The Game of Irony in Charles Dickens’ Novels
Abstract
The paper aims at identifying the three types of irony – verbal, dramatic and of situation – in some of Charles Dickens’ novels in order to reveal the author’s contribution to the modern understanding of Victorianism. The ironic discourse will be analyzed so as to show the true underlying meaning of Dickens’
texts. It is said that Dickens revealed through irony more than historians could have ever revealed through direct telling, and to show whether this is true or not represents the purpose of the current paper. As far as Victorianism is concerned, the first major paradigms which irony is aimed at are precisely Victorian
respectability, domesticity and stability.
texts. It is said that Dickens revealed through irony more than historians could have ever revealed through direct telling, and to show whether this is true or not represents the purpose of the current paper. As far as Victorianism is concerned, the first major paradigms which irony is aimed at are precisely Victorian
respectability, domesticity and stability.