German

Wikipedia

Noun

Satire f. (genitive Satire, plural Satiren)

1. satire

Synonyms

• Spottdichtung, Spottschrift

Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement. Although satire is usually meant to be funny, its greater purpose is constructive social criticism, using wit as a weapon.

A common feature of satire is strong irony or sarcasm—"in satire, irony is militant"—but parody, burlesque, exaggeration, juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing. This "militant" irony or sarcasm often professes to approve (or at least accept as natural) the very things the satirist wishes to attack.

Satire is a literary technique of writing or art which exposes the follies of its subject (for example, individuals, organizations, or states) to ridicule, often as an intended means of provoking or preventing change.

Sourced

• Satire is a kind of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own.
  • Jonathan Swift, The Battle of the Books (1704).

• Satire, by being levelled at all, is never resented for an offence by any.
  • Jonathan Swift, A Tale of a Tub (1704).

Unsourced

• In its essence the purpose of satire - whether verse or prose - is aggression ... Satire has a great big blaring target. If successful, it blasts a great big hole in the center.
  • Wyndham Lewis, Not on the Verse-Satire.

• Satire should, like a polished razor keen, Wound with a touch that's scarcely felt or seen.
  • Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, To the Imitator of the First Satire of Horace, Book ii.