INTERTEXTUALITY AND IRONY IN POSTMODERN BRITISH FICTION

Abstrak

This article examines the interrelation of intertextuality and irony as defining features of postmodern British fiction. Postmodern writers challenge the traditional concepts of authorship, originality, and narrative reliability by constructing texts that refer to and reinterpret previous literary and cultural works. Intertextuality serves as a means of establishing dialogue between texts and historical contexts, while irony functions as a critical and self-reflective device that exposes contradictions within language and ideology. Through the analysis of works by John Fowles, Julian Barnes, Jeanette Winterson, Martin Amis, and Ian McEwan, the study reveals how these techniques contribute to the creation of a multi-layered, self-conscious narrative structure. The article argues that the combination of intertextuality and irony not only defines the aesthetic nature of postmodern fiction but also reflects the broader philosophical skepticism characteristic of postmodern thought.