Sarcastic Irony
Galsworthy writes about receiving a summons to take his place in a grand jury. Upon arrival, he looks around and sees all his various partners in a process he terms the purification of justice These partners range from prosecutors and witnesses to loafers and clerks. He uses irony when he writes of remembering “having something of the feeling that one has when one looks into a sink without holding one's nose.” This is an example of sarcastic irony by comparing the assumed purity of the justice system with the foul odor emanating from a dirty sink.
Socio-Political Irony
“The Procession” is an essay about a women’s march. Many men took an unfavorable view of the women who took part in these marches. Galsworthy uses irony when he writes “Seemingly it was not easy to be evil or brutal on a wage that scarcely bound soul and body.” This is an example of socio-political irony. The irony is being used to question another’s socio-political beliefs. Galsworthy responds to the insults often directed toward female protestors by those viewing them unfavorably. He is being ironic in suggesting the difficulty of being evil when one is trying to survive on low wages.
Rhetorical Irony
Galsworthy uses rhetorical irony in writing “In life generally, one does not accept from people any teaching that is not the result of firsthand experience on their parts. Do you believe that this Christian teaching of yours is valid from the mouths of those who have not themselves suffered—who have not themselves, as it were, been crucified?” The use of rhetoric is embedded in the initial premise. The rhetorical question which follows introduces an ironic exception to that premise. A person wanting to learn how to fly would seek out a pilot. Seeking marital advice from unmarried minister or a priest who has taken a vow of celibacy stands in ironic opposition to the logic asserted in original premise.
Ironic Contradiction
A commonly used date for marking the end of the Industrial Revolution is 1915. In an essay published two years later, Galsworthy uses irony when he confesses “this is how my inflamed eye sees all our modern machines—monsters running on their own, dragging us along, and very often squashing us.” This viewpoint is ironic because at the time of composition the technological advances made as a result of the Industrial Revolution were viewed overwhelming as having a positive impact on society. Galsworthy’s fears of machines as monsters is an ironic contradiction of that prevailing perspective.
