The Differences of Parody and Satire in Focus, Essay Example

The utilization of parody in the first chapter of Don Quixote Miguel de Cervantes specifically insists the desire of the author to create a picture of his character that would fit every reader’s understanding of the matter he hopes to describe. In a way, the utilization of parody is to make an assumptive copy of what the readers may be like and how well they might be able to relate to the life and adventures of the said character. Relatively, parody is understood to be a form of literature that intends to mimic a certain element of the society and make a humorous picture of it for the sake of entertainment. In the case of Don Quixote Miguel de Cervantes, the first chapter of the story related to his life specifically consists of a more refined definition of the main character through utilizing an idealistic yet insane knight who is fully devoted to his essence of chivalry which is likely to mimic the medieval chivalry and romanticism that existed in the culture of ancient populations before.

On the other hand, the implicative use of satire in Candide is considered to have an impact on how the character represents the entire society and how it falls into the pits of change. Ridiculing the situation of the main character through putting him in embarrassing situations, the desire of the story of Candide is to mirror the truth than to entertain the readers. Sarcastic as the tone of the story is, this narrative correlatively makes an indicative consideration on how the society faces drastic adjustments due to the abrupt effects of modernization. Notably, the separation of a parody from a satire is dependent on the nature of presenting the characters and the way they face the adversities of life. While parody considers mimicry and humour as a form of entertainment, satiric stories need not be funny, instead must be informative and specifically relative to the need of helping the readers realize the impact of its message to their personal lives. The presentation of Don Quixote and Candide separately differ based on the desire of the authors to present their stories to the readers. Their presentations also depended so much on how the authors desired their readers to be affected by these written literatures as a matter of well developed art that would define the history of world literature.

References:

Aldridge, Alfred Owen (1975). Voltaire and the Century of Light. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

Cervantes, Miguel de”. Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2002.