her characteristics”. That’s Richard Simpson’s assessment, and...
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Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" is renowned for its masterful use of verbal irony, employing a satirical tone to critique the socio-economic conditions of 18th-century Ireland. Through this essay, Swift unveils the harsh reality of poverty and starvation while simultaneously mocking the callous attitudes of the ruling class towards the poor. This essay will delve into the intricacies of verbal irony in "A Modest Proposal," exploring how Swift employs this literary device to convey his scathing social commentary. One of...
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Edgar Allan Poe, renowned for his macabre tales and mastery of the Gothic genre, utilizes verbal irony to great effect in his short story "The Cask of Amontillado." Through the careful manipulation of language and character interactions, Poe creates a chilling atmosphere of deceit and betrayal. This essay will critically analyze the use of verbal irony in the story, exploring its significance in conveying Poe's themes and message. Irony in Setting and Character Names The carnival setting in "The Cask...
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J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series is not only beloved for its magical world-building and compelling characters but also for its clever use of verbal irony throughout the narrative. Verbal irony, characterized by a contrast between what is said and what is meant, adds depth and complexity to the storylines, often serving to highlight themes, character development, and plot twists. In this essay, we will analyze the instances of verbal irony in the "Harry Potter" series and explore their significance in...
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Introduction In Roald Dahl's short story "Lamb to the Slaughter," the theme of irony pervades the narrative, adding layers of complexity and depth to the storytelling. Through various forms of irony, Dahl challenges readers' expectations and engages them in a tale of deception and unexpected twists. Situational Irony in Mary Maloney's Actions Mary Maloney is initially depicted as a loving and devoted wife, creating an expectation of domestic tranquility. However, the story takes an unexpected turn when Mary murders her...
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Introduction William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" is a timeless tragedy filled with complex characters, intricate plot twists, and poignant themes. Among the literary devices employed by Shakespeare in this play, verbal irony plays a significant role in enhancing the dramatic tension and adding depth to the narrative. Exploring Verbal Irony in 'Romeo and Juliet' Mercutio's Queen Mab Speech One of the most famous examples of verbal irony occurs in Act 1, Scene 4, when Mercutio delivers his Queen Mab speech....
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Introduction Irony, a literary device often used to convey subtle meanings or add depth to a narrative, plays a significant role in Arthur Miller's play, "The Crucible." Miller utilizes various forms of irony, including verbal irony, to underscore the dishonesty of the characters and create tension within the narrative. Examples of Verbal Irony In "The Crucible," characters frequently engage in verbal irony by lying about others being witches or practicing witchcraft. These accusations are often made with the intention of...
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Introduction In Guy de Maupassant's renowned short story "The Necklace," verbal irony serves as a powerful literary device, shedding light on the characters' true intentions and values. Maupassant masterfully employs verbal irony to highlight the stark contrast between appearance and reality, revealing deeper layers of meaning within the narrative. Unveiling Hidden Desires Verbal irony is prominently showcased through the protagonist Mathilde's actions and dialogue. Despite her outward appearance of contentment, Mathilde harbors a profound desire for wealth and social status....
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Introduction Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Pardoner's Tale" is a classic exemplar of medieval literature, rich with elements of irony that add depth and complexity to the narrative. Among the various forms of irony employed by Chaucer, verbal irony stands out as a prominent device, serving to illuminate the characters' motivations and the overarching themes of the tale. The Pardoner's Deceptive Rhetoric At the heart of "The Pardoner's Tale" lies the character of the Pardoner himself, a cunning and manipulative figure who...
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Erich Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front is a profound proclamation against war, highlighting its significance in the annihilating impacts on humans. The people of war gave hints of romanticized ideas of being in the front throughout the story for its benefits of obtaining rations of food, and that the conditions were “... excellent”(Remarque, 167). The novel portrays the fact about nationalism and honor, disregarding the real horror of the front by the people; though, it also considers the...
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How Do Writers Protest War War has now become the norm because of its impact on society. Poets include literary devices in their works to help illustrate their meaning. With this, each writer can share their protests against different wars. Writers have used literary devices throughout all of their writings. All four writers protest the war in various ways. The poem “War is Kind” by Stephen Crane depicts the Spanish War while “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen displays...
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Complex Culture in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Example In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe the author teaches us how the Ibo and are both uncivilized in their own ways. The Ibo are uncivilized in their technology. While are uncivilized in their worldview and the way they treat other people. The text states He had an old rusty gun made by a clever blacksmith who came to live in Umofia long ago pg.38. This shows how technologically primitive...
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What do you first think of when hearing the word Shakespeare? When I hear Shakespeare, I think of the greatest playwright of all time and an actor. But also all the stereotypes that come with it such as how boring his plays are, and hard to understand. But believe me, after studying Shakespeare for over a term now, I have come to learn his language and show an interest in his plays. He has given me a personal understanding and...
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Hard upbringing can often destroy the best in people while bringing out the worst in the individuals who surround them. In the story Fences, Troy Maxon, a middle-aged African American man with a difficult and burdening past, uses the experiences of his ruthless childhood and struggles of early adulthood as an excuse for his cold-heartedness towards his wife and three children. Eventually, his actions shift his loved one’s feelings to those of anger and hatred as time passes by. Through...
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'What They Fought For 1861-1865,' is a book full of contradictions, irony, and conflicts. The author of the book, James McPherson, has an interesting perspective on the Civil War. When most people learn about the Civil War, they are taught that the South does not understand the agony that the slaves endured. They seemed to only fight because they had to. If they read this book, they would discover that it was not entirely true. The majority of American history...
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A segment in a story in which the outcome, is completely different from what is expected, or is contradictory to the segment, expresses irony. Flannery O’Connor was a southern born author who often uses irony. O’Connor was an author born in Savannah, Georgia on March 25, 1925. At a young age, O’Connor began to develop a skillful interest and passion in drawing and writing. Around the age of 25, O’Connor began displaying early symptoms of lupus, and was forced to...
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Philosophical Fragments, written under the pseudonym 'Johannes Climacus,' is an important component of his philosophical and theological explication, explaining the conceptual distinction between Greek and religious philosophy. Soren Kierkegaard used Johannes Climacus to explain his ideas about how the concept of self fits into faith's vast eternity. In Philosophical Fragments, he starts with Greek Platonic philosophy, delving into the ramifications of moving beyond the Socratic knowledge of truth received via recall to the Christian experience of truth received through grace....
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As we know, in his early work on The Concept of Irony, Sren Kierkegaard examined the subject of irony in depth. Many of the issues raised in this work, such as defining the subject of cognition and subjective self-knowledge, will be addressed in Kierkegaard's following works. References to George W. F. Hegel's thesis also distinguishes this early work. Kierkegaard contrasts irony as an 'attitude' and 'pure' irony as a 'thought object.' Pure irony, according to Kierkegaard, is similar to romantic...
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He talks a lot about his lack of actual freedom in the opening monologue of ‘The Story of an Hour’. The thought of the husband now not believing his wife comes to the fore in this story in phrases of situational irony. From Webster’s New World College Dictionary, we get this definition: “Freedom is stated to be the absence of need, or of restraint, in the presence of either free will or compulsion”. Mrs. Mallard felt liberated after she had...
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In his novel ‘Shibumi’, author Rodney William Whitaker writes, “Irony is fate's most common figure of speech”. Irony is present in almost every situation imaginable—from the small talk made while waiting in line to the foundation of some of the most well-known, acclaimed pieces of literature in history. Simply put, irony is a contrast between expectation and reality— when what is expected to happen does not. Author Shirley Jackson utilizes this concept multiple times in ‘The Possibility of Evil’, a...
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Pahom was a hardworking man. But nonetheless, he was a poor peasant. He and his wife seemed content living a stress-free lifestyle, and not having much. “We may never grow rich, but we will always have enough to eat”, his wife would say. Although Pahom agreed, he thought in the back of his mind that his life would be perfect and he would have nothing to fear if he only had more land. Pahom learned of a neighbor selling land,...
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In ‘Bully’ Martin Espada uses the first stanza to introduce the theme of his poem. “In the school auditorium/the Theodore Roosevelt statue/is nostalgic” (lines 1-3). The statue described emanates a nostalgia for the Spanish-American war, which was considered by many to be a morally reprehensible act of hate upon Hispanic people. The author of the poem, Martin Espada, was introduced early on to political activism by his father, Frank Espada, who was a leader in the Puerto Rican community and...
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In the short story ‘Sweat’ by Zora Neale Hurston, the main character Delia is a hardworking woman who does tremendous manual labor as a washerwoman for white folks. Delia has been in an abusive marriage with her husband Sykes for fifteen years, and he enjoys treating her the way that he does. Sykes doesn’t like that Delia works for white people. Sykes decides to play a trick on Delia by using her fear of snakes. He decides to get a...
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Irony occurs when a reader sees that the author is showing that there is a gap between what is thought to be true and what actually is true. Irony is not always immediately apparent to the reader. If ironies are too obvious or heavy, the reader is likely to feel that he or she is being treated as a child. There are a few kinds of irony in literary techniques. First and foremost, situational irony occurs when the audience, or...
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In the play ‘No Exit’, Jean-Paul Sartre implements the ideas of the philosophy of ontology and consciousness. In exploration of these philosophical ideas, like ontology, which is the ‘study of what exists’, the author works to emphasize the importance of self-awareness. Ontology, itself, categorizes the nature of existence into three states of being. These states of being include: being-in-itself, being-for-itself, and being-for-others, which all hold connection to the characters. Likewise, consciousness, also explores the idea of being self-aware, and emphasizes...
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In ‘The Ransom of Red Chief’, the characters’ actions are the opposite of what is expected, which creates irony. O. Henry, the author, develops irony through contrasting character points of view and uses irony to create humor and surprise. O. Henry begins the story with Sam, the narrator and kidnapper, discussing how he and Bill Driscoll plan to kidnap a child to earn money so they can commit a crime in Illinois. The kidnappers select Summit because they expect the...
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Shakespeare ‘Macbeth’ was written in 1606, it’s based on a man named Macbeth who wanted to become the king of Scotland (where he resides). The main theme of Macbeth is the spoiling nature of his unchecked ambition, which is displayed through his struggles against himself, his wife, and society all driven by the want of power. Dramatic irony is foreshadowed throughout the play by the use of many dramatic techniques. Some language devices are used to create imagery such as...
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The short story, ‘The Jewelry’, by Guy De Maupassant examines the theme of life being full of irony and never knowing what you are really dealing with. One may perceive something and think it is amazing until they see the reality of the situation and then truly understand what they were dealing with and how the person or thing they thought were something turned to be something completely different. The short story is filled with many ironic situations. Irony is...
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Section1. hyperbole- In rhetoric, hyperbole is a method of composing that makes a person or things sound bigger, better than they are. anecdote- An anecdote is a tale or a short story to make audience members laugh. It is a short portrayal of any occasion that makes the reader giggle over the subject displayed for reason. analogy - An analogy is a rhetoric device that makes one thing clear regarding another to feature the manners by which they are indistinguishable....
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