Irony 3 kinds Situational Verbal Dramatic Irony trumps

Irony • 3 kinds - Situational - Verbal - Dramatic • Irony trumps all! • If a dark stormy night is treated ironically all bets are off. The writer is intentionally trying to subvert our anticipated meaning for some reason.

Irony • Most works of literature fixate on the struggles (and often triumphs) of characters who are our equals or even superiors. • Ironic works typically show characters who struggle futilely against forces that you or I would likely be able to overcome.

Irony • Irony can work in many different ways to accomplish many different things • The big take away is that irony works to intentionally subvert our expectations • We then have to ask ourselves WHY the author would be interested in using this technique.

Irony • Irony can be used in a variety of ways for a variety of purposes. • The big take away is to remember that irony seeks to intentionally subvert the reader’s expectations by altering the patterns we’re accustomed to. • It’s easy enough to spot, but we have to ask WHY the author would employ irony. How does it enrich his/her writing?

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett • Heads up! This is a weird play! • Beckett is often credited with being a major contributor to absurdist theater • One play: Scream—Walk Across the Stage— Scream • This thing is WIDE open for interpretation. The critics argue and disagree about it all the time so make your OWN meaning.

Waiting for Godot • Existentialism – The basic idea that life, in and of itself, has no extrinsic meaning • Through our own free will, choice and personal responsibility we construct our own personal meaning of life • Events in life are usually chaotic and eschew easy categorization • Largely the result of World War II

Waiting for Godot • “I don’t know who Godot is. I don’t even know (above all don’t know) if he exists. And I don’t know if they believe in him or not, those two who are waiting for him. The other two who pass by towards the end of each of the two acts, that must be to break up the monotony. All I knew I showed. It’s not much, but it’s enough for me, by a wide margin. I’ll even say that I would have been satisfied with less. As for wanting to find in all that a broader, loftier meaning to carry away from the performance, along with the program and the Eskimo pie, I cannot see the point of it. But it must be possible. . . Estragon, Vladimir, Pozzo, Lucky, their time and their space, I was able to know them a little, but far from the need to understand. Maybe they owe you explanations. Let them supply it. Without me. They and I are through with each other. ” - Samuel Beckett

Waiting for Godot • Make notes on the text as you read. What looks important? We can always decide that it’s irrelevant later if we have to. • What three big questions do you have about the text? • How does Beckett use irony to build meaning in the text? • What other patterns and symbols do you suspect might be at work in the text? Defend your answer!