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The use of certain mechanical writing techniques can either make a story or break it. In constructing a narrative, an author must choose wisely upon determining which writing style will be adapted. A popular technique practiced by an abundant number of authors is irony. With irony, what is stated or done is the opposite of really what is meant.
Irony is a manner of expression through which words or events convey a reality different from and even opposite to appearance or expectation. The use of such device in the story provides it with humor and wit, and makes the piece more sophisticated. From the very beginning we notice the apparition of irony in the story Antigone, one of a series of Greek plays written by Sophicles. He was a master of Irony, during the third century B. C.
Antigone is the third and final play; it details the ends of the children of Oedipus Rex. The setting is in third century Greece, during the rule of Kreon. The three major points of one complex irony in Antigone are: the refusal of Kreon to take advice; the profession by Kreon that he is wrong; and the action that shows Kreon did not think that he was wrong. Kreon refused to take advice from anyone. Even when advised by his son that his kingdom would be weakened if he did not change his mind, he did not take heed. His reply to his son was, You consider it right for a man of my years and experience to go to school to a boy?
Kreon is asking a rhetorical question of Harmon, his son. He asks if his son could teach someone as old and experienced as himself anything. He also uses the term boy as a degrading term, his son being obviously much too old to be called a boy. This refusal of any advice by Kreon is the first ground point for the complex Irony that Sophicles is setting up. Kreon's profession of guilt is the second major point for irony in Antigone. He states, Come with me to the tomb.
I buried her, I will set her free. An overview of this quotation is although he does not declare guilt in the quotation, he does reverse his mind concerning the death of Antigone. After instructing his servants to accompany him, he informs the chorus that although he has sentenced her to death in the mountainous crypt, he will release her before it is too late. He shows in the quote that he does not think that his original judgment was correct and that he thinks it better for his sake to reverse his decision and let her live than to risk the calamity predicted by Teiresias. Kreon's statement he will release Antigone from her death sentence is the second point used for the irony.
Kreon ultimately did not think that he was wrong until the very end of the play. The statement made to the audience by the Messenger confirms this theory. I went with Kreon to the outer plain where Polyneices was lying When we were done, we ran to the vault where Antigone lay on her couch of stone The messenger states that he went with Kreon to release Antigone as Kreon instructed. The messenger also informs us that instead of rushing to Antigone, Kreon instead changes his mind and decides to bury Polyneices first.
They then bury the body. Only after the burial, when they have completed all that is involved in a Greek traditional funeral, they go to free Antigone who was already dead on the floor of the crypt. If Kreon had been truly sorry for his actions and realized which part of his actions should be reversed first, he would have immediately released Antigone and then allowed her to come and help with the funeral proceedings. His lack of correct priorities however, shows that Kreon did not really know what he should have done, and it also indicates that he was not truly sorry for his actions. Kreon merely wished for all of the problems associated with the scandal to go away. The third and final ironic point is the actions of Kreon showing that he was not truly sorry in his reversal of judgment.
Three actions of Kreon make this irony work as well as it does. His refusal to take advise from anyone, especially his son, the one person that should care the most about his fathers future as a ruler and even as a man. His statement that he was wrong and actions counter to his previous stance on ruling. However the final action by Kreon that makes the irony work so well is his action that shows that he was not really sorry, and that he merely wished for his problems to go away. Despite the plays abundance of ironies, this irony was one of my favorites. Irony in A Midsummer Nights dream also play a very important role.
Shakespeare was often known for his satires, glimpses of life just slightly out of norm and full if irony, wit, and hidden meaning. A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of his most underrated plays, even with the wide vestige of characters that the audience is left to root for. Many miraculous events happen in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Nights Dream. Magic is an extensive part of the play, as well as, the incredible characters, including: Puck, Lysander, Hermia, Helena, Bottom, and many more. A numerous amount of the characters play more than one important part, to progress interest, in the play. But the most important event in the play is that love and betrayal are the two most crucial elements in the development of the play.
And here the author uses irony to make the plot more vivid and rich. I believe A Midsummer Nights Dream is a fun, magical story and a victim of the high school puppy love disease. In high school, especially the ninth grade, everyone has their first real boyfriend / girlfriend . The precisely chosen significant other is the love of their life. How could you live without this person in your life? You known him/ her for approximately two weeks and you have fallen deep in love.
Sound familiar? I think Shakespeare plays around with this blind emotion theme with a deep irony. Helena would do anything for Demetrius. She belittles herself to appease him.
She has no respect for herself even though this light side is quite comical in the play. In this play love had multiple effects on the main characters Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius, and Helena, as it seems to do in real life. In my opinion the greatest effect of love is foolishness. And here Shakespeare uses irony to show it truly. A prominent man can be moved to appear a fool and perform ridiculous acts in the name of love. This has held true since the beginning of man.
Love is blind, for starters. If you love someone there will be things about that person which may be plain to everyone else but have never even occurred to you. Love is fleeting and foolish, hence the child with wings. All these things can be encompassed within the situation between Helena and Demetrius. Helena is obviously stricken with this blindness when she says things like I am your spaniel, and, Demetrius / The more you beat me I will fawn on you. (act 2 scene 1 lines 203 - 204). And she seems to take the brunt of this side of love throughout the play, as is shown when says things like You do me mischief.
Fie, Demetrius! / Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex. (Act 2 scene 1 lines 239 - 240). In summary, the use of verbal and situational irony, play a crucial part in the meaning, climax, and outcome of both works. Without these ironies, one would not receive the full effect of the scenes and characters presented in these plays. Therefore, the application of irony is one that authors such as Shakespeare and Sophicles utilize to show readers the true stories and plots.
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