Admission requirements
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Description
Although nowadays, many associate irony primarily with post-modernism, irony is of all ages. Which is not to say that irony is always employed in the same way. Using the stylistic device of irony, this course studies the differences and similarities of diverse historic schools and periods.
As a stylistic device, irony creates a discrepancy between the explicit utterance and an unspoken implicit assertion. This discrepancy may give irony a “sharp edge” when it is aimed at someone or something. For this reason, irony is not only a rhetorical device or a philosophical concept, but also as an ideology-critical instrument. With irony, other voices can be summoned to problematise or contradict prevailing visions or official messages. Essentially, there are always three parties: an “inflictor”, a “butt” and “accesory listeners/readers” who understand the implicit joke. The division of roles between these three parties is far from fixed. But this variable division of roles is what enables irony to have (politically) subversive affects.
On the one hand, this course deals with different theories concerning irony; on the other hand, different manifestations of irony in romanticism, avant-garde, modernism, post-modernism and post-colonialism are discussed.
Course objectives
To gain an understanding of the major literary genres of previous centuries using irony.
Timetable
Mode of instruction
Seminar
Assessment method
Mid-term and final paper
Blackboard
Blackboard is used to inform students and to post assignments, texts, visual material.
Reading list
Reader with articles
Registration
Students have to apply for this course with the registration system of the university uSis. General information about registration with uSis you can find here in Dutch and in English
Exchange and Study Abroad students, please see the Study in Leiden website for information on how to apply
Contact information
Please contact the instructors, Y.Horsman and P.W.J.Verstraten
Remarks
For more information (in Dutch), consult the website from Literary Studies