Different forms of satire

     Satire can be seen as a common strategy used in writing and entertainment to bring light to something while also poking fun at it and being humorous. Depending on how the writer feels about the subject, satire can be used in different forms and ways. If the writer is only talking about something that mildly annoys him or her, their satire will most likely be more light hearted and comedic. But if the writer is tackling a big political problem on the other hand, the satire can be more harsh or cruel. These different forms of satire can be split into three categories: Horatian, Juvenalian, and Menippean satire. 

    The first form of satire- Horatian, is the light hearted and joyful satire. This use of satire is merely used to entertain and make people laugh while mostly poking fun. This satire was named after the Roman satirist Horace, who used his writing to amuse people with humor and light hearted mockery. Common examples of the Horatian satire can be seen in most late night television shows such as the Jimmy Kimmel show. With more comical remarks rather than serious segments, Kimmel uses Horatian satire very commonly throughout his show. This satire's main aim is to entertain crowds and make people laugh. 

    The second form of satire- Juvenalian, is the more anger-fueled and harsh type of satire. Compared to the Horatian satire, the Juvenalian satire is less focused on entertaining but more focused on being harsh and attacking others. This satire tends to fuel writers who have a situation that they find personal or offensive. The writer instead of attempting to portray others as only incorrect or silly, they are trying to villainize the other. An example of Juvenalian satire can be seen in the story 1984. Orwell uses satire in this story to villainize the government and its wrongs. This is the kind of satire that is daring and calls for change instead of just trying to draw in a couple of laughs.

    The third form of satire- Menippean, has more of a focus on viewpoints and personality. This satire is not as harsh as Juvenalian, but at the same time is not as nice and humorous as Horatian. This satire tackles things such as racism, or sexism. It seems like it can write about topics similar to the Juvenalian satire, but as stated before, the writing is not as insulting. This satire form can be seen as the sort of inbetweener for the two more different types of satire. A common example of Menippean satire can be seen in the story Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. In this novel Carroll uses his writing to critique the intellectualism of the upper class. Most writings that focus on a viewpoint or attitude can be seen as a Menippean form of satire.

    In the end all types of satire use the same techniques, but in different ways and to different extents. While satire is one of the most common strategies used in writing, it is not all the same. Each form of satire in writing has different attributes and traits that separate one from the other which is what makes satire beautiful.