History of Satire

Satire through (1) some form of parody overdramatizes the alleged ‘logic’ of a targeted person, policy, or institution in order (2) to expose its failings from a particular moral perspective while also (3) using that same perspective to offer albeit in a veiled way a meaningful alternative, corrective, or solution.

See

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satire

Satire is a literary technique of writing or art which principally ridicules its subject (individuals, organizations, states) often as an intended means of provoking or preventing change. In Celtic societies, it was thought a bard's satire could have physical effects, similar to a curse. A satirist is one who satirizes.

Satire is not exclusive to any viewpoint. Parody is a form of satire that imitates another work of art in order to ridicule it.

There are several types of satire:

• Diminution: Reduces the size of something in order that it may be made to appear ridiculous or in order to be examined closely and have its faults seen close up. For example, treating the Canadian Members of Parliament as a squabbling group of little boys is an example of diminution. The first portion of Gulliver's Travels, set in the ficticious land of Liliput, is a diminutive satire.

• Inflation: A common technique of satire is to take a real-life situation and exaggerate it to such a degree that it becomes ridiculous and its faults can be seen, and thus satirical. For example, two boys arguing over a possession of a car can be inflated into an interstellar war. The Rape of the Lock is an example of inflation.

• Juxtaposition: Places things of unequal importance side by side. It brings all the things down to the lowest level of importance on the list. For example, if a guy says his important subjects in school include Calculus, Computer Science, Physics, and girl-watching, he has managed to take away some of the importance of the first three. The Rape of the Lock is also an example of juxtaposition.

• Parody: Imitates the techniques and style of some person, place, or thing. Parody is used for mocking or mocking its idea of the person, place, or thing. Monty Python is an example of parody.

see

http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/satire.html

Satire has long been a tool of political criticism.

Although the term satire may describe an entire work, a passage, or a tone, its characteristics are shared: among these,

1. it employs comedy or humor;

2. has a target and an ideal to compare it to; and

3. describes folly or vice in detail.

From ancient times satirists have shared a common aim: to expose foolishness in all its guises — vanity, hypocrisy, pedantry, idolatry, bigotry, sentimentality — and to effect reform through such exposure. The many diverse forms their statements have taken reflect the origin of the word satire, which is derived from the Latin satura, meaning "dish of mixed fruits," hence a medley.