SatireSatire

““A genre of comedy that is directed at ridiculing human A genre of comedy that is directed at ridiculing human foibles and vices, such as vanity, hypocrisy, stupidity, and foibles and vices, such as vanity, hypocrisy, stupidity, and

greed.”greed.”

Monique and Peter Monique and Peter

Direct (Formal Satire)Direct (Formal Satire)

A first person narrator who addresses a A first person narrator who addresses a specific audience, either the reader or an specific audience, either the reader or an invented listener, whom he/she expects invented listener, whom he/she expects will sympathize with the views expressed.will sympathize with the views expressed.

Example: In Lord Byron’s epic, “Don Juan” Example: In Lord Byron’s epic, “Don Juan” (1824) the urbane narrator confides to the (1824) the urbane narrator confides to the reader the amorous adventures of Don reader the amorous adventures of Don Juan, a legendary rake, in his youth.Juan, a legendary rake, in his youth.

IndirectIndirect

Is not cast in the form of direct address to Is not cast in the form of direct address to the audience. Rather, the indictment of the the audience. Rather, the indictment of the characters’ vices and follies is implied by characters’ vices and follies is implied by simply representing their thoughts, words, simply representing their thoughts, words, and actions.and actions.

Example: William Makepeace Thackeray’s Example: William Makepeace Thackeray’s “Vanity Fair” (1847); Greek playwright “Vanity Fair” (1847); Greek playwright Aristophanes (c.450-c.385 B.C.E.), who Aristophanes (c.450-c.385 B.C.E.), who wrote such satiric depictions of Athenian wrote such satiric depictions of Athenian society as the “The Frogs” and “The Clouds”society as the “The Frogs” and “The Clouds”

HoratianHoratian

Tolerant and urbane, indulgently mocking Tolerant and urbane, indulgently mocking faults with the aim of evoking wry faults with the aim of evoking wry amusement rather than repulsion or amusement rather than repulsion or indignation in the audience.indignation in the audience.

Example: Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock” Example: Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock” (1712), which gently ridicules the vanity and (1712), which gently ridicules the vanity and idleness of the British upper classes in the idleness of the British upper classes in the form of a mock epic on the supposed form of a mock epic on the supposed tragedy of the lovely Belinda, a lock of tragedy of the lovely Belinda, a lock of whose hair is ravished by the scissors of a whose hair is ravished by the scissors of a wicked Baron.wicked Baron.

JuvenalianJuvenalian

Harsh and censorious, bitterly condemning Harsh and censorious, bitterly condemning voices and foibles and inciting the voices and foibles and inciting the audience to feelings of indignation and audience to feelings of indignation and disgust.disgust.

Examples: Samuel Johnson’s “The Vanity Examples: Samuel Johnson’s “The Vanity of Human Wishes” (1749); Mark Twain’s of Human Wishes” (1749); Mark Twain’s “Pudd’nhead Wilson” (1894), acerbic “Pudd’nhead Wilson” (1894), acerbic denunciation of the injustices of slavery.denunciation of the injustices of slavery.