Definition of Satire -
Satire is difficult to classify since, in some respects, it is more of an attitude than a special form of literature. But, simply put, satire could be considered the artful use of mockery or humor, with the goal of eliminating something the satirist disapproves. It is quite possibly the most deadly way to use a pen, since nothing destroys respect quicker than laughter.
A short History of Satire -
Prior to 65 B.C. Satire - though carried on in an unformulated way by writers such as Ennuis, Lucius, and Varo - was not distinguished as a �serious� form of literature separated from Comedy or the Farce. But in 65 B.C., Horace, the first true satirist, was born. Following him quickly came Juvenal, as well as such minor authors as Seneca, Marshal, and Petronius. Since that time, satire has always been classified as Juvenalian or Horatian.
Juvenal - this satirist wrote in a style known as invective. His works are bitter personal tirades noted for their sarcasm and utter disregard for their subjects� reputation. His humor came in showing the absurdity of his enemies� positions. As an example, consider his satire on the roman bureaucratic mess (sound familiar?) �On the Imperial Committee Summoned to Consider the Best Way to Cook a Duck.�
Horace - is the example to many modern satirists. He wrote in such a whimsical, playful way, that he could hardly be accused of sedition or libel like his Juvenalian Counterparts (Seneca was exiled in part for his Invective). Nonetheless his compositions bite. When they are finished, his point is made in an unforgettable way. Parodies and what we would call humorous essays were Horace�s specialty. Since then, satire has only leaped ahead. Men such as Swift, Pope, Dryden, Voltaire, and Moliere have made short work of many things with it; and more recently H. L. Mencken, S. J. Perelman, Wodehouse, and Art Buchwald have drastically infuenced their respective societies.
The Targets of Satire -
Traditionally, satire has been aimed at social, moral, and political vice and folly. Things such as philosophical error, and religious misinformation have also been regularly lampooned. Unfortunately, though satire is a useful weapon, it is indiscriminate - it�s entirely up to the satirist to decide what is vice, folly, and error. Men, such as Voltaire in his infamous �Candide,� have used satire to make religion and all forms of authority look foolish. �Candide� was a major mover in the first French Revolution: hardly a worthy effort. �Gargantua and Pantagruel� by Rabelais, is another instance of misdirected satire.
Satiric Technique -
One of the things which sets a satirist apart from a mere humorist, is his use of their common tool - laughter. A humorist spouts jokes with no purpose except amusement, but the satirist, as we have seen, uses them as a means to an end. Satire is interesting to a wise man and a fool: it can make you think as well as chuckle, but it doesn�t have to. This distinction necessitates a different sort of humor. The following three techniques illustrate this new approach.
Exaggeration or rationa non rationes - Often a satirist, in order to point out the intrinsic absurdity of some belief, will carry that belief to its illogical extreme. This is called exaggeration. If it is simply used quickly, as a passing metaphor or description (ie. �The recoil of the rifle caused me to wonder wether Dr. Booth could remove the stock of a 1789 muzzle-loading musket from a shoulder...�) it is Hyperbole, and not a satiric technique at all. But when, in an extended fashion, it states the possible extreme of a belief in perfect seriousness, it is satire. For instance �Brave New World,� a satiric novel set in a futuristic earth, assumes the so-called �great scientific advances� such as cloning, early indoctrination &c. come to pass in the way scientists predicted. The result is a horrible machine-like world, where perhaps 300 identical twins, trained from youth to do some menial task, will serve some scientist for life; everything is regulated and formalized, and the book certainly sets one against everything it �advocates.� And yet, if you don�t see the connection between the present and the possible world, it can come across as simply a funny story.
Irony - Irony is perhaps the chief tool of the satirist. By stating the opposite of reality, reality is thrown into a clearer light. There are three kinds of irony - dramatic irony, verbal irony, and the ironic viewpoint. Dramatic irony, often requiring an intricate plot or argument, is more effective as a stunt to keep the readers attention than for effective satire. Wodehouse was a master of this sort of irony. Verbal irony, used mostly in dialogues (such as Moliere�s plays) is just theatrical repartee. But the ironic viewpoint is a purely satiric technique. With the ironic viewpoint, the satirist pretends to be advocating, or even arguing for, his target. For example, Swift, an English satirist (he wrote �Gulliver�s Travels�) lived during a time when England had conquered a portion of Ireland. Once conquered, England ignored their new dependants to such an extent that the majority of Irish families were starving on their doorsteps. Many people wrote angry screeds in an effort to awaken their pig-headed government, but they were all ignored. Finally, Swift decided to do something. He wrote �A Modest Proposal.� This essay claims to have the solution the Irish problem. Using the exact English Government�s view, it states the problem as �Irish beggars cluttering the countryside;� it then offers this solution - why not sell all Irish children, under 15, to English Lords as a rare and tasty side-dishes. He goes on to note several recipes for cooking children, the uses their hides could be put to, and the advantages such a deal would have. It woke the government (and got Swift in the Pillory).
Non sequitur - This technique offers illogical arguments for the thing the satirist is aiming his pen at. It is very simple, and very effective. A satire by S. J. Perelmann, offers an annual �National Hotel Exposition,� run by people whose motto is �The Customer is Always Wrong,� where thousands of hotel managers gather to discuss �the maintenance of proper standards of insolence among room clerks, improved methods of juggling shower faucets so that guest are alternately frozen and parboiled, artful techniques for making windows stick, and the like,� as the reason for poorly maintained hotels.
Finally -
Satire is something we should all be acquainted with, but be careful. Make sure it doesn�t become the only sort of thing you write, which happens easily. Writing strictly satire tends to make one a cynic, and not very popular. Nonetheless, you should be familiar with the technique in case you ever have to take up your pen as a sword!
©Copyright, 2003, Robert Quiller