The Story of Hong Gildong

Situational irony occurs in literature when a character’s actions bring about the opposite of their intended results. This type of irony underscores every plot element of The Story of Hong Gildong, from Gildong’s conception to his rise to King of Annam.

Gildong’s defining feature is that his birth was an accident. Gildong’s father sleeps with a maid after being rejected by his wife; thus, the author characterizes Gildong as having been born of the wrong person. The minister says to his wife: “If you had heeded me in the past, this child would have been born of your body” (3-4). Gildong is brilliant and powerful—he would have been the ideal son had he not been born to a servant. The irony of Gildong’s birth sets up the rest of the novel’s events because he constantly defies expectations.

The situational irony of Gildong’s story continues as he develops his powers. The more his father tries to suppress him, the stronger Gildong becomes, to the point that he can wield supernatural forces. This type of irony brings humor to the narrative because the attempts of the king and nobility to capture Gildong and keep him down are endlessly subverted in clever, mischievous ways.