1. Satire
A literary technique in which behaviors or institutions are ridiculed for the purpose of improving society
What sets it apart from other forms of protest is humor
Often clever, witty, imaginative, funny—but not always laugh-out-loud funny
Target is usually social or political

2. History Horace and Juvenal were influential Latin satirists
Horation satire: playfully amusing, gentle laughter; “soft” satire
Juvenalian satire: dark, bitter, caustic, harsh, scornful; “hard” satire

3. Methods of Satire Irony or sarcasm Parody Exaggeration Incongruity
Reversal

4. Satire Today
Cartoons: New Yorker, Christian Science Monitor, Doonesbury, Cathy

15. In Literature: Don Quixote; The Master and Margarita; Animal Farm; 1984; Catch 22
In the News: The Onion
In Music: Janis Joplin’s Mercedes Benz; Frank Zappa’s We’re Only In It For the Money
In Film: Modern Times; The Great Dictator; Dr. Strangelove; American Beauty; Blazing Saddles; Borat; A Day Without a Mexican; Thank You For Smoking
On TV: The Simpsons; South Park; Colbert Report; Family Guy

16. Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) Born in Dublin of English parents
Not wealthy but received an excellent education
1686 Graduated from Trinity College, Dublin
1689 Became secretary to Sir William Temple, an ex-diplomat for 10 years
1695 Ordained an Anglican minister

17. Began writing career as a political writer for the Whig party
First satires he published anonymously
As he became more and more known, his style was recognized
Later he became a writer for the Tory party
Lampooned modern thinkers and scientists (Locke, Newton), religious abuses
Human arrogance, phoniness and shallowness
Stood for justice, order, moral rectitude and principles, rational thought

18. Homework Do a little research on-line about The Tattler
Describe your findings in one-paragraph response
Find an example of a contemporary satirical cartoon
Explain the satire in a one-paragraph response
Print out the cartoon and attach the cartoon to the back of your paper