The Function of Humour in Roman Verse Satire: Laughing and Lying

by Maria Plaza

Overview

Maria Plaza sets out to analyze the function of humor in the Roman satirists Horace, Persius, and Juvenal. Her starting point is that satire is driven by two motives, which are to a certain extent opposed: to display humor, and to promote a serious moral message. She argues that, while the Roman satirist needs humor for his work's aesthetic merit, his proposed message suffers from the ambivalence that humor brings with it. Her analysis shows that this paradox is not only socio-ideological but also aesthetic, forming the ground for the curious, hybrid nature of Roman satire.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199281114
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	03/30/2006
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 5.70(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Maria Plaza is Junior Research Fellow, Gothenburg University.

Table of Contents

Introduction1. Object-oriented humour2. Humour directed at the persona3. Non-aligned humour4. Epilogue: The genre devours itself