Comedy
This week: Satire not satyr! Edited by: eyestar~* More Newsletters By This Editor
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Hail readers. I am happy to be your guest editor for this edition! As one of our review challenges in our Game of Thrones Challenges involved Satire, so I went to find out where that genre began!
"Satire is, by definition, offensive. It is meant to make us feel uncomfortable. It is meant to make us scratch our heads, think, do a double-take, and then think again." `Maajid Nawaz
"Social satire has been around since people have been around". David Walliams
Satire isa literary composition, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule.
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My journey to discover satire took me back in history and while some would have us believe that the word came from
"satyrs" of ancient Greek myth, that would be a myth itself. The word satur is Roman and the first time satura meaning comedy, was used by Quintillian, it was to denote roman satire in a hexameter format, which he said was a wholly Roman creation.
The actual origin of satire, though it was not called that, was in Greece beginning with Aristophanes Comedies. They used cynsism and parody and he made political and societal commentaries to critique society. Later in Rome, Quintillian invented the word to describe the works of Gaius Lucillus and once in Rome,the form grew. Horace and Juvenal became the most notable satirists. The first critic to use the word in its broad sense was Apuleius, a latin prose writer.
In fact, two styles of satire emerged from that time, namely Juvenalian and Horation satire.
Juvenal, writing in the last of the 1st c. CE was known for bitter, ironic criticism laced with moral anger and contempt for the political/social institutions, people. The style became one of attack, abrasion, considering the evils of society. The intent was to produce anger about these issues.
Authors like Ray Bradbury, in Farenheit 451(/i} and A. Burgess in Clockwork Orange as well as W. Golden in Lord of the Flies wrote in this style which lends itself to less humour and more scorn.
Horace, his contemporary, had a more indulgent, tolerant voice in a more gentle ridicule of the absurdities and follies of humans. He used wit and humour, mockery and exaggeration to create amusement and to get folks to lighten up about the matters at hands.
Alexander Pope, C.S.Lewis in The Scewtape Letters and Rick Mercer in the Mercer Report, use a more Horation style. Still a critique but winning with a smile.
In further reading I discovered that there were remnants of satirical writing as early as 2nd C. BC in Egypt. A papyrus called the Satire of the Trades seemed to jab at trades men compared to professional scribes. Much has been lost.
Also in the 9th c there was the Medieval Isalmic "hija". Al-jahiz introduced satire in his works on about anthropology, sociology and pyshchology beliefs.
My short foray into Satire lore gave me some clarity on the genre and see where both forms have their place. I think I like to laugh more!
Do you have any favourite satirists? From way back when or even now? Any favs writings to share, yours or authors. Let me know in the response here so I can post them next time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Satire_of_the_Trades
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satire
https://www.britannica.com/art/satire
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Enjoy some Satire!
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| | The Wife (E) A light-hearted look at marriage, 1st Place Tie, Traditional Poetry Contest. #1714645 by Mandy |
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So readers, What kind of satire do you prefer? Share your favourite satirical book, show, author or quote!
azreal.tseng
Thank you for introducing me to Robert Munsch. I still haven't read his books but I love his approach to writing. I think it takes incredible patience, humility and respect for the reader to polish and refine for so long before publishing. His example has inspired me to put in the same effort into my own writing.
Thanks Azreal! I am glad you enjoyed my bit of fun. |
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