– Roopa Banerjee

“I must be cruel, only to be kind.” — Hamlet

This well-known Shakespeare quotation justifies Hamlet’s cruel actions because ultimately, they will serve a kinder purpose. It’s also an excellent example of paradox: a seeming contradiction on the surface, but which, after reflection, says something profound. Paradox feeds on this opposition of extremes, making readers and spectators pause, suffer confusion, and ultimately intensely reflect about the meaning of the words.

Paradox originates from the Greek paradoxon, “contrary to expectation”. A paradox is a statement contrary to common sense or traditional wisdom but makes sense when examined more intently. Ancient philosophers such as Zeno of Elea loved to construct paradoxes to challenge logic and provoke discussion. A paradox is effective because it makes the reader pause and reflect.

Literature abounds with the use of this literary device. John Donne, the metaphysical poet, employed them often to express the entangled interplay of love and faith. In Holy Sonnet XIV, he pleads, “I never shall be free / Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.” The irony of asking God to tie him up to free him is intended to stun the reader into reflecting upon the ironic nature of religious devotion. Similarly, in Animal Farm, George Orwell writes: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” The paradox here is deliberate, exposing the misuse of power and language in dictatorial regimes.

Paradoxes in pop culture are similarly thought-provoking. Star Wars hero Yoda routinely utters paradoxical phrases, such as, “You must unlearn what you have learned,” prompting protagonist Luke Skywalker and viewers to question the boundaries of learning and training.

Paradox works well as a literary device because it defies certainty. Readers who stumble upon a paradox cannot simply skim past it; they must slow down, reflect upon it, and contend with apparent contradiction. Unlike simple contradiction, which negates itself, paradoxes sustain themselves, holding opposing truths in a balanced, ongoing tension. That is why they are so deeply resonant. They mirror the contradictions we discover in life, love, politics, and philosophy.

Another feature of paradox is its rhetorical flourish. For instance, Oscar Wilde’s statement “I can resist everything except temptation,” sparkles because its paradox is tantalising and implies clever perception of human weakness.

The enduring appeal of paradox is in its capacity to remind us that truth is not always simple. In embracing contradiction rather than evading it, writers teach us the complexity of human life and existence. Finally, paradox allows literature and culture to portray the world as it really is — contradictory, tense, and uncertain. Its brilliance lies in its power to bring the impossible onto the page, leaving us with exciting awareness that two mutually exclusive ideas can coexist and that there is an element of truth in contradictions.

Paradox reminds us that opposites don’t just clash. Sometimes, they illuminate each other.

Exercise

Name the books from which these paradoxical lines have been taken.

1. “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”
2. “O brawling love, O loving hate.”
3. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
4. “Darkness visible.”
5. “To err is human; to forgive, divine.”

Answers

1. 1984 by George Orwell. These slogans contain direct contradictions that force readers to question how people in power manipulate language and truth.
2. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Juliet’s words capture the confusing mix of love and conflict at the heart of tragedy.
3. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. The opening paradox sets up the contrast between hope and despair before the French Revolution.
4. Paradise Lost by John Milton. Milton uses this paradox to describe Hell’s strange, blazing darkness, a place that’s illuminated yet utterly void of light.
5. Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Man. The paradox contrasts human fallibility with divine forgiveness, highlighting weakness and nobility in human nature.