Figures of Speech Irony
Irony is a figure of speech in which the intended meaning of words is opposite to their literal or usual meaning. Irony is often used to add depth and complexity to literary works. It creates a thought-provoking experience for the reader.
Several types of irony are commonly found in literature:
1. Verbal Irony: This occurs when a character says something but means the opposite. It’s often used for humorous or sarcastic effect.
Example: When it’s raining heavily outside, someone remarks, “What a beautiful day!”
Read More: Literary Term Play
2. Situational Irony: This arises when there is a contrast between what is expected to happen and what happens in a situation.
Example: A fire station burns down.
3. Dramatic Irony: This occurs when the audience or reader is aware of something that the characters in the story are not. It creates tension and suspense.
Example: In a play, the audience knows that a character is in danger, but the character is unaware.
Functions of Irony:
- Contrast and Surprise: It contrasts appearance and reality sharply. It surprizes readers by revealing unexpected twists or outcomes.
- Enhanced Communication: Irony allows authors to convey complex ideas and criticisms indirectly. It encourages readers to engage more deeply with the text and its underlying messages.
- Character Development: Through ironic situations, characters can be tested. It reveals hidden qualities or flaws that contribute to their development.
- Humour and Satire: Irony often adds humour to literature. It is a powerful tool for satirical commentary on societal norms, behaviours, and institutions.
- Catharsis: Catharsis provides an emotional release for readers. It offers them a chance to reflect on the complexities of life and human nature through the lens of unexpected outcomes.
Examples:
1. “Go ask his name: if he be married.
My grave is like to be my wedding bed.“[Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare]
Read More: Literary Term Elegy
Ans: Here, Juliet commands her nurse to find out who Romeo is. She says if Romeo were married, then her wedding bed would be her grave. It is a verbal irony because the audience knows that she is going to die on her wedding bed. The function of this irony is to bring about some added meanings to a situation.
2. “Upon the murderer I invoke this curse – whether he is one man and all unknown,
Or one of many – may he wear out his life in misery to miserable doom!” [Oedipus Rex, Sophocles]
Ans: These lines are an illustration of verbal and dramatic irony. Here, Oedipus curses the man who is the cause of the curse on his city. But he is ignorant of the fact that he himself is the cause of the curse, while the audience knows the situation. The function of this irony is to make the work more intriguing and to force the readers to use their imagination and comprehend the underlying meanings.
3. “Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.”
Ans: Ironically, there is water everywhere but they do not have a single drop of water to drink. The function of this irony is to bring about some added meanings to a situation.
Previous Years Questions and Solutions
NTRCA Exam-2015
1. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
Ans. This is an example of irony in which the literal meaning of words is different from their actual meaning. Here, the writer ironically says that a single wealthy man must be in want of a wife. In the late 18th century, women were more dependent on their husbands than vice versa. This statement is ironic because in the novel (Pride and Prejudice), it is not the man seeking a woman. Still, women in this society were almost obsessed with finding a man who could allow them a comfortable lifestyle. The function of this irony is to make the work more intriguing and to force the readers to use their imagination and comprehend the underlying meanings. The function of this irony is to bring about some added meanings to a situation.
Read More: Figures of Speech Anti-Climax
NTRCA Exam-2018
1. Was this the face that launch’d a thousand ships
And burnt the topless towers of Ilium? (Doctor Faustus, Marlowe)
Ans. This is an instance of irony in which the literal meaning of words is different from their actual meaning. It is a reference to the mythological Helen, whose abduction by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War and the destruction of Troy. The speaker here addresses this deeply ironic praise to an infernal spirit that has assumed the shape of Helen of Troy. Ironically, he seems unable or unwilling to realize that his poetic praise is only a damned man’s fantasy. Helen of Troy is not there: the speaker makes love to a dream. The function of this irony is to bring about some added meanings to a situation.
5. Analogy
In literature, an analogy is a figure of speech that establishes a relationship based on similarities between two concepts or ideas. Analogies are used to make complex or abstract ideas more understandable by drawing parallels with something more known or relatable. Analogies often take the form of a brief comparison between two things, using the words “like” or “as.” For example:
“The world is a stage, and we are all actors.”
“Her smile was as bright as the sun.”
Functions of Analogy:
- Clarification: Analogies help clarify complex ideas or unfamiliar concepts by drawing parallels to more accessible or known elements.
- Illustration: Writers use analogies to illustrate abstract concepts vividly. They make them more relatable and engaging for readers.
- Persuasion: Analogies can be persuasive tools, as they evoke emotions and create connections between ideas. This encourages readers to see a situation or argument from a new perspective.
- Imagery: Analogies enhance imagery by creating mental pictures that appeal to the senses. This makes descriptions more vivid and memorable.
- Empathy: Analogies promote empathy by drawing comparisons between different experiences. This enables readers to understand better and connect with characters or situations.
Examples
1. “Structure of an atom is like a solar system. Nucleus is the sun and electrons are the planets revolving around their sun.”
Ans: An atomic structure is here compared to a solar system by using “like”. Therefore, it is a simile. Metaphor is also used here to compare the nucleus to the sun and the electrons to the planets without using words “like” or “as’. Hence, similes and metaphors are employed to develop an analogy. The function of this analogy is to link an unfamiliar or a new idea with common and familiar objects.
Read More: Figures of Speech Climax
2. “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other word would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,” [Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare]
Ans: Juliet is indirectly saying that just like a rose that will always smell sweet by whichever name it is called, she will like Romeo even if he changes his name. The function of this analogy is to catch the attention of the readers.
3. “This flea is you and I, and this
Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is “[“The Flea”, Donne]
Ans: This is an analogy. Here the poet tells his beloved that as a flea has sucked blood from both of them and their blood has mingled in its gut, the flea has become their “wedding bed”. The poet uses the analogy of a flea to describe his love for his beloved.
