Laudisi
The character of Laudisi is the epicenter of expressed irony in the play. He is the figure that represents reason in the face of the absurd heights of paranoia, suspicions and accusatory behavior demonstrated by the other characters. At times, his ironic sense of humor is more understated than at other times. Such as his derisive response to the generalized nature of gullibility of all those around him:
“I enjoy hearing you talk. I’ll keep quiet, rest assured. At the most, I’ll give a little laugh inside; and if a louder laugh escapes me, you’ll surely forgive me.”
Antiphrasis
Laudisi’s role as ironic mediator for the audience is most starkly put on display at the end of each individual act when he is given the final word to a strange and unexpected revelation. The most direct use of irony occurs with his reaction to Mr. Ponza’s revelation of having been forced to fake his seeming insanity for the sake of his mother-in-law which brings Act Two to its conclusion. In this particular, the irony is framed an example of the literary device known as antiphrasis in which the exact opposite meaning is intended:
“There you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the truth has been discovered.”
Laudisi at the Mirror
As the vessel in which much of the play’s irony is situated, Laudisi demonstrates irony in a remarkable number of ways. In the first example above, he is mocking. The second example is a classic case of sarcastic irony. The irony on display in his solo encounter with his reflection in a mirror is much more complex as a result of his turning a monologue into a conversation. It is also ironic in that Laudisi is now taking on the characteristics of those he has mocked by creating the illusion of paranoia. And at the same time he is continuing to reflect upon the other characters personalities in a mocking manner.
The Solution
There is a mystery at the center of the plot which drives the narrative forward and some of the characters crazy: what’s the deal with Mrs. Ponza? Is her mother or her husband telling the truth about her and, if so, then which one of those two is truly mad? In a way, this play is a mystery story, but almost certainly not a satisfying one for those who love traditional mysteries since the mystery itself is never satisfactorily solved though, also ironically, a solution is offered. The problem is that the solution as offered doesn’t answer the underlying questions, but merely suggests that it’s not really a problem that should be bothering anyone in the first place.
Mrs. Ponza
Mrs. Ponza finally enters the narrative in the flesh in the final minutes to offer the solutions to the questions at hand. She directly answers them: “I really am the daughter of Mrs. Frola” and “Also the second wife or Mr. Ponza.” These assertions speak to the irony mentioned above regarding the solution. But she still holds on to yet one more assertion that serves only to intensity the ironic circumstances of her identity, which is the problem upsetting everyone else in the first place:
“I am no one.”
