Satire English

Satirical techniques

Methods used to comment on or criticize a subject or character.

Exaggeration

Enlarging or representing something beyond normal bounds to highlight its faults.

Caricature

Exaggeration of a physical feature or trait, often seen in political cartoons.

Burlesque

Ridiculous exaggeration of language, such as a formal character speaking foolishly.

Incongruity

Presenting things that are absurd or out of place in relation to their surroundings.

Parody

Imitating the style of something or someone to ridicule the original, requiring knowledge of the original text.

Reversal

Presenting the opposite of the normal order, such as serving dessert before the main dish.

Satire

Use of sarcasm, irony, or wit to ridicule or mock.

Direct satire

Satire that is explicitly stated.

Indirect satire

Satire communicated through characters in a situation.

Horatian satire

Light-hearted satire intended for fun.

Juvenalian satire

Bitter and angry satire that attacks.

Minnepian satire

Cheerful, intellectual humor that critiques mental attitudes rather than specific groups.

Irony

Expression where the actual intent is opposite to the literal meaning, often lighter than sarcasm.

Verbal irony

Inversion (reversal) of meaning in words.

Dramatic irony

When a character's words or acts carry a meaning understood by the audience but not by the character.

Socratic irony

Feigning ignorance to draw knowledge from others.

Situational irony

Discrepancy between purpose and results, such as a practical joke that backfires.

Travesty

Presenting a serious (normally religious) subject frivolously, reducing it to its lowest level.

Burlesque (style)

Ridiculous exaggeration that targets societal norms rather than specific works.

Parody (composition)

Imitation of a serious work designed to ridicule it nonsensically.

Farce

Comedy that excites laughter through exaggerated, improbable situations.

Invective

Harsh, abusive language directed against a person or cause.

Sarcasm

A sharply mocking or contemptuous remark. The term came from the Greek word “sarkazein” which means “to tear flesh.”

Malapropism

Deliberate mispronunciation of a name or term to poke fun.