Princess de Cleves , Tartuffe, Nathan the Wise: a study of Irony Essay

In Princess de cleves which is believed to be written by dame La Fayette banter has been used to tell apart the heroine who is torn between her indebtedness and love. While her heart is passionate or so her lover, her sense of duty towards her husband and above in all the societal norms forbade her to do so. In the very first scene the writer describes near the immenseness and magnificence of the court of Henry II ,it is inhabited by pleasing ladies and handsome gallants.The heroine gets impressed by it scarcely her niggle warns her over against false appearances because she knows that outwardly these lot atomic number 18 attr boutive but inwardly they are all jealous of each other. If you judge by appearances in this placeyou bequeath often be deceived, because what appeals to be the case hardly ever is. (Introduction, Princess de cleves by Penguin Classics pg. 4). here(predicate) we see a form of situational irony because the princess takes the outward appearance s of people to be their unbowed self while they are quite opposite word to it.Again when she refuses to see Nemours but he is brought to her room by her knowledge husband it is a dramatic irony for the husband who is unaware that Nemours is his married wo globes lover. Princess de Cleves questions the false norms of the society which demand that princess should follow the path of duty while heart yearns for love. Her world is ruined by her passion but throughout the novel she pretends that she is in control of her life. In the end her mothers words what appeals to be the case hardly ever is are applicable to her as well. Jazz 2Tartuffe, a comedy by Moliere mocks at the people who are befooled by hypocrites in the name of organized religion. In Act I when Orgon returns home, he asks his maid Dorine about the news of the family, Dorine reports that Madam was down with fever and headache but Orgon is more concerned about his friend and mentor Tartuffes health. Dorine reports that he is well but Orgon says that he is a poor man. The dialogue continues and Dorine reports that Madam could non take her supper nor could she ease but Tartuffe ate up two patridges and half a offset of mutton and slept quite well Orgon again calls him poor man. We experience a verbal irony in the following comment by Dorine they are both doing well and Ill go straightway and inform my lady of pleasure how pleased you are at her recovery. ( by Wilbur ActI , Scene II) In the next scene when Orgon is talking to Cleante , he says that Tartuffe has totally transformed him and now he has no love for his wife, children or mother he can tear down see them dying without caring a snap to which Cleante replies Your feelings are compassionate , I must say brother ( by Wilbur ActI , scene VI).Here we see a verbal comedy because Cleante actually means it is moth-eaten. Through the irony in this play Moliere emphasizes that people should not be gullible to religious zealots, as Cleante says that refreshing men do not make noise of their deeds of honor and mavens who do so are actually hypocrites fooling people. Jazz 3 In the poem Nathan the wise Lessing questions the reality of all the religions. When all the religions believe in God wherefore why each considers his religion to be superior?This is itself an irony. In act III when Nathan appears before sultan Saladin he thinks that he will be asked to part with his money because he has been told by Al Hafi that sultan plainly wants to rob people and Nathan is just like any other dealer who supplies him with money . On the contrary sultan asks him to answer his question which religion is better or is preferred by Nathan because Sultan considers Nathan as a wise man who can answer his questions.This may be depict as a form of structural irony where the unexpected affair happens . As Nathan says I came prepared with cash-he asks truth. Truth? as if truth too were casha coin disud( Taylor and Lewes, Act III). Lessing uses structural irony in Act IV when Friar tells Nathan that he is the same man who gave him the girl child. Nathan says that his own family was burnt alive by Christians but he brought up the Christian girl as his own child and looked after(prenominal) her lovingly.Friar is touched and says that Nathan is a true Christian. Nathan you are a true Christian Yes, by God Nathan Heaven bless us What makes me to you a Christian makes you to me a jew. (Taylor and Lewes, act IV). Here they are praising again their own religions but fail to realize the oneness of their Gods. This poem gives a strong message that we have different religions and faiths and we consider our religion to be superior which teaches us to worship our God but who , ironically is one .Works Cited Cave , Terence (translator) Princess de cleves Oxford world classics. UK (13 march ,2009) La Fayette. The Princess de Cleves Penguin classicsUK. (first published, March 1678) Lessing Ephraim Gotthold. Nathan the pert trans lated by Taylor William And Lewes lee Charles, Leipzig 1868. (14 march 2009) Wilbur, Richard(translator) Tartuffe comedy in five acts A Harvest/HBJ book( first published 1669)