The Analysis Of Irony In Hansl And Gretel

The Analysis of Irony in Hansel and Gretel Short Story

I. Overview

Hansel and Gretel is a story by Grimm 's brother, which tells about siblings who are thrown away by their parents because their parents have no money to feed them and their mother insists to leave them starving to death. Even though their father feels bad about leaving them in the wood but their father has no choice but to obey the step mother. Fortunately, the children are smart enough to find way back to their home although they have to face a wicked witch first before they arrive home safely.

II. Theory

The explanation of irony according to DiYanni: "Irony involves a contrast or discrepancy between one thing to another. The contrast may be between what is said and what is meant or between what happens and what is expected to happen."

III.

'". Instead of letting the children finally stay in the house, the step mother is still stubborn to throw them away and not acting like a mother should have acted. Even the father tries to change her mind, " 'It would be better for you to share the last mouthful with your children. '". But, it is no use, she does not listen to what he wants. Hansel, on the other hand, has another tricky plan to come back home again even after the step mother has also another plan. The point is the step mother is trying all she can to throw the children away, far from the house but Hansel is also tricky, "On the way into the forest Hansel crumbled his in his pocket, and often stood still and threw a morsel on the ground.". In here, the step mother shows her final action as a horrible parent for both Hansel and Gretel before finally she dies, "The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where they had never in their lives been before. Then a great fire was again made, and the mother said: 'Just sit there, you children, and when you are tired you may sleep a little; we are going into the forest to cut wood, and in the evening when we are done, we will come and