From Laughter to Irony. The Introduction to the Issues of Irony

Abstract

This article provides a theoretical basis for the analysis of the phenomenon of irony in the art of the late Middle Ages. In this text the author limits himself to the presentation of theoretical aspects. An attempt to identify the irony as a mean of expression of the artist in the work of art has been planned in the separate work.

The starting point for understanding the concept of irony is the phenomenon of laughter, one of the most basic of human responses, which is the base for more complex forms of humor, and its numerous variations. The aim of the author of this article is ordering, as fully as possible, the concepts that revolve around the issue of the comic. Many of the terms included in the main category of the meaning that is the humor, such as parody, satire or irony, is sometimes used interchangeably and the boundaries between them are blurred. Due to the fact that one of the assumptions of ironic speech is that it was not easy to read, its diagnosis is often debatable. However, such scholars as Bachtin and Le Goff see some signs of irony in medieval literature and everyday life of European citizens.

Most of the research concerns the irony of its occurrence in the language and art closely associated with the language, the literature. Irony and ironic words are rare in relation to the visual arts. Reflection on the concept of irony and the analyze of its meanings in different contexts in this article is the starting point for subsequent analysis and interpretation of selected works of art.