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Motifs
Definition of Parody
A parody is a work that mimics the style of another work, artist, or genre in an exaggerated way, usually for comic effect. Parodies can take many forms, including fiction... read full definition
A parody is a work that mimics the style of another work, artist, or genre in an exaggerated way, usually for comic effect. Parodies can... read full definition
A parody is a work that mimics the style of another work, artist, or genre in an exaggerated way, usually... read full definition
Key Examples in Gulliver's Travels
Preface 2: “A Letter from Captain Gulliver to his Cousin Sympson”
Explanation and Analysis—The Travellers' Tale:
During the 18th century, British audiences were eager to hear about cultures and people in the lands where explorers were claiming colonies for England. As such, diaries and first-person accounts by explorers such as Captain James Cook and William Dampier were immensely popular. Though advertised as truthful, many of these accounts contained embellishments and falsehoods. Gulliver's Travels is a parody of this "traveller's tales" literary sub-genre, and it satirizes the dishonesty of these accounts as well as the gullibility of English readers. What's more, the novel contains numerous allusions to contemporary works in this genre.
Related Themes:
