Tacitus.
Annales.
|
Nero
Seneca Burrus
Domestic War
Nero
Apotheosis. Deification.
Apocolocyntosis. Becoming a gourd. Traditional satire.
Matrona
Horace & Juvenal
We shouldn't confuse the satyr play of Greece with Roman
satires. Rome developed its own tradition of satire
independently, one of the only literary genres the Romans
created. It could be either dactylic hexameter or a mixture
of prose and verse. According to the OED, satire is, "A poem
or (in later use) a novel, film, or other work of art which
uses humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and
criticize prevailing immorality or foolishness, esp. as a
form of social or political commentary."
Characteristics of Satire
- Moral
- Irony
- Sarcasm
- Fake praise
- Obvious untruths
- Hyperbole
- Political overtones
- Humor
- Ridicule
Types of Satire
Even today, we categorize satire by the ancient
practitioners who made each famous.
- Horatian: Horace playfully mocked the societal norms of his day, and the satire named after him is clever, yet gentle. Rather than attacking evils, Horatian satire ridicules universal human folly so that the reader might identify with what is being critiqued and laugh at him/herself as well as at society.
- Juvenalian: Unlike
Horace, Juvenal attacked public officials and governmental
organizations through his satires. He regarded their
opinions not just as wrong, but instead as evil.
Juvenalian satire thus is more contemptuous and abrasive,
and uses strong irony and sarcasm. Polarized political
satire is often of this nature, and aims to provoke
change. Juvenalian satire is often more bitter than
humorous.
- Menippean: Menippus
was Greek, and most of his works were lost. The Roman
writer Lucian translated and adapted much of his work, so
he is the main source for Menippean satire. Menippean
satire criticizes mental attitudes rather than societal
norms or specific individuals. This type of satire often
ridicules single-minded people, such as bigots, misers,
braggarts, and so on. We find in Lucian fantastic events
like a parliament of the gods or a trip to the moon. Some
of his stuff borders on science fiction.
If satire were a candy bar, what kind would each be?
- Juvenalian. Baking chocolate
- Horatian. Milk Chocolate
- Menippean. Willy Wonka
Juvenal
Juvenal wants a return to the virtus from the good
old days.
People who make Juvenal angry. Very angry.
Flabby eunuchs marry. | Haec vir | "Girly men" |
Well-born girls hunt pigs with spears.
|
Hic mulier. | "Manly girls." |
Crispinus. Egyptian slave. He's rich. Nouveau riche
Chiseling Advocate. Lawyer
Jewish people
Greeks. "Conquered Greece conquered Rome."
Bus. Bus driver.
Taxi. Taxi driver, cabbie.
Limousine. Chauffeur. 1066.