The Methods of

Satire

What is satire?

Satire, as it's traditionally understood,

is the ridicule of some vice or

imperfection — an attack on someone or

something by making it look ridiculous

or worthy of scorn.

Although satire is usually funny, it

differs from comedy in at least one

important way: whereas comic laughter

needn't be directed at any particular

target, satire is always derisive.

Examples: The Daily Show, SNL

http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Terms/comedy.html

Three Golden Questions

What groups, institutions,

and/or practices are being

satirized?

What methods does the

author employ when

constructing her or her satire?

What is the tone of the satire?

What groups, institutions, and/or

practices are being satirized?

Group, organization, institution

Individuals

A type of person

A social class

A prevailing philosophy

Social manners

Modern progress or lack thereof

Humankind

Methods of Satire

Irony

Allegory

Fable

Epigram

Parody

Burlesque

Lampoon

Caricature

Hyperbole

Exaggeration

Horatian Satire

Horatian Satire is a type of direct satire

which pokes fun at human foibles with a

witty or even indulgent tone.

Cheerful

Urbane

Tongue-in-cheek

Optimistic

Witty

Chiding

Horatian Satire

-This type of satire is named after the Roman satirist Horatian.

-It seeks to criticize, rather than attack, immorality or stupidity and is more tolerant of human folly.

-Unlike Juvenalian satire, it serves to make us laugh as opposed to holding our failures up for needling.

-It tends to produce a smile.

Juvenalian Satire

Juvenalian is a type of direct satire which denounces sometimes invective, human vice and error in dignified or solemn tones.

Sardonic

Contemptuous

Acerbic

Acrimonious

Indignant

Cutting

Angry

Juvenalian Satirehis type of satire is named after he R• It is harsher than Horatian satire

because it often attacks and shows contempt for people.

• Often, it seeks to address some evil in society through scorn and ridicule.

• The Juvenalian satirist approaches his work in a more serious manner and uses dignified language to attack erroneous thinking or vice.

• In this way Juvenalian satire evokes feelings of scorn or shock.

Let’s Practice!

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/world-war-ii-101/n10251?snl=1

What are the writers ridiculing about American society?

What is their purpose?

What is their tone?

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/world-war-ii-101/n10251?snl=1

Irony

Refers to contrast or discrepancy

between appearance and reality.

Three types of Irony

Verbal Irony

Situational Irony

Dramatic Irony

Verbal Irony

Verbal irony is when there is a contrast between what a speaker literally says and what he or she means.

Example-”Hey John, you did a great job on that paper!”

Situational Irony

Situational irony is when an

event or a situation turns out

to be the reverse of what is

expected.

Example-Winning the lotto

was the best thing that ever

happened to me, until…

Dramatic Irony

Dramatic irony is when the

audience/reader is aware of an

event or situation, that the

characters do not yet know.

Example-In Romeo & Juliet, the

audience knows Juliet is not

really dead, but poor Romeo

does not know this information.

Epigram

A short, pointed, and witty

statement, either constituting

an entire poem or “buried”

within a larger one.

Example-“I would challenge

you to a battle of wits, but I

see you are unarmed!”

Allegory

A type of narrative that attempts

to reinforce its thesis by making

its characters (and sometimes its

events and setting, as well)

represent specific abstract ideas

or qualities.

Example-”Paradise Lost” by

John Milton

Fable

A story with a moral lesson,

often employing animals who

talk and act like human beings.

Example-”The Tortoise and the

Hare”

Allegory and Fable

Parody, Lampoon &

Burlesque

A form of humor that ridicules

person, attitudes, actions, or

things by means of distortion

and exaggeration. Burlesque of

a particular literary work is

referred to as parody.

Examples-The Hunger Pains

Weird Al Yankovic

Caricature, Exaggeration &

Hyperbole

A caricature creates humor by distorting or exaggerating an individual’s prominent physical features.

Analyze this cartoon…

Remember the three golden questions of satire

What or who is being satirized?

What methods are being used?

What is the tone?

DO NOT forget to describe the cartoon so the reader can understand what you are analyzing

Analyze this cartoon

HOMEWORK!

Read Mark Twain’s “Advice to Youth”- a motivational speech.

As you read, highlight/underline satirical passages. Consider the subject matter and Twain’s tone toward it.

After reading, complete the Satire Analysis guide.