Answer

The use of Satire in Writing

            Satire is a literary technique involving the use of exaggeration, irony, humor or ridicule to criticize or expose the vices or stupidity of people within the context of contemporary politics and in other topical concerns (Persius Flaccus, 1999). The use of satire is evident in different literary works such as in The Canterbury Tales, Don Quixote, and Faust. The major aim of this essay is to discuss how satire has been implemented in the writings. Additionally, this essay will explore what the use of satire portrays about the use of satire within the society where the authors lived.

            In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer utilized satire to expose the faults of the institutions available at the time as well as the common stereotypes evident during the time. In the piece, satire is effectively utilized to bring out the issue of corruption as carried out by the Catholic Church, a fundamental theme in The Canterbury Tales. Through the use of satire, Chaucer clearly unveils how the members of the church failed to meet their duties hence bringing out the religious figures as not only greedy, but also corrupt (Chaucer & Coghill, 2003).

 In Don Quixote, Cervantes and Grossman utilize satire to outline the absurdity common in the chivalry genre. Moreover, satire is also used to show the quest genre ridiculousness as well as the foolishness of the people who love to read it. With the use of satire, people can understand that despite the existence of vices in society as defined by the agenda of morality and Christianity, allocating enough efforts toward correcting the vices is considered as a desirable factor in transforming the society towards observing morality (Cervantes & Grossman, 2003).

In Faust, it is evident that Goethe and Scott utilize the old Grecian deity to satirize the medieval eschatology of the work. Satan is considered as one of the victims of satire in the work as Goethe brings Satan out as the demon and the devil who is cynical witty and associated with pure evil (Goethe & Scott, 1958). Similarly Goethe utilizes satire to mock God by outlining the two as people with a close relationship to a point that they had causal conversations and some form of friends. Moreover, with satire God and Satan are both associated with little power as they are considered as mortal unlike in the real world (Declercq, 2018).

Conclusively, satire is a literary technique which is implemented in outline the stupidity and vices of characters through critique ridicule or humor. In The Canterbury Tales, Don Quixote, and Faust, satire is utilized to ridicule or present an irony while exposing the stupidity and vices of the people. For instance, satire is used in The Canterbury Tales to criticize institutions such as the Catholic Church for being corrupt. This provides an indication of the fact that Chaucer lived in a society whereby the church could not be trusted as they did not focus on benefiting the people but themselves. Similarly, Don Quixote is used to ridicule and outline the ridiculousness and foolishness of the people who love to read the chivalry genre. This outlined a view that the society was physically framed with chivalry suggesting instances of inequality. In Faust, satire is implemented to critique the medieval eschatology. As a result, a conclusion can be derived that in the society at the time, people did not fear spiritual beings, such as God, and they did not believe in their powers.