Platon et l'ironie dramatique

This article seeks to show how what is termed « Socratic » irony is used by Plato for a protreptic purpose to engage the reader. I firstly defend the concept of irony and its connection with laughter from Aristotle's passages on eirônia, and against recent studies which have denied that the Greek eirôneia may be genuinely understood as « irony ». Through a consideration of some emblematic passages (Euthyphro, Ion, Symposium), I then try to show that the goal of the irony addressed to the reader is intended to permit him to distance himself from his own beliefs. © P.U.F.. Tous droits réservés pour tous pays.