Scott Stewart

Satire derived from the Latin satura, meaning "melody" or "mixture". No strong tradition of satire existed in ancient Greece. Few satirists included Archilochus and Cercidas the Cynic, during 7^th Century B.C. Satirists of this time period were considered savagely outspoken in their unpopular views on a wide variety of subjects. It was during the Renaissance (14^th century to 17^th century), as a result of false etymology, that the word "satire" was confused with satyr, and so took on the connotation of lasciviousness (erotic) and crude mockery. Society has molded satire during the modern era for purposes related to changes and/or advances in society and technology. However, the basic premises of satire have remained constant. They include murder, sexual practices, forgery, perjury, theft, gluttony, luxury, avarice, and fawning over the rich. Encyclopedia Britannica, UHCL Library.

Related Genre: cult, gothic, film, sit-coms, television movies

Representational Genre: narrator(mimic), dialogue(movies), narrator +

Narrative Genre: comedy, tragedy, romance

Example: skit from Saturday Night Live

Highlights of Example: entertainment-related commentary by Bill Clinton impersonator

Additional Satirists and Works: Hudibras by Sam Butler(1663), Gulliver’s Travel by Jonathan Swift(1726), Essay on Man by Alexander Pope(1734), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain(1884), Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh(1945), Portnoy’s Complaint by Phillip Roth(1969).

1. What characteristics do satire and tragedy have in relation to each other?
2. What is the purpose for satire in a given society?
3. Why is satire accepted so much more in the Renaissance and Modern periods

compared to the classical period?