Satire

Examples of satirical techniques

Satire

• A literary manner that blends a critical attitude with humor and wit in an attempt to improve human institutions or humanity

Satire

• Typical themes of satirical works: the importance of maintaining standards, the reaffirmation of values, the necessity of reform

Two Types of Satire

• Horatian: gentle, light criticism

• Juvenalian: dark, bitter, cynical criticism

Devices used to create satire

• Irony Other literary devices are • Hyperbole used as well, such as simile,• Litotes metaphor, symbolism, and • Sarcasm personification• Pun• Parody• Caricature• Lampoon• Oxymoron• Ridicule

ParodyAn exaggerated imitation of a serious work for humorous purposes.

Examples: Scary Movie series, Shrek, the Simpsons, Austin Powers, Monty Python

                           

  Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Original painting from circa 1503 – 1507. Oil on poplar.

Visual

Parody

                           

  Duchamp's parody of the Mona Lisa adds a goatee and moustache.

Visual Parody

Irony• Three types: verbal, situational, and

dramatic

• Verbal irony: You say something and mean the opposite

-“Mom will be happy to hear what you’ve done now”

• “Nice weather!” when it’s raining

Irony

• Situational irony: there is a vast difference between what is expected and what actually occurs– Going to war to prevent a war– Spending large amounts of money to

relieve poverty and increasing the level of poverty

Dramatic Irony

• The audience knows more than the characters

In horror movies we know the bad guy is in the basement and we want to tell the character, “Don’t go in the basement!”

Sarcasm• A form of verbal irony; sneering

criticism in which disapproval is expressed as ironic praise.

“Well, that was really intelligent”

Sardonicism: disdainfully or ironically mocking; even harsher than sarcasm.

Ridicule

• Words intended to belittle a person or idea and to arouse contemptuous laughter. The goal is to condemn or criticize by making the thing, idea, or person seem laughable and ridiculous.

Hyperbole

• Intentional exaggeration for effect

– I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!

– I nearly died when he told me that.

– I’ve heard that a million and one times.

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Litotes• Deliberate understatement

– I could probably manage to survive on a salary of two million dollars a year.

– Saying “Not bad” when you really mean “That’s good!”

– Saying “It’s a bit breezy” to describe hurricane force winds

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Pun• A play on words that are identical

or similar in sound but that have sharply diverse meanings

–Meet me at the clothes line. That’s where I hang out.

More Puns

–Police were called to a daycare where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.

–I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

-He ate so much over the holidays that he decided to quit cold turkey.

Malapropism

• Absurd or humorous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with one of similar sound

• “ we’ll keep ‘em til they’re ransomed to death…”

Caricature

• A drawing, description, or performance that exaggerates somebody’s characteristics or features for humorous purposes– The characters in the tv shows The Office and

My Name is Earl– Jeff Foxworthy’s redneck persona and jokes– SNL skits

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Lampoon

• A crude, coarse, often bitter satire ridiculing the personal appearance or character of a person.                        

Oxymoron• A figure of speech that is self-contradictory

– Jumbo shrimp

– Silent scream

– Tight slacks

– Peace force

– Pretty ugly

Political humor

See if you can identify examples of satirical vices

Political Humor Website