SatireSatireCriticism Through Criticism Through

LaughterLaughter

What Is Satire?What Is Satire?• Satire is a kind of writing that Satire is a kind of writing that

ridicules human weakness, vice, or ridicules human weakness, vice, or folly in order to bring about social folly in order to bring about social reform.reform.– Satires can be works of fiction, Satires can be works of fiction,

nonfiction, drama, or poetry. nonfiction, drama, or poetry.

© V

ince

O’F

arre

ll

What Are the Functions of What Are the Functions of Satire?Satire?

– To make readers feel critical of themselves, of To make readers feel critical of themselves, of their fellow human beings, or of their societytheir fellow human beings, or of their society

– To make readers laugh at human foolishness To make readers laugh at human foolishness and weaknessand weakness

– To make fun of vicious, selfish, mean-spirited To make fun of vicious, selfish, mean-spirited people in the hope that we will see ourselves in people in the hope that we will see ourselves in such people and mend our wayssuch people and mend our ways

– To expose errors and absurdities that we no To expose errors and absurdities that we no longer notice because custom and familiarity longer notice because custom and familiarity have blinded us to themhave blinded us to them

Two Major Types of Two Major Types of SatiristSatirist

1. Horatian- 1. Horatian- the optimist (to heal of reform vices)the optimist (to heal of reform vices)– sees themselves as a physiciansees themselves as a physician– tells truth with a smile so as not to repel them, tells truth with a smile so as not to repel them,

but to cure them of their ignorance which is their but to cure them of their ignorance which is their worst fault.worst fault.

2. Juvenalian - 2. Juvenalian - the pessimist (to punish or the pessimist (to punish or destroy)destroy)– hates or despises most peoplehates or despises most people– purpose is not to cure but to woundpurpose is not to cure but to wound– sees themselves as an executionersees themselves as an executioner

MOTIVESMOTIVES• Personal hatred or grudgePersonal hatred or grudge

- usually disclaims this by saying that - usually disclaims this by saying that it it is for the public good is for the public good

• Prejudice from a bad experiencePrejudice from a bad experience- ethnic, religious, gender - ethnic, religious, gender

• Aesthetic motive (for art’s sake)Aesthetic motive (for art’s sake)- pleasure of manipulating own - pleasure of manipulating own material material- own special pattern as an artist- own special pattern as an artist

Modes and MeansModes and Means• Low BurlesqueLow Burlesque

- making someone or something - making someone or something important look trivial important look trivial

• High BurlesqueHigh Burlesque- making someone or something - making someone or something

low low look important look important- blowing something out of - blowing something out of

proportion; proportion; exaggeration exaggeration- complaints, stories from friends- complaints, stories from friends

The Seven Satiric TonesThe Seven Satiric Tones• WitWit

- Wounds w/ neat unexpected stoke- Wounds w/ neat unexpected stoke- Reader is surprised, comically shocked- Reader is surprised, comically shocked

• RidiculeRidicule- Good tempered and under control- Good tempered and under control- Must confine itself to lighter things- Must confine itself to lighter things

• Irony Irony - The use of words to express something different - The use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning.from and often opposite to their literal meaning.

• SarcasmSarcasm- Essentially incidental and verbal- Essentially incidental and verbal- More crude than irony, more blunt- More crude than irony, more blunt- Sometimes not recognized in written form- Sometimes not recognized in written form

The Seven Satiric TonesThe Seven Satiric Tones• CynicismCynicism

- A cynic is a person that believes all people are - A cynic is a person that believes all people are motivated by selfishness motivated by selfishness- Expressing or exhibiting scorn or bitter mockery- Expressing or exhibiting scorn or bitter mockery

• SardonicSardonic- - scornfully or cynically mockingscornfully or cynically mocking * both cynicism and the sardonic stem from a * both cynicism and the sardonic stem from a

deep sense of dillusion deep sense of dillusion- sardonic would rather weep than laugh; his - sardonic would rather weep than laugh; his laughter is on the verge of anger, bitter laughter laughter is on the verge of anger, bitter laughter

• InvectiveInvective- - the anger the sardonic manages to keep the anger the sardonic manages to keep under control burst forth from the invective under control burst forth from the invective--extreme of satiric spectrum; direct and unremitting extreme of satiric spectrum; direct and unremitting attack on its subject. attack on its subject.- sometimes comes to abuse and name calling- sometimes comes to abuse and name calling

Devices of SatireDevices of SatireExaggerationExaggeration

•OverstatingOverstating•Stereotyping groups of people and focusing on Stereotyping groups of people and focusing on

faultsfaults•Making things appear ridiculous and unattractiveMaking things appear ridiculous and unattractive

Hyperbole Hyperbole •Using wild exaggerationUsing wild exaggeration

UnderstatementUnderstatement•Saying less than what is really meant or saying Saying less than what is really meant or saying

something with less force than is appropriate. something with less force than is appropriate.

TARGETS OF SATIRETARGETS OF SATIRE• Society and or its institutionsSociety and or its institutions• Type of PersonType of Person• PersonPerson• PlacePlace• EventsEvents