A Pragmatics of Verbal Irony in Literary Discourse: An Example from Drama.

This paper starts from the premise that Sperber and Wilson's account of verbal irony is adequate and generalizable. It can be successfully extended to account for verbal irony in literary discourse by paying particular attention to the questions of attribution, recontextualization and attitude communication. The paper further argues that pragmatics of verbal irony should, however, combine this account with a consideration of the functions or effects for which this phenomenon is used in discourse. It is suggested here that this can be achieved through a treatment of sociolinguistic and psychological issues like politeness, solidarity and power, particularly in relation to the manipulative function of irony. These points are illustrated through the analysis of Mark Antony's speech in "Julius Caesar," where he gradually builds irony up and uses it effectively in order to turn the originally resentful crowds into allies fighting against Brutus. (Contains 22 references.) (Author)