Specifics of irony in selected novels by Rudolf Sloboda

• Published in: Slovenská literatúra Vol. 72; no. 1; pp. 32 - 45
• Main Author: Romana Antalová
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Czech; Slovak
• Published: Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Slovak Literature 01.02.2025
• Subjects: irony; romantic irony; rudolf sloboda; subject
• DOI: 10.31577/slovlit.2025.72.1.3
• ISSN: 0037-6973

Irony is not a simple semantic polarization – it touches on all aspects of a literary text, places them in a state of flux and creates additional layers of meaning. One of its variations is so-called romantic irony, characterized by the tension between the ideal and reality, where the resulting “superstructural” layer of meaning essentially expresses a sense of restlessness or disquiet. This type of irony is also marked by the re-evaluation of the high and the low. Romantic irony was employed by the prose writer Rudolf Sloboda (1938 – 1995). The article examines the specifics of the irony that can be observed in the novels Narcis (Narcissus, 1965) and Rozum (Reason, 1982). It focuses primarily on the contradictions in the expectations and actions of the protagonists, which are common to both novels. The article also considers the use of parabase, which, in combination with the fragmentary nature of the text, leads to a weakening of narrativity – one of the fundamental characteristics of Sloboda’s novelistic work. Another aspect analysed is the subversive effect of irony.