Irony of the Author
There is an irony in the author’s approach to remain anonymous. The writer has put forward an unusual work i.e. the love of a woman with an ape and all the characters have their names even the ape has been named as Erasmus. Another character keeps on changing his names but the name of the author is missing. He or She has written this work of fiction, but perhaps the author doesn’t want to be associated with such story and the ideas and thoughts which have been presented in it.
Irony of the Slaves
Another irony in the novel is that the slavery had been abolished at the time of the setting of the novel but the slaves were still living the lives of slavery. They were still being ridiculed by the whites and the whites were treating them with much contempt and abhorrence. Even the blacks who were living in Britain e.g. Mrs. Merton was also racist. Instead of supporting the newly freed slaves, everyone was trying to torture them mentally instead of physically because it was not possible for them owing to the prohibition by the law. Olivia says that the whites call them “an inferior race, but little removed from the brutes, because the Almighty Maker of all-created beings has tinged our skins with jet instead of ivory.” This statement demonstrates the racist attitude towards the blacks.
Irony of Patriarchy
Although the slave ownership was abolished but the irony is that the women were still subjugated by the patriarchy. The men enjoyed a little freedom, but the women were still suffering from mental torture e.g. Olivia. According to the last will of her father, she could inherit property only if she would marry her cousin Augustus. Later on, after her marriage, she discovers that Augustus was already married and his wife was alive which means that Augustus was maneuvering her just for the sake of property. Eventually she suffers from mental illness just because of the male chauvinism in her life.
