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

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

Methods of Satire Irony or sarcasm Parody Exaggeration Incongruity Reversal

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

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

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

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

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