Frontmatter -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- PREFACE -- CONTENTS -- INTRODUCTION A WORKING DEFINITION OF IRONY IN RELATION TO THE COMIC -- PART I: IRONIC DIALOGUE AND STRUCTURES -- 1 VERBAL IRONY AND AUTHOR'S IRONY -- 2 PARADOX, PLOT, AND OUTCOME -- 3 BREAKING THE ILLUSION -- PART II: MOLIERE AND HIS CHARACTERS -- 4 TRADITION AND INNOVATION -- 5 IDEOLOGY VERSUS DRAMATIC STRUCTURE CONCLUSION -- CONCLUSION -- SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY -- INDEX