Irony The one form of humor that everyone thinks they
understand, when actually no one really does. Truly, it is the cleverest joke
ever played on mankind." The intended meaning is an inversion of the plain
meaning. Pretty simple, really, but somehow a difficult concept for some to
grasp.
Let's describe what irony is not, since that is where the
confusion mainly comes from (and it's misused a lot).It is not a lie.It is not
a joke.It is not a coincidence.It is not merely anything unexpected.It is not
the same as sarcasm.It is not something Alanis Morissette understands. Or maybe
she does?
Irony can overlap with those (with the possible exception of
the last one), but just by themselves, they are not irony. This is where the
confusion of the meaning of the word usually starts. People try to apply it
where it doesn't belong.It enjoyed a renaissance in the '90s thanks to
Postmodernism, which is a slightly different concept of irony.There are seven
main situations where Irony belongs: Socratic, Verbal, Dramatic, Tragic,
Situational, Cosmic, and Historical. If something does not fit in any of these,
it is not irony.
