Part I: 1. What is satire?; 2. What isn't satire?; Part II: 3. Classical origins; 4. Renaissance satire: rogues, clowns, fools, satyrs; 5. Enlightenment satire: the prose tradition; 6. Verse satire from Rochester to Byron; Part III. Transition: Satire and the Novel: 7. Small worlds: the comedy of manners; 8. Unfortunate travelers: the picaresque; 9. The Menippean novel; 10. Satire and popular culture since 1900; Epilogue: Charlie Hebdo, satire and the politics of community

In satire, evil, folly, and weakness are held up to ridicule - to the delight of some and the outrage of others. Satire may claim the higher purpose of social critique or moral reform, or it may simply revel in its own transgressive laughter. It exposes frauds, debunks ideals, binds communities, starts arguments, and evokes unconscious fantasies. It has been a central literary genre since ancient times, and has become especially popular and provocative in recent decades. This new introduction to satire takes a historically expansive and theoretically eclectic approach, addressing a range of satirical forms from ancient, Renaissance, and Enlightenment texts through contemporary literary fiction, film, television, and digital media. The beginner in need of a clear, readable overview and the scholar seeking to broaden and deepen existing knowledge will both find this a lively, engaging, and reliable guide to satire, its history, and its continuing relevance in the world.