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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
Part 1: Les Trois Couronnes
Explanation and Analysis—Winterbourne the Busker:
Though much of the novella revolves around Winterbourne's struggle to make sense of Daisy, it's clear that she finds him strange in return. Despite this mutual mystification, they often engage in witty banter that is largely built on verbal irony. Their rapport can be gleaned from their conversation on the steamboat to Chillon, when Winterbourne asks if Daisy wants him to perform for money:
‘Should you like me to dance a hornpipe on the deck?’
‘Pray do, and I’ll carry round your hat. It will pay the expenses of our journey.’
Behind this ironic banter lies their disagreement on whether Winterbourne outwardly reveals his pleasure. Whereas Daisy finds him solemn, as if they were going to a funeral, he feels that he rarely shows more enthusiasm than when he's around her. This speaks to the contrasting cultural contexts that have shaped the two characters. Having spent much of his life in Europe, Winterbourne has been raised to value moderation and discretion. Daisy, on the other hand, is accustomed to openly expressing her emotions and opinions.
When Winterbourne asks if she wants him to "dance a hornpipe on the deck," he is mockingly suggesting that this is the sort of thing that would align with Daisy's lack of restraint. The characters and reader know that busking is one of the many activities that wouldn't be accepted on the deck of the Swiss steamboat, and also that Winterbourne would never do something of the sort. Between the lines, he is mocking Americans for their unruly immoderation—and perhaps expressing some admiration for their freedom of spirit.
After these exchanges, Winterbourne murmurs that he was never "better pleased" in his life, which makes Daisy laugh and exclaim that he's a "queer mixture." Wordplay and verbal irony underline the rapport between Winterbourne and Daisy throughout the narrative. He may be bewildered and shocked by her straightforward speech and behavior, but these aspects are also precisely what he finds so appealing about her.
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