Witkacy’s Irony in the Philosophical Context. Around the Jedyne wyjście by S. I. Witkiewicz

Abstract

In this article, I try to show how the category of irony rarely invoked in the philosophical context can be used in the interpretation of Witkacy’s works. I deal with the problem of Witkiewicz’s style, which poses numerous interpretational problems. I try to show that the message of the works by Witkiewicz should not be read as clearly grotesque and parodic and that both the irony and parody or grotesque can be reconciled with the recognition of “serious” and “pedagogical” topics in his works. As an example of this procedure I propose the analysis of the latest Witkiewicz’s novel, Jedyne wyjście (The Only Way Out), where he tries to propose his own philosophical doctrine and this strategy is hidden under the cover of the novel.