Satire – Terms and Definitions Satire is a literary work in which vices, follies, stupidities, abuses, etc., are held up to ridicule and contempt. –A–A pointing out of the difference between how things are and how they ought to be Folly is a lack of good sense or prudence (foolishness) Vice is moral depravity or corruption (wickedness)

Purpose of Satire All literature has two primary purposes: to please/entertain and to instruct Criticism is the base of any satire, and a satirical piece attempts through ridicule or scorn to correct the ills, follies, and vices of society (satirists want to improve humanity and/or society). Satirical targets may be a person, group, or institution

Satire versus Comedy Comedy evokes laughter as an end in itself for pleasure and entertainment. Satire uses laughter as a weapon aimed at someone or something. In other words, wit becomes a weapon. Irony is a device of satire in which the opposite of what is said is actually meant (verbal), a situation turns out different from expected (situational), or when an audience or reader knows a truth that the characters do not (dramatic).

Other devices of Satire Mockery: making fun of something Sarcasm: harsh, personally directed comment; using praise to mock someone Hyperbole: say more than is meant Litotes: say less than is meant; a statement which denies its opposite –R–Rather than saying that someone is attractive, one might say that they are “not attractive” Parody: imitation of a specific, known person, literary work, event (often mocking)

Other Devices of Satire Incongruity: To present things that are out of place or are absurd in relation to its surroundings. Particular techniques include oxymoron, metaphor, and irony. Reversal: To present the opposite of the normal order. Reversal can focus on the the order of events, such as serving dessert before the main dish or having breakfast for dinner. Additionally, reversal can focus on hierarchical order—for instance, when a young child makes all the decisions for a family or when an administrative assistant dictates what the company president decides and does. Distortion: The act of misrepresenting the facts or reality Bathos: going from the serious to the ridiculous quickly, false pathos

Examples of Bathos Breathe deep the gathering gloom Watch lights fade from every room... Impassioned lovers wrestle as one, Lonely man cries for love and has none. New mother picks up and suckles her son, Senior citizens wish they were young. --Moody Blues Bathos is an anticlimax, or a shift in mood from the sublime to the ridiculous. For example:... he ran up the stairs, thunder rolling around the house. A sense of dread built like black smoke in his mind. In haste he sped along the landing, breathless. He kicked open the door, ran into the room and slipped on the banana skin in the doorway.'

Vehicles of Satire Literature Political cartoons Comic strips Movies (National Lampoon’s series, Monty Python & the Holy Grail, Monty Python’s Life of Brian)