The Mikado: The Use Of Satire In Modern Society

812 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Development of satire in the 18th century

As Lady Mary Wortley Montagu once said “Satire should, like a polished razor keen, wound with a touch that’s scarcely felt or seen”. By this, Montagu addresses satire as a praise undeserved that effects its reader with sudden, sharp accuracy. Satire ultimately raises awareness and challenges the social conscience of society.
Welcome all distinguished guests. As per this year’s topic for the open forum at the University of Queensland, we will explore the role, and vast effects of satire in modern society. “Fools are my theme, let satire be my song” is a famous quote by Lord Byron relating to the role of satire in society. ‘Fools are my theme’ is referring to the common fool in a satirical text that is the target and is being mocked for the …show more content…

Gilbert and Sullivan firstly used humour to poke fun at higher-class-members of society. Characters of extreme social status often present utterly ridiculous lines like Pooh-Bah stating: “I am, in point of fact, a particularly haughty and exclusive person, of pre- Adamite ancestral descent. You will understand this when I tell you that I can trace my ancestry back to a protoplasmal primordial atomic globule. Consequently, my family pride is something inconceivable. I can't help it. I was born sneering.” These aspects of society are highly exaggerated, making Gilbert and Sullivan’s message heard. Secondly, The Mikado is highly sarcastic. Characters continually over exaggerate points in a sarcastic manner throughout the performance. This extract is a clear representation of this: “KATISHA: See here his name: ‘Nanki-Poo beheaded this morning’. Oh, where shall I find another? Where shall I find another? (KO-KO, POOH-BAH, and PITTI-SING fall to their knees.)” Aside from this, the characters are highly satirical of people within the British society in the time it was created. This overall sarcasm further enhances The Mikado’s success. Thirdly, characters are of high importance as they form the vital delivery of the overall satirical message. Despite the Japanese setting, the behaviour, speech, and attitudes of the characters are clearly British reflecting the restrictive social codes, self-important politicians and moral hypocrisy of Britain in Gilbert and Sullivan’s time. Without the strong characterisation in The Mikado, the satirical message would not be delivered effectively. These key aspects of The Mikado further embody the dual nature of the piece’s humour and reflect the second half of Lord Byron’s quote, ‘let satire be my song’. The Mikado was created for entertainment, but with its hidden message about

Show More
Related

  • Examples Of Satire In Fahrenheit 451

    518 Words  | 2 Pages

    While the tone may range from playful to angry, satire generally criticizes in order to make a change. Exaggeration, parody, reversal, and incongruity are satirical devices. Author’s use satirical devices to strengthen their central idea.

    Read More

  • The Onion As A Satire

    620 Words  | 2 Pages

    Satire is form of comedy in which flaws in people or society are chastised in order to prompt change in the objects of criticism. Regardless of how long ago comedy itself may have existed, the concept of satire was introduced by the Roman satirists, Juvenal and Horace. The tones conveyed in their writing characterize the main modes of satire, being Horatian and Juvenalian, and are still used in satire today. Presently, two popular forms of comedy that employ satirical elements include parody news sources and comedic performances. Although satirical writing has evolved throughout history, many aspects of satire are still apparent in both the articles of parody news sources, like The Onion, and the performances of professional comedians, like

    Read More

  • Young Frankenstein and One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest

    1401 Words  | 3 Pages

    The films Young Frankenstein and One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest can be viewed as a critical analysis of society’s issues and dysfunctions in the form of satire and parody using humor. While Young Frankenstein, Mel Brooks cinematic version of the gothic novel, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, uses parody in the form of Horatian satire, which is achieved through gentle ridicule and using a tone that is indulgent, tolerant, amused and witty. The film One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the adaptation of the Ken Kesey novel, uses a form of satire called Juvenalian satire which is demonstrated in the form of attacks on vice and error with contempt and indignation. Horatian satire will produce a humor response from the reader instead of anger or indignation as Juvenalian satire. Juvenalian satire, in its realism and its harshness, is in strong contrast to Horatian satire (Kent and Drury).

    Read More

  • Voltaire's Use Of Thoughtful Laughter In Literature

    749 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thoughtful laughter is a technique used frequently in satirical pieces in literature. It allows for the audience to enjoy the wittiness of a work, later ponder on the meaning, and then apply the message to reality. Thoughtful laughter is often an inner experience that can only be achieved by authors who write meticulously. Two examples of satirical works in literature that display this concept explicitly are Voltaire’s Candide and C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters. Both authors explore the depths of satire and simultaneously deliver an important message to readers through skillful technique.

    Read More

  • Satire

    1450 Words  | 3 Pages

    Satire is a great tool used by many writers and actors since ancient times. The earliest example that we know about is a script from 2nd millennium BC in Ancient Egypt (Definition: Satire) and since then has evolved into a great part of our society. Satire is used to point out the faults of human vice in order for change and reform in either of two ways. There is a very bitter Juvenalian or a mild and light Horatian. In order to fully understand these forms of satire, method, purpose, and applications will be addressed.

    Read More

  • Satire Humor: A Tool for Understanding Contemporary Politics

    1416 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many people tend to use humor as a positive communication skill to make us laugh. It has long been used as a tool to navigate how we better understand media and politics. In today's crucial times of political chaos, social unrest and in-fighting between political parties, the use of Satire humor is more relevant than ever before. According to Oxford dictionary, satire is defined as the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. In the last decade there has been a staunch increase in technology and a rise in social media, this comes with its own benefits and downfalls. The use of satire humor has been represented

    Read More

  • Comparing Satire in Canterbury Tales, Pride and Prejudice and The Rape of the Lock

    1358 Words  | 3 Pages

    Use of Satire in Canterbury Tales, Pride and Prejudice and The Rape of the Lock

    Read More

  • Satire In Oscar Wilde's The Importance Of Being Earnest

    881 Words  | 2 Pages

    Oscar Wilde’s, “The Importance of Being Earnest”, play carefully uses satire as a didactic tool to mask the underlying social commentary with the help of comedy through characters theme and dialogue. Wilde uses satire to ridicule class and wealth, marriage and the ignorance of the Victorian Age. Audiences are continually amused by Wilde’s use of linguistic and comic devices such as double entendre, puns, paradox and epigrams, especially in the case of social commentary and didactic lessons. Characters portrayed in the play such as Jack, Cecily, Algernon and Lady Bracknell, allow Wilde to express his opinions on the social problems during the Victorian Age.

    Read More

  • Thank You For Arguing Reflection

    654 Words  | 2 Pages

    The book Thank You for Arguing has made a huge impact on how I argue not only in my essays, but in real life situations as well. I have enjoyed learning about the different fallacies or, as Heinrichs calls them, the “Seven deadly logical sins”, how to spot them, and where they are found the most. Although I have loved learning about rhetoric and fallacies, my favorite lesson by far has been the satire unit. I enjoy looking to see if someone's speech or essay is presented in satire form and how to differentiate between the speaker and author; I believe knowledge of satire to be an effective way of arguing and understanding other people's arguments. As much as i love learning satire, I always have trouble seeing if the passage is satire, and what the speaker is saying as opposed to the author. Rhetoric and satire can prove to be two crucial parts in arguing effectively and have both helped me immensely in shaping my

    Read More

  • Satire, the Mirror of Reality

    1859 Words  | 4 Pages

    Satire invites critical self-introspection from us in a way that no other media can. It also acts as an unbiased mirror that reflects the mirror image of the flaws of our society. This beautiful process, when unhindered and uncensored, is the epitome of western freedom of speech, which is the single most significant right that deserves to be cherished and defended. According to McClennen, however, all mirror images of satire might not be beneficial. She believes that shows such as South Park and The Simpsons, which are not afraid to attack anything, do not lead to any kind of positive political discourse.

    Read More

  • Satire in Brave New World

    1113 Words  | 3 Pages

    Satire is defined as “the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues” (Oxford). The best satirical writers can make the reader believe that an idea is “logical and practical.” This is seen in great abundance in Aldous Huxley’s novel, Brave New World. Through his writing, Huxley uses satire to effectively point out the flaws of society at the time. Even though Brave New World was written in 1931, the satirical points Huxley makes are still relevant in today’s world.

    Read More

  • Satire In Swift And Pope

    1614 Words  | 4 Pages

    ... then took up the cause of writing satires with the aim of exposing the hollowness, dullness, irrelevance, lack of profundity, and low level of the writings of their contemporary writers. Though a tinge of personal spite marks their satirical works, yet one cannot overlook the noble aim with which these two writers wrote - the aim of maintaining high standards of literary creativity.

    Read More

  • Jonathan Swift Satire

    1134 Words  | 3 Pages

    The dictionary definition of satire is the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices. Particularly, in the context of contemporary politics or other topical issues. If one were to examine contemporary culture today they would notice that it is becoming more and more satirized. One could argue this by turning on any program and listening for hidden messages alluding to some cause or political reference. Satire appears in many forms and may be used to shock the reader or targets into changing their behavior.

    Read More

  • Satire

    2526 Words  | 6 Pages

    “Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own” (Swift). Such beholders, as Jonathan Swift astutely emphasizes, are intended, through guidance of satiric narrative, to recognize social or political plights. In some satires, as in Swift’s own A Modest Proposal, the use of absurd, blatant exaggeration is intended to capture an indolent audience’s attention regarding the social state of the poor. Yet even in such a direct satire, there exists another layer of meaning. In regards to A Modest Proposal, the interchange between the voice of the proposer and Swift’s voice introduces another medium of criticism, as well as the opportunity for readers to reflect on how well they may fit the proposer’s persona. In such as case, the satire exists on multiple levels of meaning—not only offering conclusions about moral problems, but also allowing the audience to an interpretation of their place among the criticism.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband

    1499 Words  | 3 Pages

    A very intelligent novelist, Oscar Wilde, catches his reader’s attention in his satirical play, An Ideal Husband, through a humorous drama filled political scandal and blackmail. Wilde sucks his audience into the romantic comedy by placing the reader with the characters throughout all their battles—in which he points out their bad habits and their faults. Wilde accomplishes drawing readers in by creating the satirical message of his play through satirical elements such as exaggeration, sarcasm, and irony.

    Read More

More about The Mikado: The Use Of Satire In Modern Society

Open Document