READING SATIRE

"Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own"--Jonathan Swift

Satire mainly exposes, ridicules, derides and denounces vice, folly, evil, stupidity as these qualities manifest themselves in persons, groups of persons, ideas, institutions, customs or beliefs.

Satire is born of the instinct to protest; it is protest become art and a refinement of anger.

The typical satirist is a blend of idealist and realist.

Satire is a literary form of criticism.

Sarcasm != Satire

Sarcasm is bitter or cutting speech; speech intended by its speaker to give pain to the person addressed.

Satire, on the other hand, ridicules human folly or vice with the purpose of bringing about reform or of keeping others from falling into similar folly or vice.

Sarcasm

from Greek sarkasmos "a sneer, jest, taunt, mockery," from sarkazein "to speak bitterly, sneer," literally "to strip off the flesh”

The difference between satire and sarcasm is the difference between surgery and butchery. — Edward Nichols

Determining the Satirist’s Attitude: Questions to Ask Is his attitude mild, sympathetic, unemotional? Is it characterized by banter, a lightness of critical comment?

Is the attitude a reflection of intellectual scorn, of a mental irritation with those who live with self-delusions at the expense of others?

Is the attitude one of intense anger, hatred, and bitterness toward the harm which man inflicts on his fellows and towards the gross failure of man’s institutions?

Is it a sardonic comment, characterized by derision and mockery?

Does he wish to jolt the reader out of complacency and indifference?

Is the satirist’s aim a psychological one? Is he making a study of the motivations, sometimes noble, sometimes ignoble, behind foolish and destructive behavior?

Two Forms of Satire

Juvenalian – harsh Tries to arouse moral indignation, anger Writer is a serious moralist, a dedicated

reformer Attitude: Bitter, denunciatory, attacking vices of

men

Horatian – gentle Tries to evoke a smile Writer is urbane, sophisticated, man-of-the-

world Attitude: Amused at foibles of men

Tools of Satire

Irony Overstatement Understatement Invective Lampoon Caricature Mock epic

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