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The Anatomy of Satire

“‘Tis the intent and business of the stage, To copy out the follies1 of the age,

To hold to every man a faithful glass2, And show him of what species he’s an ass”

-- John Vanburgh, The Provoked Wife (1697)

1. foolish acts, ideas, or behaviors2. a mirror

What is Satire?Though he laughs, the satirist tells the truthCompels readers to look at a sight they missed or shunned - move them to protestExploits weaknessesThrough laughter, aims to cure folly and punish evil

What is Satire?The purpose of satire is to:• expose, criticize, and/or ridicule an

individual or society’s vices (immoral, corrupt, dishonest behaviors) and folly (foolish acts, ideas, or behaviors)

What is Satire?The effect of satire is to:• inform the audience of the vices and follies• emphasize the extent of the corruption in

regard to the vices and follies• outrage those being made aware of the

vices and follies; outrage the guilty parties that their behavior is now exposed

• correct the acts, ideas, and/or behaviors in the guilty parties

What is Satire?The rhetorical devices/strategies to create satire:• humor• wit• parody• irony (situational and verbal)• hyperbole• understatement• incongruence (situations, behavior, or objects that

are incompatible, inconsistent, or unsuitable)

Types of Satire

Horatiangentle, sympathetic form of satire. Mildly mocks the subject. The audience is asked to laugh at themselves as much as the players.

NOTE: The type of satire is not important – what is important

is that in your analysis you can identify tone and the author’s purpose and the

effect of satire.

Juvenalian

harshbittercruelless emphasis on humor but more on witimmature

OPTIMIST - Horatian

Likes people, but thinks they are rather blind and foolishTells the truth with a smileCures people of their ignoranceWrites in order to heal

PESSIMIST - Juvenalian

Loves individuals, hates mankindAim is to wound, to punish, to destroy

The Onion

"The Simpsons"

Forms of Satire

–Direct attack–Stated without irony or sarcasm

–Do not have to figure out what the satirist is trying to say

Diatribe, Invective

Exaggeration (caricature)–Distortion for emphasis–Usually focuses on powerful

subjects–Emphasize physical

characteristics (imagery and details in writing) in order to make deeper criticism

HyperboleOverstatingStereotyping groups of people and focusing on faultsMaking exaggerated behavior, ideas, or people appear ridiculous or unattractive

Understatementsaying less than what is really meantmaking an inappropriate idea or behavior seem almost normal or commonplace

Parody

imitation which, through distortion and exaggeration, evokes amusement, derision, and sometimes scornborrows a pre-existing formSNL

Types of Parody

Burlesque (tone?)

–Vulgar–Treats subject with ridicule,

vulgarity, distortion, and contempt– “Dear companions hug and kiss,

Toast old Glorious in your piss”-- Jonathan Swift on the Irish

parliament

Mock Heroic– “like a laughing child wearing a full-scale suit of

majestic armor”–Grand diction, lofty style–Takes a trivial or repellent theme

and treats it with grandeur or feigned solemnity

– The Onion Headline: “Loser Spends Entire Day in Bed”

Satire and Parody in the Classroom - Simpsons

Examples of Parody

Mad Men IntroductionSimpsons Parody of "Mad Men”Parody of "Flintstones“Mad TV iRack

Simpsons-"The Mapple Store"

Mapple: "Think Differently“

Steve Mobbs

Sen. Burns Endorses Romney

Homer tries to vote for Obama

Family Guy: Undecided Voters

Testing in Schools

Standardized Testing - The Simpsons

When analyzing, consider:RHETORICAL TRIANGLE: TONE– sarcasm, didactic, burlesque, ironic

RHETORICAL TRIANGLE: AUDIENCE– Humanity in general – A stereotyped group of people OR the

people doing the stereotyping– A particular person

RHETORICAL TRIANGLE: SUBJECT

Some Tools of the Satirist

Biting and HarshJuvenalian Satire - is biting, bitter, and angry; it points out the corruption of human beings and institutions with contempt, using saeva indignation, a savage outrage based on the style of the Roman poet Juvenal. Sometimes perceived as enraged, Juvenalian satire sees the vices and follies in the world as intolerable. Juvenalian satirists use large doses of sarcasm and irony.

Invective - Speech or writing that abuses, denounces, or vituperates against. It can be directed against a person, cause, idea, or system. It employs a heavy use of negative emotive language

Sarcasm - From the Greek meaning, "to tear flesh," sarcasm involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt of ridicule someone or something. It may use irony as a device, but not all ironic statements are sarcastic. When well done, sarcasm can be witty and insightful; when poorly done, it's simply cruel.

Middle GroundHyperbole - A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. Hyperboles sometimes have a comic effect; however, a serious effect is also possible. Hyperbole often produces irony at the same time.

Understatement – The ironic minimizing of fact, understatement presents something as less significant than it is. The effect can frequently be humorous and emphatic. Understatement is the opposite of hyperbole.

Irony – The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant; the difference between what appears to be and what actually is true. Irony is used for many reasons, but frequently, it's used to create poignancy or humor.

Parody - A satiric imitation of a work or of an author with the idea of ridiculing the author, his ideas, or work. The parodist exploits the peculiarities of an author's expression--his propensity to use too many parentheses, certain favorite words, or whatever. It may also be focused on, say, an improbable plot with too many convenient events.

Light and HumorousWit - In modern usage, wit is intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights. A witty statement is humorous, while suggesting the speaker's verbal power in creating ingenious and perceptive remarks. Wit usually uses terse language that makes a pointed statement.

Horatian Satire - is gentle, urbane, smiling; it aims to correct with broadly sympathetic laughter. Based on the Roman lyrical poet Horace, its purpose may be "to hold up a mirror" so readers can see themselves and their world honestly. The vices and follies satirized are not destructive; however, they reflect the foolishness of people, the superficiality and meaninglessness of their lives, and the barrenness of their values.

Caricature - A representation, especially pictorial or literary, in which the subject's distinctive features or peculiarities are deliberately exaggerated to produce a comic or grotesque effect. Sometimes caricature can be so exaggerated that it becomes a grotesque imitation or misrepresentation.