Prompt: The evolution of socio-political satire in World literature from Chaucer to the 21st Century.

April 15, 2024April 15, 2024 Discipline: Literature

Thesis: The presence of socio-political satire in literature has evolved along shifts in attitudes like status, racial roles, and gender representation from the 14th century to present day.

Sources: 

14th-19th C

“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” from The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer 1387-1400

“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift 1729

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift 1726

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde 1895

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen


Modern day examples (20-21st C): Explores themes like racism, homosexuality, gender inequality 

“Satire Is Dying Because the Internet Is Killing It” by Arwa Mahdawi 2014 

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk 1996 

The Sellout by Paul Beatty 2015 

Animal Farm by George Orwell 1945

Les invités by Pierre Assouline 2009 


References:

The Simpsons 

Saturday Night Live SNL 

The New Yorker – Political Satire (US)

The Private Eye (UK) 

Le Canard enchaîné (FR)

AlHudood (Middle East)

Reference & include political satirical cartoons


Plan: 
Intro
BP 1 Socio-political satire in medieval literature

  • Chaucer’s “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” from The Canterbury Tales.

  • Analysis of satire targeting gender roles, marriage, and societal norms.

  • Connection to the socio-political context of the medieval period.

BP 2 Enlightenment and satirical enlightenment

  • Examination of Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” and Gulliver’s Travels.

  • Exploration of Swift’s satirical commentary on social issues such as poverty, colonization, and human nature.

  • Consideration of the Enlightenment period’s impact on socio-political satire.

BP 3 Victorian society and satirical commentary

  • Analysis of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

  • Discussion of satire regarding societal hypocrisy, class divisions, and gender roles in Victorian England.

  • Comparison of satirical techniques employed by Wilde and Austen.

BP 4  Modern socio-political satire

  • Analysis of Paul Beatty’s The Sellout and its exploration of race relations and identity in contemporary America.

  • Exploration of Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club and its critique of consumerism and masculinity.

  • Consideration of Pierre Assouline’s Les invités and its satirical portrayal of contemporary French society.

BP 5 Influence of technology and media on contemporary satire

  • Discussion of the impact of the internet and media on contemporary satire.

  • Analysis of Arwa Mahdawi’s article “Satire Is Dying Because the Internet Is Killing It” and its commentary on the challenges facing modern satire.

  • Consideration of television shows like The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live and their role in shaping contemporary socio-political satire

  • Rise of satirical news websites

 
Conclusion

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