Irony

In a postmodern era of stimulation, mass communication and disenchantment, how are we to recognize sincerity from irony?

Irony is both a figure of speech--saying one thing and meaning another--and an attitude to existence, in which the ironic subject adopts a position of skepticism and mistrust in relation to everyday language. In this clear, user-friendly guide, Claire Colebrook provides an historical and theoretical overview of irony, tracing its development from Socrates to the present-day, and explores the challenge that irony presents to communication and representation in literature today.

This is the essential guide for any student of literary theory looking to unravel the many theories of this complex subject.

In this handy volume, Claire Colebrook offers an overview of the history and structure of irony, from Socrates to the present.Students will welcome this clear, concise guide, which:*traces the use of the concept through history, from Greek times to the Romantic period and on to the postmodern era*looks closely at the work of Socrates and the more contemporary theorists Jacques Derrida and Gilles Deleuze*explores the philosophical, literary and political dimensions of irony*applies theories of irony to literary textsMaking even the most difficult debates accessible and clear, this is the ideal student introduction to the many theories of irony.

Claire Colebrook teaches English at the University of Edinburgh. Her publications include Gilles Deleuze, in the Routledge Critical Thinkers series and Irony in the Work of Philosophy.