Poul Martin Møller’s "On the Concept of Irony" and the Danish Debate about Irony: Historical Introduction and Translation
In this article I offer a historical introduction to (I.) and an English translation of (II.) the fragment "On the Concept of Irony," written by Poul Martin Møller. In the 1830s, several intellectuals of the Danish Golden Age were involved in an intense debate on the notion of irony, an id...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
Kierkegaard studies. Yearbook
Year: 2025, Volume: 30, Issue: 1, Pages: 355-372 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | In this article I offer a historical introduction to (I.) and an English translation of (II.) the fragment "On the Concept of Irony," written by Poul Martin Møller. In the 1830s, several intellectuals of the Danish Golden Age were involved in an intense debate on the notion of irony, an idea that was typically regarded as harmful from a social and cultural point of view. Møller participated in the debate with this essay, which would remain unfinished, but which arguably influenced the analysis that Kierkegaard would present years later in his dissertation. The translation is based on the first printed version of "On the Concept of Irony," published in the Efterladte Skrifter af Poul M. Møller , vols. 1 - 6, 2nd ed., ed. by Chr. Winther, F.C. Olsen, Chr. Thaarup, and L.V. Petersen, Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel 1848 - 50, vol. 3, 1848, pp. 152 - 158. The page numbers of this version appear in square brackets in my translation. The point is to facilitate referencing for readers. |
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| ISSN: | 1612-9792 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Kierkegaard studies. Yearbook
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1515/kierke-2025-0017 |
