Happy Tuesday! Please read through this power point and take notes in the packet you were

given at the beginning of class. If you don’t finish this, it is homework. Power Point is on the website OR upload this presentation to your Google Docs. You will need to understand this information for the work we are doing this week.

You will have a test on this information Monday, April 14 so ask questions if you are confused.

You will need to be in Slide Show mode to view any links and might want to use your headphones if you have some with you. Otherwise, just play it on low volume.

We will begin reading The Importance of Being Earnest tomorrow. You will have homework every night. If you are going to be gone, see me for the play and your homework. Otherwise check the website for more information.

Have fun and get to work!

SatireThe Mace and Rapier

What is Satire? Satire is a weapon used

to ridicule to attack the vices and follies they see in human behavior.

Usually states or implies some idea of what should be the correct behavior or thought.

Goal of satire: self-examination and change foolish ways.

In written satire, the pen can be a mace – hacking and bashing the victims to smithereens – or a rapier – delicately piercing the target.

DEFINITION OF “SATIRE” The word satire comes from the Latin satura

meaning a dish filled with mixed fruits.

This was the usual dessert tray after a banquet, and an early meaning for the word was “to be well fed” as seen in such cognates as sated, saturated, and satisfied.

Questions for Satire What does the satire ridicule? What are its targets? What does the satire suggest is preferable to

whatever is criticized? What techniques does the satirist use to convey his

or her ridicule? To what extent is the satirist justified in attacking

his target? How successful is the satire?

Distance from Satirical Target To be effective, writers or performers must have a

detachment from their target.

Henry Rule confessed, “In truth I don’t ever seem to be in a good enough humor with anything to satirize it; no, I want to stand up before it and curse it, and foam at the mouth—or take a club and pound it to rags and pulp” (Nilsen & Nilsen 259).

Satire vs. Gallows Humor Satirists may use their humor to inspire

reform and change, or they may use it to promote the status quo.

Satire MUST HAVE A TARGET If the creators of satire don’t have a reform or a

solution in mind but are simply holding up an aspect of the world as ridiculous, then they are creating irony or gallows humor rather than satire.

Gallows Humor? Humor from stressful situations, i.e., death at the gallows.

Horatian VS. Juvenalian Satire Gentle and humorous satire is called “Horatian

Satire ” after the writing style of the Roman poet Horace.

Heavy or biting satire called “Juvenalian Satire” after the Roman poet Juvenal.

For Example One of the characteristics of Horatian satire is

that it includes a higher percentage of humor.

Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels is a Horatian Satire. It contains humorous adventures often read by children.

“A Modest Proposal” is Juvenalian Satire with its scathing criticism of overpopulation and persecution of the Irish.

Satire Techniques Naïve speaker — doesn’t understand the implications of his

narration Praise but mean the opposite (criticize) – this is an example

of irony Say one thing but means the opposite (sarcasm) Uses rhetorical questions — The question seems to suggest

one answer, but the reader is supposed to disagree with the implication

Understate — minimize the issue to make people realize its importance; treat a serious concern as unimportant or trivial

Exaggerate/Hyperbole – blow the issue out of proportion to make people focus on it; take a trivial concern or situation seriously

Types of Satire Cartoons and art Exaggeration and caricature Irony Symbolism Speaker Parody Reversal

Cartoons and Art Lampoon or parody aspects of society or

practices Example: In the

example to the right,what is beingcriticized? Howdoes the cartoonhelp make a point?

Is this just “funny”?

Or is it making a statement

? What techniques does the

satirist use?

Cartoons and Art

Exaggeration Focuses on one or two elements of a

situation Extends them beyond reality or out of

proportion to everything else

Consider the following…what is being exaggerated?

Caricature Distorts one or two

elements of appearance, usually for humorous effect.

Gentle form of exaggeration (usually)

Why is caricature 1 NOT satirical and caricature 2 is?

Caricature 1

Caricature 2

Burlesque Ridiculous exaggeration of language. Used for comic effect – the language used in

a situation is so absurd as to make it funny. Example: In the following clip, how do we

expect the characters to sound? What does the change do?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CDcjHVG2Kg

Irony Do I really need to explain this? Incongruity: presents things that are out of

place or are absurd in relation to its surroundings

Example: Butwhy is this satire?What does ittarget?

Why is this song ironic? Listen to the lyrics and then compare it to the music played along with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta_iKeH4tsg&safe=active

Who is the target? Why is this satire?

Symbolism Use concrete symbols to represent abstract

characteristics and conditions Sometimes context-specific Example: What is the effect of symbolism for this

satire?

The Speaker in Satirethe use of a speaker as a stand-in for the writer/satirist to offer criticism:

Sometimes very angry voices making direct attacks. Sometimes evil men and women confessing their own sins proudly. Sometimes reveal their own folly without intending to.

Diatribe – direct, angry attack in the hope of eliminating what the satirist regards as undesirable conditions, attitudes, and behavior.

Parody Imitates the style of a particular work or

writer Style is crucial – HOW the satire is done… Examples: Airplane! or The Key of

Awesome on youtube. What is being parodied and why?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyBwZeoxISk

Parody of Fine Art

Is this offensive? If so, why?

Reversal Presents the opposite of the normal order…

Order of events or Expectation Dessert first, then main course. The princess saving Prince Charming

Hierarchal order When a child runs the household and the parent is

treated like a child.