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Definition of Irony
Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how they actually are. If this seems like a loose definition... read full definition
Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how they actually are. If this... read full definition
Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how... read full definition
Key Examples in The Devoted Friend
Irony
Explanation and Analysis—Empty Words:
Throughout the story, the Miller shares a number of exaggerated, didactic thoughts on friendship. These hyperbolic reflections are marked by irony, since his grand ideas and reflections tend to clash directly with his own behavior. However, it is important to note that, because he never intentionally says the opposite of what he means, the Miller isn't using verbal irony. The irony of his words and deeds are lost on him, but it's apparent to the Linnet and to the reader. By linking the Miller's characterization with situational irony and hyperbole, Wilde lays bare the obliviousness of those who justify their exploitation of vulnerable people with the conviction that they are morally or intellectually superior.
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Explanation and Analysis—The Miller's Devotion:
The Linnet's comments about the Miller are marked by verbal irony throughout the story. He repeatedly refers to the character as a good and devoted friend, yet he only ever gives examples of the Miller behaving in a selfish, unkind manner. The Linnet's verbal irony ensures that he is able to hint at his thoughts on the events of the story without expressing them explicitly. Although the verbal irony gives an idea of where the Linnet's sympathies lie, he never inserts his personal commentary into the story he is telling.
For example, when the Linnet first introduces the Miller into the story, he claims that he is Hans's most devoted friend. However, the next piece of information he gives—seemingly to back up this claim—would only attest to the opposite: that the Miller does not treat Hans well at all.
Unlock with LitCharts A+Little Hans had a great many friends, but the most devoted friend of all was big Hugh the Miller. Indeed, so devoted was the Miller to little Hans, that he would never go by his garden without leaning over the wall and plucking a large nosegay, or a handful of sweet herbs, or filling his pockets with plums and cherries if it was the fruit season.
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