Irony in selected Runyankole folktales

Abstract

Irony is a rhetorical device used in most of the modern fiction and literature in general. It is a means to humor and is widely used in psychological literary works. Irony is a disagreement or incongruity between what is said and what is understood, or what is expected and what actually occurs. It can be used intentionally or can happen unintentionally. Audience’s role is very important. Authors can use irony to make their audience stop and think about what has just been said, or to emphasize a central idea. The audience's role is realizing the difference between what is said and what is normal or expected is essential to the successful use of irony. Iron can be broadly known as a rhetorical device, literary technique, or event characterized by an incongruity, or contrast, between reality(what is) and appearance (what seems to be). Verbal, dramatic, and situational irony are often used for emphasis in the assertion of a truth. The ironic form of simile, used in sarcasm, and some forms of litotes can emphasize one's meaning by the deliberate use of language which states the opposite of the truth, denies the contrary of the truth, or drastically and obviously understates a factual connection. Henry Watson Fowler, in The King's English, says "any definition of irony—though hundreds might be given, and very few of them would be accepted—must include this, that the surface meaning and the underlying meaning of what is said are not the same." Also, Eric Partridge, in Usage and Abusage, writes that "Irony consists in stating the contrary of what is meant." There are several types of irony in literature. The three main types are verbal irony, dramatic irony, and situational irony. Verbal irony refers to the use of dialogue where one thing is spoken, but a contrasting meaning is intended. Verbal irony is not merely lying or speaking a faux pas, it’s an intentional use of contrasting language to describe something in particular or it can be defined as the contrast between what is said and what is meant; e.g. sarcasm, Dramatic irony which is the contrast between what the character thinks to be true and what we (the reader) know to be true. It can be defined as when the audience knows something that the story’s characters do not resulting in poor decision making or ironic consequences. Sometimes as we read we are placed in the position of knowing more than what one character knows. Because we know something the character does not, we read to discover how the character will react when he or she learns the truth of the situation and Situational irony is the most common in literature and it can be defined as plot events with unexpected or contradictory outcomes. This points at the different disparity between what seems to be taking place and what actually comes out because it emerges from the events and circumstances of a story, it is often subtler and effective than verbal or dramatic irony. Irony is often an effective way for an author to express ideas of what she thinks describes the society in which she lives. Irony can explore the differences between what a society or person says or does and how they actually live. A society which claims to value truth and justice, but actually tolerates or encourages lying and injustice is ironic.