Course 8—Lecture

Seeing Irony

That remark—"I know it when I see it"—is actually about pornography. But it applies equally well to irony.

Shelves of books and countless graduate seminars have tried to dissect irony, understand it, and pin it down. But like humor, irony can prove just as elusive.

We'll do our best in this LitCourse at least to introduce you to irony and explain its remarkable qualities.