THE LABYRINTH OF IRONY IN BASHKIM SHEHU'S NOVEL THE CIRCLE

This paper examines the role of irony in Rrethi (The Circle) by Bashkim Shehu, one of the most prominent contemporary Albanian writers. Through intertextual references, most notably to Goethe’s Faust and a labyrinthine narrative structure, Shehu employs irony as a key literary device to critique totalitarianism and its lingering psychological effects. The analysis highlights the interplay of dramatic and situational irony, revealing how characters’ perceptions of freedom, salvation, or control clash with the grim realities of dictatorship and moral enslavement. In particular, the protagonist’s belief in liberation through collaboration with the Secret Service exposes the paradox of self-imposed captivity. Situational irony also emerges in the destruction of communist police files, which, rather than offering closure, deepens collective anxiety. By intertwining symbolism, intertextuality, and irony, Shehu exposes the contradictions of memory, guilt, and survival in post-communist Albania, situating The Circle as both a postmodern and politically engaged work.