Literary notes about jesting (AI summary)
The term "jesting" is employed in literature to denote a range of humorous or ironic tones, often adding a layer of subtle criticism or playful banter. In some works, its use underscores witty repartee among characters, as seen when young men share lighthearted banter that reveals both camaraderie and mischief ([1], [2]). In other instances, the word is deployed to convey satirical intent or even to mask serious critiques beneath a veneer of humor, such as when pointed commentary underpins a seemingly frivolous remark ([3], [4]). Additionally, the varied contexts—from the playful to the ironically grave—highlight how a jesting tone can both defuse tension and underscore the complexities of character interactions, enriching the narrative texture throughout literary history ([5], [6], [7]).
- They were very successful, and amused themselves, as all young men do when alone, by talking and jesting with each other.
— from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain - Thus they left Nottingham Town and traveled forward along the dusty highway, laughing and jesting together as though they had been old friends.
— from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle - Now if we put all this together, we can hardly avoid the suspicion that Kant is jesting at his readers' expense.
— from The Basis of Morality by Arthur Schopenhauer - The same may be said of the jesting inversion of the word philosophers (phisopholers, Fisofoli ) in the next line.
— from The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio by Giovanni Boccaccio - ‘I’m very far from jesting, Miss Catherine,’ I replied.
— from Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë - “Heaven keep me from jesting with that which is far dearer to me than life itself!
— from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet - “Forty thousand men massacred and the army of our allies destroyed, and you find that a cause for jesting!”
— from War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy
