Satire facts for kids

1867 edition of the satirical magazine Punch

Satire is a clever way of using humor to make fun of people, governments, or big organizations. It often points out their silly or bad actions. You can find satire in many forms, like drawings, plays, books, songs, TV shows, and movies. It can also be used to show common ideas about groups of people, sometimes in an exaggerated way.

Satire has been used for a very long time. The word "satire" comes from Latin. Ancient Greek plays by Aristophanes are often seen as early examples of satire. It was also very popular during the time of Elizabeth I in England.

What is Satire?

Satire uses humor, exaggeration, or irony to criticize people or ideas. It often highlights problems in society or with powerful individuals. The goal is usually to make people think about these issues in a new way.

How Satire Works

Satire often makes things seem much bigger or sillier than they are. This exaggeration helps to show how ridiculous certain actions or ideas can be. For example, a cartoon might draw a politician with a tiny head and huge ears to make fun of their listening skills.

Satire can also use irony. This is when something is said or shown that means the opposite of what is really intended. For instance, a satirical story might praise a terrible idea to show how bad it truly is.

Satire Through History

Satire has a long and interesting history. People have used it for centuries to comment on their world.

Famous Examples of Satire

• Jonathan Swift used satire in his famous book Gulliver's Travels. He made fun of people's foolishness and the problems in society.
• The Beggar’s Opera (1728) was a play that used satire to show how silly the politicians of that time were. It often compared them to criminals.
• The German playwright Bertolt Brecht used a lot of satire in his plays. He wanted to make people think critically about society.
• Comedians like Peter Cook and Jon Stewart have also used satire frequently. They often make jokes about current events and political figures.

Why Do People Use Satire?

People use satire to point out things that are unfair, silly, or wrong. It's a way to criticize without being too serious or direct. Satire can make people laugh, but it also makes them think. It can be a powerful tool for change.

Satire often focuses on the ironic or bad things that powerful people are doing. It helps to hold them accountable in a humorous way. The word for something that uses satire is satirical.

Related pages

• Caricature
• Cartoon
• Humour
• Irony
• Black comedy

Images for kids

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  "Le satire e l'epistole di Q. Orazio Flacco", printed in 1814.
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  The satirical papyrus at the British Museum

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  Satirical ostracon showing a cat guarding geese, c.1120 BC, Egypt.

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  Figured ostracon showing a cat waiting on a mouse, Egypt

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  Pieter Bruegel's 1568 satirical painting The Blind Leading the Blind.

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  A Victorian satirical sketch depicting a gentleman's donkey race in 1852

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  Benzino Napaloni and Adenoid Hynkel in The Great Dictator (1940). Chaplin later declared that he would have not made the film if he had known about the concentration camps.

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  Puppet of Manchester United striker Eric Cantona from the British satirical puppet show Spitting Image

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  Stephen Colbert satirically impersonated an opinionated and self-righteous television commentator on his Comedy Central program in the U.S.

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  Political satire by Ranan Lurie

See also

In Spanish: Sátira para niños