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 texts
Making even the most difficult debates accessible and clear, this is the ideal student introduction to the many theories of irony.
In this clear, user-friendly guide, Claire Colebrook provides an historical and theoretical overview of irony, tracing its development from Socrates to the 21st century, and explores the challenge that irony presents to communication and representation in literature.