Irony in Guy de Maupassant’s “The Jewelry”” Essay

Introduction
“Expect the unexpected. ” is something that I heard many times. We should follow this regulation while reading different genres of authorship. because authors use sarcasm to maintain readers’ attending. and do their plants more interesting. This research paper deals with one of Guy de Maupassant’s short narrative “The Jewelry” and with his virtuous ability to utilize sarcasm in it. It is sometimes said that we live in an age of sarcasm. Because presents even politicians in their addresss use ironical device. in order to catch attending of society. Barry Brummet ( expert in Techniques of Close Reading ) in one of his address mentioned that “Irony is a sort of winking at each other. as we all understand the game of intending reversal that is being played. ”

The narrative was foremost published in Maupassant’s short-story aggregation “Contes du jour et de la nuit” in 1885. Since that clip people have been reading it. and it won popularity among them. So it has a batch of interesting sentiments and analysis which were made by celebrated critics and authors like Leo Tolstoy. Maupassant is considered one of the finest short narrative authors of all clip and a title-holder of the realist attack to authorship.

“The Jewelry” is interesting to read because it contains irony. Irony has ever been intriguing object to analyze. and it is widely known and popular to utilize in modern clip as in literature so in address. It is glorious narrative ; despite of being short it has deep sense and contains interesting subjects to discourse. In “The Jewelry” reader can see what ironical games life can play with us and to what decision it can take us.

Chapter I

Sarcasm
The Greek etymology of the word sarcasm. ???????? ( eironeia ) . agencies feigned ignorance ( a technique frequently used by the Greek philosopher Socrates ) . and from ????? ( eiron ) . the 1 who makes a inquiry pretense to be naif. and ?????? is besides a verb group of the Greek “to speak” . The verb ?????? ( eirein ) itself is likely from the Proto-Indo-European root *wer- say. Irony is a stylistic device in which the contextual appraising significance of a word is straight opposite to its dictionary significance. There are really many instances which we regard as sarcasm. intuitively experiencing the change of the rating. but unable to set our finger on the exact word in whose significance we can see the contradiction between what is said and what is implied. The consequence of sarcasm in such instances is created by a figure of statements. by the whole text. Many illustrations of sarcasm are supplied by D. Defoe. J. Swift and many others.

Types of sarcasm

There are 3 chief types of sarcasm:
1. Verbal Sarcasm: This occurs when a character says one thing but suggests or intends the antonym. For case in Julius Caesar. Mark Antony says “and Brutus is an honest adult male. ” when he truly means that Brutus is dishonourable because he has betrayed Caesar. It is really similar to sarcasm. although irony is unsmooth and direct while verbal sarcasm is implied.

2. Dramatic Sarcasm: This is the contrast between what the character thinks to be true and what the readers know to be true. Dramatic sarcasm occurs when the significance intended by a character’s words or actions is opposite of the true state of affairs. Further. the character can non see or understand the contrast. but the audience can. For illustration. in Othello. dramatic sarcasm occurs when Othello refers to Iago as “honest Iago. ” Unknown to Othello. Iago is a scoundrel who deceives him into believing that his married woman has been unfaithful. For this. Othello unjustly kills his married woman. believing the whole clip in Iago’s honestness. Note the difference in illustrations for verbal and dramatic sarcasm: Antony calls Brutus “honorable” and knows he is non honest. while Othello calls Iago “honest” and does non cognize of Iago’s misrepresentation.

3. Situational Sarcasm: It is the contrast between what happens and what was expected or what would look to be more appropriate to go on. This type of sarcasm appears from the events and fortunes of a narrative. When we see situational sarcasm. we might believe fortunes are unjust or unfortunate – for illustration. if a greedy millionaire buys a lottery ticket and wins extra 1000000s.

Sarcasm in literature

Here I wanted to name several illustrations from literature. by agencies of which. we could understand what sarcasm is more clearly. Firs illustrations are from “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare. I have chosen them. because this narrative is widely known across the Earth. “Two families. both likewise in dignity…”

The gap line of Shakespeare’s drama leads the reader to believe that both Capulet and Montague households are worthy of regard that they are given in Verona. As the narrative progresses. we realize that neither family is dignified. In fact. several of their actions are unworthy of their topographic point in society. Another sarcasm in Romeo and Juliet is that the reader remains cognizant of the fact that Juliet takes a kiping part to imitate decease. and at the terminal of the twenty-four hours. when Romeo kills himself after believing that Juliet is dead. the reader is astonished by the tragic sarcasm. Following illustrations come from short narratives. which I was supposed to read on my first old ages in university.

The Casque of Amontillado. Edgar Allan Poe:

In this narrative. the reader is witting from the really get downing that Montressor is be aftering the slaying of Fortunato. but Fortunato remains incognizant of this and he considers Montressor his friend. It is really dry how foolish people could be. Fortunato forgot about his past relationship with Montressor. and it led him to human death.

The Necklace. Guy de Maupassant:

The supporter Madame Loise. in order to look good. borrows jewellery from a comfortable friend and so loses it. With her hubby she replaces the gems but the replacing effects on their fiscal conditions. Old ages subsequently. when she meets the same friend once more. she learns that the gems she replaced with existent gemstones was mere fake jewellery.

Decision to the Chapter I

By and large. Irony is the difference between what person does or says in relation to what is understood about what is done or said. Often there is a spot of confusion over what is dry and what is merely inadvertent. The two thoughts can be easy confused. but there is nevertheless. a really distinguishable difference between what is dry and what is merely good or bad fortune. Irony has several different types and it appears non merely in literature. but in ordinary life besides. It is a contradiction between visual aspect and world. Irony is a widely known method of explicating something. and is popular to utilize as in authorship and in mundane life so in media. It points on how many different people don’t pay attending to what is go oning around them. and how many dry games our destiny can play with us. It is non merely when we don’t reference. but it can go on every twenty-four hours and any clip with anyone.

Chapter II. “The Jewelry” by Guy de Maupassant

Plot sum-up
The narrative of “The Jewelry” takes topographic point in Paris. It tells us about Monsieur Lantin. who worked as a main clerk at the office of Minister of Interior. Narrative begins with M. Lantin’s falling in love with immature virtuous miss ( whose name will ne’er be told ) and their matrimony. The narrative tells how they merrily lived together during several old ages of their matrimony. We can see that Lantins’ married woman enjoys traveling to theaters and loves fake jewellery. She was the best homemaker adult male can of all time conceive of. and she provided her place with everything. One cold winter eventide she came back place from opera freeze and coughing. and after 8 yearss she died because of redness of the lungs. Mr. Lantin loved her really much. so he saved things remaining as they were while she was alive. His life wholly changed. he couldn’t govern his histories and shortly got into depts. One twenty-four hours he decided to cell one of his wife’s bogus jewelleries in order to hold some money for nutrient.

When he went to the jewelry maker he learned that his wife’s jewellery wasn’t fake. Mr. Lantin was shocked. while she was alive. they didn’t have so much money to purchase such sort of expensive jewelleries. so. she had deceived him with person. After larning that all of her “fake” jewelleries were non bogus. he decide to sell them. after that he decides that he is reach plenty and quits his occupation. He was really happy and pleased with it. so he visits expensive eating houses. orders expensive repasts. and boasts to everybody that he is rich. but. he is stating different sums of money to everybody. After that he marries another miss. They didn’t unrecorded happy and loving life together as with the first married woman. two. two Analysis of the narrative

This narrative takes topographic point in Paris. which is in France. As it is the general topographic point of puting. there are besides specific 1s. For case. in the beginning M. Lantin meets his future married woman at a response at the house of the 2nd caput of his section. After we see topographic points like their house. theatre. jewelry maker stores and so on. However. puting doesn’t drama major function in “The Jewelry” . so author doesn’t wage much attending on exposing it.

Two chief characters of “The Jewelry” are Monsieur Lantin and his first married woman. These two characters are really of import for this narrative. because all of actions in it are connected with them. M. Lantin is a in-between category adult male. who urgently loves his married woman. and thinks that she loves him excessively. because they had really warm dealingss. Think like infidelity of his married woman wouldn’t even come to his head. and when he learns this fact. he understands that everything is non as it seems to be. In my sentiment Lantin is braggart individual. and he likes to overstate. Possibly because of this characteristic characteristic. he looked to his household life as if it was ideal. His married woman. whose name remains unknown to reader. is professional prevaricator. who is chesty and egotistic. even though we don’t see it with unaided oculus. I came to this decision because in the narrative it is said that “Happy the adult male who wins her love! He could non happen a better married woman. ” Everybody thought that she was a perfect adult female. who was able to do happy her adult male.

In fact she could. but. because of hearing these words she became proud of herself. and inside she came to decision that she might merit better adult male or better life. We don’t cognize what type of adult male she was dating with. but it is obvious that she could conceal her feelings easy. so. she had two faces. One was how she was moving during remaining at place with her hubby. and the 2nd is outside of it. While she was near her hubby. she was the most caring married woman. stamp and child. She was besides really smart. because she ruled family absolutely. but. with the aid of her lover’s fundss. I can state that her topographic point was on the phase of the theatre. because married woman of M. Lantin was a perfect actress! The subject of “The Jewelry” by Guy de Maupassant is that life can be full of sarcasm. Each of the sarcasms shown in “The Jewelry” uncover how people keep secrets from one another or themselves. and reveals how they ignore a state of affairs that upsets them if they are compensated plenty. That compensation in this narrative is money.

In this narrative. Guy de Maupassant as a chief literary signifier of composing uses ironical manner. “The Jewelry” is full of sarcasm from the beginning. It awaked several feeling in me. First. I felt happy. that M. Lantin got married and was populating reasonably good life. but. I wondered why didn’t he besides took a portion in house retention or even look in what domain and what sum of money was spent by his married woman. I wasn’t surprised when it turned out that Lantins’ married woman had a lover. because he wasn’t paying much attending on her. travel out and have fun. It is possible that because of these grounds she was tired of that everyday and wanted to seek something new. Her lover may hold paid more attending to het or shown his love more clearly. two. three Irony in “The Jewelry”

The secret plan of “The Jewelry” moved from one sarcasm to another. The first twosome of paragraphs show how respectable M. Lantin’s married woman was supposed to be. But even this early in the narrative. the writer states that “The immature miss seemed to be the really ideal of that pure good adult female to whom every immature adult male dreams of intrusting his hereafter. ” That “…seemed to be…” lets the reader know that the immature miss was non chased adult female as everybody took her for. This indicates that the miss was concealing something. although what that something was we didn’t happen out until she died. The 2nd sarcasm which we come across in this narrative. is the fact that they “…seemed to populate in luxury” . but in fact they didn’t merely merely seem they truly did. Unknown to M. Lantin. his rewards were being supplemented by his wife’s lovers. They were paying for his good nutrient. all right vino and luxuriously furnished house. I suppose if he had opened his eyes. and looked through the family expenditures. he would hold learned that the money was coming from someplace other than his wage.

At that point M. Lantin was being fooled by his ain ego every bit good as by his married woman. But anyhow. during that clip he was happy! After that comes our 3rd sarcasm. If M. Lantin hadn’t stopped traveling to the theater with his married woman. so likely another adult male wouldn’t have had an chance to chat up with her. and go her lover. Her attending would hold been on her hubby or on the phase. non on another adult male. In every other manner. other than the theater and her jewellery. M. Lantin’s married woman devoted herself to him. We can understand it in lines “It would be impossible to gestate of any attending. tenderness. playful caress which she did non munificent upon her husband…” I think she loved her hubby. And so of class. there is sarcasm of the jewellery itself: the fact that the jewellery was existent. while she had been moving like it was imitation of it. Even so far as to allow the light catch the crystal. and say. “Now. expression at them – see how good the work was done. You would curse it was existent jewellery. ” . when he would vilify her for have oning the bogus jewellery alternatively of being “adorned with one’s natural beauty and grace. ”

At that clip she might hold been mocking at her hubby. believing how stupid he was. After her decease. M. Lantin found out that his wife’s full jewellery was existent. The jewellery that the wife’s lovers gave her paid for their epicurean life. After he realized he could acquire rich by selling all “fake” jewellery. M. Lantin forgot all about his wife’s personal businesss. and deceived himself that everything will be O.K. every bit long as he became rich. Six months after his wife’s decease. he married once more to a good virtuous adult female which made his life miserable.

Decision to Chapter II

In decision. the narrative emphasized that looks can be lead oning and that sometimes we are unsighted to what truly is traveling on. We can oppugn if being happy by dishonest values is worth the fiscal additions or if the sadness from honest values is worth the hurting. As we see “The Jewelry” is a small complicated narrative. and everybody has its ain point of position on it. As it is ironical narrative. and there are people who may non understand it. In fact. I even feel regretful for M. Lantin. because even after his wife’s decease. he deceives himself as if he were happy. Nowadays many people may confront this job. and no 1 is insured from this.

Decision

During authorship of this research paper. I learned more about sarcasm. its types and its use in linguistic communication. There are really many instances. though. which we regard as sarcasm. intuitively experiencing the reversal of the rating. but unable to set our finger on the exact word in whose significance we can follow the contradiction between the said and the implied. The consequence of sarcasm in such instances is created by a figure of statements. by the whole of the text. Sarcasms are easy to happen in our day-to-day activities ; whether in statement. state of affairs. or unexpected event. The simplest sarcasm of our lives is that we feel happier holding merriment and non worrying about what we are making or who we are making it with. At that clip ironical state of affairss might happen. Guy de Maupassant was a great Gallic short-story author. He became celebrated around the universe by the aid of his great plants. In other words. we can name him “father of modern short-story writers” .

As I read responses of people about his plants. they admired him. because his narratives contain the face of our mundane life and jobs. He points to our negligent intervention for our lives. Maupassant’s narratives was popular presents is they were in 19th century. The narrative. which is discussed in this research paper. “The Jewelry” . points out how incognizant we can be of things that happen around us. So we can name it realistic narrative. I think it would be suited to complete my research paper by this quotation mark: “The simplest of adult females are fantastic prevaricators who can untangle themselves from the most hard quandary with a accomplishment surrounding on genius” Guy de Maupassant

Bibliography
1. Edgar Allan Poe. “The Casque of Amontillado” . The Norton Introduction to Literature 8th edition 2. Guy de Maupassant. “Original short stories” . translated by Albert M. C. McMASTER and others. Plymouth edition. South Australia 5005 3. Guy De Maupassant. “The Jewelry. ” The Norton Introduction to Literature. 9th edition 4. Short Story Criticism. Gale Cengage. 2004

5. William Shakespeare. “Romeo and Juliet” . Foreign Language Publishing House. Moscow. 1951 6. William Shakespeare. “The calamity of Othello” . Foreign Language Publishing House. Moscow 1963 7. hypertext transfer protocol: //article. ranez. Ru

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