Abstract
Verbal irony is an important literary technique as well as an interesting rhetorical device. It achieves emphasis by saying the opposite of what is meant. Since verbal irony is much more effective than the direct statement, it is commonly used in literature. By analyzing the verbal irony, readers are able to have a better understanding of the main figures and the theme of the novel.
Gone with the wind, written by the famous American writer Margaret Mitchell is a novel of romantic and reflecting the Civil War. For more than half a century, the novel has been on the top of the American bestsellers. As a great romantic novel, Gone with the wind has attracted attention of critics from around the world. Verbal irony is a notable characteristic of Gone with the wind, and it is the pivotal factor contributing to long lasting and ever increasing reputation of Gone with the wind. This thesis is to analyze verbal irony in Gone with the wind. At first, the thesis reviews content of novel and theories of irony. Secondly, the author tries to analyze conversation of each role from the perspective of verbal irony. Finally, it draws the conclusion that verbal irony is very important for the creation of artistic images.
Keywords Gone with the wind, Margaret Mitchell, Verbal irony
Contents
Abstract I
Contents I
1. Introduction 1
2. Review of Gone with the Wind 2
2.1 Margaret Mitchell and Her work 2
2.2 A Brief Introduction of Gone with the Wind 2
3. Theories of Irony 4
3.1 The History of Irony 4
3.2 The Definition of Irony 4
3.3 The Definition of Verbal Irony 5
4. The Application of Verbal Irony in Gone with the Wind 6
4.1 Heartlessness, Frivolity and Vanity of Scarlett 6
4.2 Tactfulness, Wit and Humor of Rhett 8
4.3 Ambition of Gerald 10
5. Conclusion 11
References 12
