《A Study of Irony in Oliver Twist From Perspective of Stylistics》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《A Study of Irony in Oliver Twist From Perspective of Stylistics（4页珍藏版）》请在金锄头文库上搜索。
1、A Study of Irony in Oliver Twist From Perspective of Stylistics【Abstract】CharlesDickensworkshavebeenpopularandsignificantinworldliterature，whichdrawstheattentionofboththereadersandscholars.OliverTwistisoneofCharlesDickensmasterpiecesthatappliesironyasoneofthemainstylisticfeatures，providinganappropri
2、atechoiceforthepresentstylisticstudy.Ironyachievesvariouseffects，suchaspromotingtheplot，buildingthecharacteristics，deepeningthethemesandsoon，whichgivesabetterunderstandingofthewholeworks.【Keywords】OliverTwist；stylistics；irony【作者簡介】雷傲筠1993-，女，汉族，湖北随州人，辽宁大学外国语学院，英语语言文学，硕士生。1.IntroductionCharlesDickens
3、1812-1870isagreatcriticalrealistwritersandfamousforexposingandcriticizingallthepoverty，injustice，hypocrisyandcorruptnessheseesaroundhim.HeachievedarecognizableplaceamongEnglishwritersthroughtheuseofthestylisticfeaturesinhisfictionallanguage.OliverTwistissucharepresentativeofhisstyleprovidinganapprop
4、riatechoiceforthepresentstylisticstudy，inwhichironyisoneofthemainstylisticfeatureselaboratelyappliedtoachievevariouseffects，suchaspromotingtheplot，deepeningthethemes，etc.2.IronyanditsapplicationinOliverTwistIronyisaliterarytechniqueandrhetoricdevicethathasbeenusedformanyyearsinspeech，artandeverydayl
5、ife.OxfordAdvancedLearnersEnglish-ChineseDictionarydefinesitasexpressionofonesmeaningbysayingthedirectoppositeofonesthoughtsinordertobeemphatic，amusing，sarcastic，etc.WebstersNewWorldEncyclopediadefinesitasaliterarytechniquethatachievestheeffectofsayingonethingandmeaninganotherthroughtheuseofhumororm
6、ildsarcasm.Ironyisadiscrepancybetweenwhatisanticipatedtobetrueandwhatisactuallytrueanditcanbedividedintothreetypes，verbalirony，dramaticironyandsituationalirony.2.1VerbalIronyVerbalironyisastatementinwhichthemeaningthataspeakeremploysissharplydifferentfromthemeaningthatisostensiblyexpressed.Itsmainfe
7、atureisthatitisusedbyaspeakerintentionally.Itcanbefurtheranalyzedintooverstatementandunderstatement.DickensdescribedtheworkhousewherOliverwasbornwas“themostfortunateandenviableplaceforahumanbeing，whichdifferentiatesfromthecommonsense.Actually，aworkhouseasaninstitutionprovidedbytheparishtohouseandfee
8、dthedestituteperhapsseesthemostpoverty，diseases，sufferingandmisery.Anyonewhohasaplacetogoorhasapersontorelyonwillnotappearthere.Infact，itisassertingatruththatOliverhasnoshelter，soevenaworkhouseisgoodenoughforhim.Ababyshouldhavewontheunlimitedloveandattentionofthewholefamily，butDickenssaidOliverwould
9、havebeenkilledinnotime，ifhehadbeen“surroundedbycarefulgrandmothers，anxiousaunts，experiencednurses，anddoctorsofprofoundwisdom.Differentfromtheliteralmeaning，thetruthisthatpoorOliverwascaredbynooneandstruggledtosurvivebyhimself.VerbalironyperformedheredescribesOliversmiserybirthvividly，indicateshishar
10、dfuturelife，createssuspenseofOliversidentity，andcriticizesworkhousesderelictionofdutyforthefirsttimeinthenovel.Soon，Oliverwassenttothebranch-workhouseforauthoritiesbelievedtherewasnofemaleintheworkhousewhocouldbeimparttoOlivertoprovideneededconsolationandnourishment.Thissituationseemsbe“magnanimousl
11、yandhumanelyresolved，however，readersknowthatsendingawaythechildisjusttheirhypocriticalbehaviortogetridofaburdenbetweenthelines.Lifeinthebranch-workhousewas“withouttheinconvenienceoftoomuchfoodortoomuchclothingdescribedbyDickens，whichactuallymeanssufferinghungerandcoldness.Theparentalsuperintendenceo
12、felderlyladyiscredibleonlyononeconditionthatagoodparentwillsavetheallowanceofthechildrenforherownuseandletherchildrenstruggleinamisfortunelivingcondition.Obviously，theauthorisuncoveringthehypocrisy，flattery，irresponsibility，andevencrueltyoftheauthoritiesandrelatedsuperintendentinanironictone.Meanwhi
13、le，itmakesOliversdestinycatchmoreattentionandsympathyofthereaders.2.2DramaticironyDramaticironyisthedevicegivingthespectatoranitemofinformationthatatleastoneofthecharactersinthenarrativeisunawareofatleastconsciously，thusplacingthespectatorastepaheadofatleastoneofthecharacters.Thatistosay，readersorau
14、diencesknowwhattheplayhastold，whilethecharacters，someofthemsometimes，donotknowandcontinuetheirperformancesleadingtocontradiction.Naturallysuchperformanceswillmoreeasilyattracttheattentionandinterestfromreadersoraudience.ThedramaticironyisappliedindescribingOliverswellgettingalongwithMr.Faginandhispu
15、pilsbeforeknowingtheirrealimage.Atthebeginning，Oliverconsidersthemasgood，kindandhard-workingpeopleandfeelsgratefultowhattheydid.Theneverythingmakessense：Oliverwatchesthemerryoldgentlemanandthetwoboysplayatauncommongameandlearnsquicklywhattheydo；afterpracticingforalongtime，Oliverlongsfor“oldgentleman
16、toallowhimtogoouttowork；finally，Oliverfindshiscompanionsstrangebutstillthoughtthey“deceivetheoldgentleman.ReadersknowthatMr.Faginandhispupilspracticethestealingskillsbytheoddgame，andmakealivingbyhangingoutandstealinghandkerchiefs，exceptfortheinnocentOliver.Heapproachestodangerstepbystepinatrick，andheisinvolvedinlearningsomethinghewouldnteverdoifheknowsitsessence.Thisdramaticironyattractsreadersinterestandmakesthemkeepreadingcontinuouslyandurgently.Italsodepict
