satire essay example pdf

256 Satirical Essay Topics & Satire Essay Examples [2023]

A satire essay is a creative writing assignment where you use irony and humor to criticize people’s vices or follies. It’s especially prevalent in the context of current political and social events. A satirical essay contains facts on a particular topic but presents it in a comical way.

Our specialists will write a custom essay on any topic for 13.00 10.40/page

This task may be intimidating. Don’t worry: even the greatest masters of satire didn’t always succeed in their early efforts! Our custom writing experts are here to help you. In this article, you will find:

• helpful info about satirical essays;
• a list of 256 essay topics;
• examples of satirical essays.

🔝 Top 10 Satire Essay Topics

• 😆 Satire Essay Definition
• ✍️ Writing Tips
• 😜 Essay Topics
• 💡 Writing Prompts

📚 Satire Essay Examples

🔗 references.

• The joy of scambaiting.
• Who teaches politicians to lie?
• How to build a cult successfully.
• Reasons why the sky should be green.
• How to fail your exams using Facebook.
• How not to get bored at family dinners.
• Let’s build walls around all countries.
• How to eat a lot without gaining weight.
• Ways to escape visits to the dentist.
• What do soccer and impact factors have in common?

😆 What Is a Satirical Essay?

A satirical essay is a composition written about a particular subject using irony or sarcasm. Usually, the topics are related to politics, society, or money. The primary goal of any satire is to use humor creatively to make fun of foolish human behavior and criticize topical issues.

You can find examples of satire in numerous books, poems, and movies. If you enjoy dry humor based on exaggerations, you’ll surely have fun writing your satire essay.

✍️ How to Write a Satire Essay

Does the task of writing a satirical essay look daunting? No worries! Check out our expert advice:

• First off, sit down and relax. Do something inspiring. For example, get in a fight (preferably a literal one.) Satire needs to be written at the boiling point; that’s exactly where the best essay ideas come from.
• Get inspiration from classic satire examples. Scan through the works of famous satirists when looking for ideas. It can be helpful to draw parallels with the situation in the modern world.
• Another great way to get satirical essay ideas is life itself. This is where every masterpiece comes from. Ideas for a satire may pop into your head at any time. Maybe you got into a fight with a lady in the supermarket or argued about clothes with your sibling. Whatever noteworthy event happened to you recently, write it down!
• The best satire paper ideas are those that reflect reality. If your readers can draw parallels with their life, then you’ve succeeded. Completely made-up stories are harder to pull off: you can end up not convincing your readers.
• Think about your audience. Should you choose a formal or casual tone for your satirical piece? If a professor is going to read it, the first option is preferable.
• Set your goals. Good satire only makes your readers laugh but also demonstrates to them your way of thinking. Use your satirical essay to show your attitude towards serious issues.
• Add a personal touch to your satirical writing. Narrate in first-person perspective or make yourself the protagonist. Adding a unique spin and an interesting perspective will help your essay stand out. It’s also good to use hyperboles and metaphors to make your point.

If you’re struggling with picking good satire topics, check out the ideas below.

😜 Satire Essay Topics List

Topics for a satirical essay on social media & technology.

Many of us have a complicated relationship with social media. Despite their convenience, they use a lot of our time as well as storage space. A satirical discussion can sharpen a critical perspective on these topics.

• Like, repost, and get married.  It’s difficult to determine someone’s real intentions on the Internet. How does this impact people’s dating behavior?  
• How cute animals became the main driving force of  Instagram  advertising.  Emotions play a significant role in marketing . Adorable cats and dogs wield much power in this regard. What do you think is their secret? 
• “I will just check a few posts and stories… Whoops, there goes my day.”  If that sounds familiar to you, write about it in your satire essay on social media ! 
• “I’m going to filter this anyway.”  However unflattering your photo looks, Instagram’s got your back. Discuss how you can use this power to your advantage. 
• Let’s Zoom!   Online classes  are not everybody’s cup of tea. Will they become the new standard model of learning? Or will they disappear to where they came from? 
• Twitter, Instagram,  Facebook : can you use all of them without losing your grip on reality? 
• The rise of knock-off products: will the Asian competition sweep Apple and others away?  
• What if your phone is hacked?  
• Providing a constant flow of content as a modern virtue. 
• Exchanging gossip as a currency on social media. 
• English will become an endangered  language  thanks to emojis. 
• The worst social media virus: “Have you seen this  TikTok ?” 
• Step-by-step instructions on how to use hashtags to Twitter . 
• Tagging in Facebook posts as an invasion of personal space. 
• How to ruin your life with the help of only one  social media  account. 
• Equality on the media: why are we discriminating against positive news? 
• If you don’t watch my stories back, you don’t love me. 
• Is your life as perfect as the one you display on your Instagram ? 
• Viral challenges  are getting overly complicated. 
• Caution: fact-checking  Tweets  may cause severe fires on social media. 
• What if you were paid to scroll social media feeds? 
• Understanding the  cloud : how did my files get all the way up in the sky? 
• Warning: downloading these apps may shorten your life. 
• Tweets are short for a good reason: an average person’s  attention span  is getting shorter. 
• Dumb ways to die: or, why you should never  google  how to save your life. 
• Imagine the Internet  disappears tomorrow. 
• Can you make your  coffee  without a coffee machine? 
• What do hackers look like in real life? 
• An updated set of rules on how not to embarrass yourself on the  Internet . 
• Modern life: did you get the newest human update? 
• TikTok  should be banned in schools. 
• FOMO: does it make you have  nightmares ? 
• There is nothing bad about having a date with someone from  social media . 
• Social media jargon that we will never understand. 
• How to unsee all the disgusting stuff you have seen on social media. 
• A quick test to find out whether you’re smarter than your  smartphone . 
• Hiding your flaws on social media for dummies. 
• Spotting an authentic  lifestyle  on Instagram is not that easy. 
• Learning how to make a relevant and adequate comment on social media. 
• Things from the  Internet  that could’ve been funny if they weren’t so real. 
• Feeling good about your body doesn’t mean you should post nudes. 
• How to stay at home forever: Let your parents see your photos from last night’s party on social media . 
• How to gain more followers on your Twitter . 
• Should we expect an apocalypse if social media shuts down? 
• Is social media the best way to  make new friends ? 
• Do your  Instagram  followers really care what you had for breakfast? 
• It’s impossible to avoid Internet addiction.  
• Should robots have human rights ? 
• 10 reasons not to use Google for your  exam prep . 
• Should  robots  replace humans? 
• Why should everyone have Internet access? 
• Technology is not what devastated human  communication . 
• Why are smartphones more important than desktop PCs? 
• 10 reasons for taking  online classes  only. 
• How do  modern technologies affect the way we learn? 

Satire Essay on School: Topic Ideas

In a satirical essay, you can criticize the social issues that concern you using irony and funny punchlines. You can express your ideas and worries about education with a little bit of humor. It sounds like a dream essay, doesn’t it? Writing about your problems in a satirical way might help you to look at them from a more optimistic perspective!

• What is the point of a school uniform? Even office workers rarely have to follow strict  dress code  rules. All in all, your brain won’t solve calculus tasks better if you wear a uniform.  
• Why is studying online more productive than going to school? You don’t have to go anywhere to become more intelligent. All the existing knowledge is available on the Internet, and most of it is free.  
• Teachers enjoy giving a lot of homework to their students. Many students suspect that. Do you think there might be some truth behind it?  
• How can you defend yourself from older kids at school? Taking up boxing or karate ?  Becoming a bully ? Or maybe you just need to be a good runner? Try to think about the most creative and outlandish options.    
• Reasons why you should write essays in the last minute. Nothing motivates a student more than an approaching deadline. Try to remember the time you finished your assignment the night before the due date. What was it like? 
• What’s wrong with the educational system in America?  Find the flaws in your program or describe the problems that your peers face. For example, think about tuition fees in colleges, overcrowding, or lack of attention to students.  
• How  social media  help students in their studies. The educational content on social media can be helpful for your studies. Wouldn’t it be more interesting if your teachers interacted with you via  TikTok  or YouTube? 
• How do you survive your senior year at high school? Applying to college, preparing for SAT or ACT, and keeping up with deadlines seem like a lot of multitasking . Describe all the difficulties students have to face and offer your solutions.  
• Do we even need to go to  school ?  At first, think about why you like and dislike  school . Why do you think school helped you, and when was it useless? Provide your reasons why you keep going to school and what you aim to achieve.  

Topics for a Satire Essay on Obesity

Healthy lifestyles keep gaining popularity. There are plenty of low-fat and vegan options in supermarkets, cafes, and restaurants. However, obesity is still a big problem for people’s health and self-esteem. Satirical topics below will help you look at it from a new perspective; just make sure to be respectful.

• Are  overweight people  happier than the rest of us?  Many fat people keep positive and simply don’t care about the way others see them. They can enjoy their favorite foods and don’t feel the need to work out after that. 
• Do overweight people want to  lose weight ?  Some of them surely do. Others are happy the way they are and still face the constant pressure of the people surrounding them. Explain why it’s not necessary to lose weight just to fit the standards.
• How to stop eating at night.  Nothing seems like a better idea than grabbing a snack at 2 a.m. The following day you cannot even realize why your brain persuaded you to do it. Explain  why this habit can be harmful  and what possible solutions can help to get rid of it. 
• Crazy solutions for losing weight .  You can find thousands of diets and fat-burning workouts on the Internet, but none of them work as well as promised. Find the funniest weight loss tips and describe them in your essay. 
• How to persuade children to choose  healthy foods .  When you force somebody to do something, it doesn’t work well. Maybe we should show kids educational cartoons on nutrition? Or perhaps we need to learn how to cook delicious and healthy foods ?   
• How do some skinny people eat so much and don’t gain weight?  Probably everyone knows a person who eats all the time and is not even close to getting fat. It might be fast metabolism , an  active lifestyle , or black magic.  
• What should you eat to lose weight?  Everybody knows that you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. But people still want to find a perfect diet to reduce body fat . Can you come up with one? 
• Signs that you need to lose some weight .  Maybe your favorite jeans became too tight, or you can’t walk up the stairs as quickly as you used to. Think of the indicators showing that you’ve gained some extra weight.  
• How does  smoking  affect weight loss?  Many people believe that smoking reduces the feeling of hunger and makes you eat less.  Ex-smokers  also tend to gain weight when they give up smoking. Explore this issue in a satirical essay. 

Environment & Global Warming Satire Essay Topics

Environmental issues are a big part of today’s debates. Satire can make your essay more prominent and draw more attention to the issues you discuss. Satirizing the current situation can be a powerful tool in motivating people to go green. If you’re looking for good satirical topics concerning the environment, this is your section.

• Behold: anyone is now able to walk on water.  You can do it, too—thanks to giant garbage islands. What other “wonders” has  pollution  made possible? 
• Our dependency on the environment is one-sided.  Speculate what would happen if nature strikes back. Who will have the upper hand? 
• No one likes to wade through garbage.  Yet, many people just throw their trash on the ground. What’s going on in their minds? 
• New technology: guilty until proven innocent.  Can humans sustain  technological progress  at the cost of the environment? 
• We are ready to cut down the tree if we need a toothpick.  Is this acceptable or outrageous? Ponder on it in your essay. 
• What if you could stop  climate change ?  Imagine that you can control everything in the world. What would you do to stop  global warming ? Offer your solutions to climate change having this kind of power.  
• Climate change is  fake news .  With this essay, you can satirize the point of view of climate change deniers. Winter is as cold as it used to be. Maybe global warming is a trick politicians use to deflect our attention from real problems. 
• Dirty water vs. polluted air : the irony of rich nations looking down on developing societies. 
• Is  sustainability  in big companies merely a fashionable way to make a profit? 
• How can we live comfortably without degrading the environment ? 
• Natural disasters vs. climate change denial: is there a correlation? 
• Can humans live in a symbiotic relationship with nature, as plants do?  
• Stop brushing your teeth if you have heard of global warming . 
• Why we should stop hating  public transport . 
• Overpopulated cemeteries: an underrated issue. 
• Who cares about the environment when we need more housing ? 
• I hate  recycling , so here is what I do instead of helping the environment.
• Riding horses instead of driving cars can be fun! 
• Let’s be honest: do we really need that much  ozone ? 
• The best solution for  global warming : using hover boards instead of cars. 
• Trashy waste disposal ways: can we do better? 
• If you’re convinced “there is plenty of fish in the sea,” think twice. 
• Humans sacrifice dozens of species to save one: themselves. 
• The latest research shows that  people don’t care about the environment .
• Should we consider reusable toilet paper to save our planet? 
• Can’t people just plant more trees to save the forests? 
• How to reduce pollution without recycling. 
• What’s wrong with the zero waste ideology? 
• How not making your bed can stop  global warming . 
• Why should humanity move to Mars ? 
• 10 reasons why  deforestation  makes our planet cleaner. 
• Are  gasoline cars better than electric ones? 

Satirical Essay on Social Issues: Topics & Questions

In this section, you’ll find satirical writing ideas about society, culture, and other related things.

Receive a plagiarism-free paper tailored to your instructions.

• “I want to speak to the manager !”  If you’re dying of shame every time someone says this sentence, welcome to the Karen phenomenon. What can you do to avoid becoming such a person? 
• Multinational corporations  are masters of disguise.  The variety of choices on grocery store shelves is deceiving. Almost all goods there belong to one of few transnational corporations . 
• You can achieve anything you set your mind to—unless you’re poor.  Think of examples that support this statement, such as education not being accessible for everyone. 
• Hungry Google.  How can promising tech start-ups prevent being devoured by a giant? The greediness of a big corporation such as Google is a great satirical topic to write about. 
• The dark side of the fashion industry.  What’s your opinion on beautiful designs made by the hands of Asian children? 
• Trends, bans, and censorship: is  free speech only for the elite? 
• How to keep up with slang as you get older. 
• Will Apple’s planned obsolescence ever backfire? 
•  “I can paint like this”: the appeal of  abstract art . 
• Spartans knew how to deal with  overpopulation . 
• Who really deserves the title of the Greatest Generation? 
• ”Let’s make it simple!”: the dullness of modern pop culture. 
• Is it time to create a new currency in the US? 
• What should you answer to a time-traveler from the past asking about the worst event in the 21st century? 
• What if  pharmaceutical companies merely want to keep us sick? 
• 10 reasons why breastfeeding in public should be illegal. 
• 7 reasons why women should not get pregnant . 
• Why should you avoid getting vaccinated?  
• Life hacks on how to get a cold in summer. 
• What’s so good about  plastic surgery ? 
• What adverse effects can sports have on your life? 

Other Satirical Essay Topics

Below you’ll find humorous topics related to politics and family life. You’re welcome to use them for your satirical writing assignment.

Satire Topics on Politics

It’s hard to face reality without a bit of humor. With everything that’s happening in the world, politics is perfect joke material. This is especially relevant for Juvenalian satire. To help you limit your choices, here are some prompts:

• Do men in power actually plan to destroy the world one day?  Or is hoarding  atomic weapons  the politicians’ version of collecting stamps? 
• “The internet is new territory for all of us.”  At least it was, according to the German chancellor Angela Merkel in 2013. Sounds accurate? Unpack this quote in your essay. 
• Democracies have one big problem: everyone is allowed to vote.  Should democratic governments introduce some kind of an IQ test before authorizing people to participate in  voting ? 
• Is Donald Trump a lizard person?  How would this comical theory fit with his politics? Discuss this satire topic in your essay. 
• North Korea’s  role in the global playing field.  Is the country a serious threat or a minor disturbance?  
• How much influence do celebrities have in international politics ?  
• Politicians in Hungary and Poland use excessive anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. What are they afraid of? 
• Are rich people and Twitter enthusiasts such as  Elon Musk  secretly governing the world? 
• Manufacturing conspiracy theories  for fun and profit. 
• Would life in Russia be any different if Putin crowned himself tsar? 
• Why would shopping malls make perfect  prisons ? 
• Analyze the dictionary meaning of the word “trump.” 
• Romantic relationship between Hillary Clinton and the media. 
• Do all presidents just follow their basic primitive instincts? 
• If someone believes  politicians , they might as well believe in aliens. 
• 13 reasons why teenagers should create laws. 
• The most effective method to treat your post-election stress. 
• Every year’s slogan: Let’s make politics work again! 
• A team of professionals working on upgrading  Donald Trump’s  lies. 
• A practical dictionary to help you translate the Trump language. 
• How would the deep state save us from the climate catastrophe? 
• Winning as the ultimate goal of all  elections  for political figures. 
• Why do presidents always appear to be right? 
• Following the success of Germany , we have to unite the US, too! 
• If you have these symptoms, you should see a doctor to treat your Political Correctness Syndrome immediately! 
• Donald Trump’s best solution for wildfires, or “Rake, people, rake!” 
• Family planning gone wrong:  Alabama’s law on abortion . 
• What do Canadians say about  America’s struggles with immigrants ?
• Making parallels between Humpty Dumpty and the issues with the  US wall . 
• Why everyone should own a gun . 
• Why doesn’t  freedom of speech make you free? 
• Beware: the new virus of  civil disobedience  is coming. 
• Why do we keep thanking the wrong heroes? 
• A white American man: the most terrorized person in the world nowadays. 
• Shouldn’t we treat  China as America’s  best friend? 
• Communism  is capitalism’s evil twin. 
• Why didn’t the government invoke the 25 th  amendment during  Trump’s presidency ? 
• How to build hype: tips from the man who told everyone to drink bleach. 
• Donald Trump as the next candidate for winning a  Nobel Prize  in medicine. 
• Sending hippie-like peace text messages to the terrorists . 

• Why won’t anyone believe what politicians say? 
• What makes Donald Trump so unique? 
• Trust me, the Great Wall of China will still stand after the alien invasion.
• Let’s see if Captain America would make a good president. 
• Can we use ideas from comic books to confront  terrorists ? 
• 10 reasons why you should watch  CNN news twice a day before a meal.
• The  gun control  issue couldn’t be more overrated.  
• People are dying:  legalize marijuana  to save lives! 
• A collection of  Donald Trump’s  best advice. 
• 10 reasons why Tony Stark should become the next president of the United States. 
• Is Russia America’s  top enemy? 
• Should the Communist party be the  world’s leading social organization ? 
• 15 reasons why all countries should liberalize visa regimes. 
• How much should countries spend on military expenses? 
• Why is political satire important? 

Satirical Essay Topics: Marriage and Family

Family life can be a blessing as well as a challenge. Humor is a big help. Looking through this section, you’ll definitely find a relatable satire essay topic. Be sure to have a witty solution for the next time!

• You’re a cat person; your partner loves dogs .  And your child begs you to buy a snake. What’s the best way to  choose a pet  for the whole family? Explore this funny satire topic in your essay! 
• “I have a great business idea . ” Have you come to fear hearing these words? Write about how to discourage your loved ones from  investing  in bad ideas. 
• Just married!  And the routine already sets in. How can a couple keep the spark? 
• Marrying is easy; it is difficult to be married .  If this hits close to home, consider it as the topic for your essay. 
• Grandma Online.  Many people underestimate their grandparents’ abilities to use the Internet. How can said grandparents use this to their advantage? 
• What’s the best way to deal with ex-partners after marrying someone else? 
• Marrying  a Catholic priest: how to handle celibacy. 
• “Blood is thicker than water”: when is this statement not valid? 
• Love  at first sight: truth or myth? 
• Cool parents for all  Millennials : a practical guidebook. 
• Why do people who have failed relationships keep advising others? 
• What are your grandpa’s  best retirement ideas  for young people? 
• Paying back: what can you ask your grandparents at the end of the day? 
• Family discussions are like puzzles that one has to piece together. 
• Why does nobody tell you how overrated a  married life  is? 
• The turning point of my life: before and after  marriage . 
• What if  same-sex marriage  becomes legal everywhere? 
• Why some men don’t wear engagement rings. 
• Why would anyone save for their kids’ college or wedding? 
• The secret behind high divorce rates in the US. 
• Don’t rush to say “I do,” check these things first. 
• Living in communities as a substitute for marriage in the future. 
• The reasons why my kids won’t get married in a  church . 
• If love is blind, why are we still so self-conscious? 
• The most misused pickup line of the decade. 
• Guidebook of the year: places where you can find  love . 
• When being yourself on a date doesn’t help, just be weird. 
• The real struggle behind “ happily ever after .” 
• The most obvious signs you have a nosy partner. 
• How can  paternity leave  save the whole world? 
• Top useful tricks on how to win a fight with your partner. 
• Things you should do on the first date  if you need to escape. 
• At what age should teens enter  romantic  relationships? 
• Social media comes to rescue you: why is it the best way to break up ? 
• Breaking up for introverts: how to do it without words. 
• Not awkward, not cute:  conversation  starters for the first date. 
• How to find out what your partner actually thinks about that dress. 
• Get ready: questions your partner will definitely ask you at some point. 
• How many times do I have to say “I love you” before my partner believes me? 
• Family getaway planning on a budget (spoiler: stay home!) 
• More money spent on weddings equals a higher chance of  divorce . 
• Being a housewife and a mom  is so much easier than working! Right? 
• Make your husband clean after himself: a step-by-step guide. 
• Learning to love your  parents  who tag you in every post on Facebook.
• Who needs a babysitter when you have a tablet and a TV? 
• Dressing your toddler: are there only pink and blue clothes? 
• Enjoy your time as a  kid of a divorced couple ; you live in two places! 
• The top 10 passive-aggressive comments to make to your “favorite” relative. 
• How do you detect a typical mansplaining answer from a woman? 
• The middle child : why do people often seem to forget about them? 
• The reasons why your mother-in-law is not  the greatest evil . 
• Create a 100% stress-free family life by divorcing . 
• How to make a bathroom your private space in 5 steps. 
• Fixing  racism issues  by promoting interracial marriages. 
• Your evolution into everything you hate about your parents. 
• Are divorces more expensive than weddings? 
• Why all fathers should be taking  paternity leave .  
• What to do on a date to never be asked out by that person again. 
• How to lie to your  spouse  and get away with it. 
• The most effective tricks never to have dishwashing duty. 
• How to tell your partner that they’ve  gained weight . 
• How to please your mom without actually following her advice. 
• 10 life hacks to break up with your partner without doing anything. 
• Getting a haircut is the best method to deal with a breakup. 
• 15 reasons why you should always be late for dates. 

If you haven’t found a suitable topic, you can use our topic generator for inspiration.

💡 Prompts for a Satirical Essay: Examples

Need some additional inspiration? The following prompts will instantly provide you with writing ideas.

Just 13.00 10.40/page , and you can get an custom-written academic paper according to your instructions

Satirical Essay on Drugs: Writing Prompt

Illegal drug use is a grave problem in our society. You can draw attention to this issue by writing a satirical proposal. Here are some options:

• Try to imagine what would happen if illegal drugs were free. What adverse “benefits” would this solution have? To drive the point home, use facts and statistics to show how easily addictions form.
• You may use the same approach to write about smoking or alcohol abuse. It’s a great idea to draw inspiration from old advertisements and taglines glamorizing the “benefits” of these addictions.

Feminist Satire Essay: Writing Prompt

Describing female oppression ironically as something positive allows you to demonstrate the absurdity of sexism. Think about the following:

• Many antifeminists see equal rights as a threat to patriarchy. For your essay, think about the examples of traditional misogynistic values, such as reducing women’s roles to housework. Then, present them in an ironic way to show how absurd they are.
• Another point worth satirizing is the idea that women are tired of equal rights. Do they want to go back to doing simple tasks in the kitchen and being banned from having a fulfilling job?
• Finally, you may want to explore if feminism hurts men. Is it true, or do some men just miss being in the spotlight?

Satirical Essay on Drinking and Driving: Writing Prompt

Drunk driving is among the primary reasons for road accidents in the US. It’s also an interesting topic to explore in a satirical essay. You can research ways of reducing impaired driving and turn them upside down:

• What if we start encouraging drunk driving by making alcohol more accessible? Think what would happen if the government lowers alcohol prices or makes it legal to drink everywhere.
• You may also want to ponder the consequences of lowering the legal drinking age. What would happen if kids start thinking that drunk driving is acceptable or even cool?
• You can go even further and ironically suggest making sober driving illegal.

Satirical Essay on Texting: Writing Prompt

Texting is fun—but it also comes with plenty of downsides. Below are some points you can satirize in your essay:

• One of the major drawbacks of texting is the lack of nuance compared to real-life communication. But what if it was actually an advantage? Try to describe the “benefits” of not being able to convey irony via texting.
• You may take a more serious stance and write a satirical essay on texting and driving. Why should texting be more important than watching the road? Show why this activity is pointless and highly dangerous.

Now let’s have a look at an essay example before you start writing. You can use this sample as inspiration or help you set a tone for a satire essay. Feel free to download the PDF file below:

Sometimes I dread graduating from high school just because I won’t have to wear a uniform anymore. It’s so wonderful to me because everything else I wear is either “too short” or “too bright.” In my opinion, school uniform relieves pressure and reduces unnecessary creativity and freedom of choice.

Satire Essay Examples from World Literature

If you are used to serious writing, it’s time to give it a break. Satire essays are all about fun. Some people even consider it to be one of the most entertaining types of essays.

Not only does satire show us reality as it is: it also entertains us. Let’s look at some satire writing examples from literary masters.

• The Cop and the Anthem by O. Henry The irony is already noticeable from the very beginning of O. Henry’s short story. Whatever main character Soapy intends to do, it results in the opposite. O. Henry perfectly plays around with Soapy’s sophisticated language use: it shows that despite being homeless, the character tries to appear as if he is of high status.
• Advice to Youth by M. Twain This satirical essay by Mark Twain aims to give a piece of advice to younger readers. They would expect it to be thoughtful as it comes from a respectable author. Instead of passing down his ideas about morality and values, Twain teaches youth how to act nicely. Long story short, it’s a convenient guide on how to pretend to be well-behaved. Twain’s use of sarcastic humor flips the theme of morality upside down.
• At the Funeral by M. Twain After reading this masterpiece, most adults and parents probably wouldn’t find Mark Twain so respectable anymore. In this essay, he mocks a set of social norms related to funerals. You can see how the writer plays around with this seemingly depressing topic. However, this satirical piece comes out to be quite entertaining. The reader can’t even sense the depressing mood surrounding the funeral processions. Twain also avoids using any terms related to it. He underlines that there is no value in such a custom anymore. All in all, he conveys his ideas very naturally and humorously.
• When I Was a Witch by Charlotte Perkins Gilman This short story created by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is considered one of the best satirical writing examples. It’s a story about a woman who discovers that all her wishes come true. She starts wishing for her surroundings and society at large to change. Though her wishes might seem strange, they are related to Gilman’s real-life circumstances. Ironically, only her wishes that are caused by negative emotions come true.
• A Modest Proposal by J. Swift This satirical essay by an English writer Jonathan Swift is about Ireland’s social and political problems. At the time, there was a famine in the country. Unfortunately, the government didn’t seem to find a solution to that issue. Swift decided to make a suggestion. He proposes to breed humans like cattle, resolving overpopulation and hunger at the same time. Such a horrible suggestion is nothing but an impossible idea with a hint of sarcasm. The main point of this essay is to make fun of the Irish government’s incapability to deal with social issues.

These texts will surely inspire you to write an outstanding essay.

We wish you good luck and hope this article was helpful! Don’t hesitate to share it with your friends.

Further reading:

• 435 Literary Analysis Essay Topics and Prompts [2023 Upd]
• 460 Excellent Political Topics to Write about in 2023
• 420 Funny Speech Topics (Informative & Persuasive) + Presentation Ideas
• Funny Persuasive Speech Topics: Best Ideas for 2023
• 150 Best Environmental Essay Topics & Questions

✏️ Satirical Essay FAQ

In the modern world, there are way too many serious issues. Sensational media portrayal doesn’t make dealing with them easier. Satire helps to digest some ideas more effectively. Essays and articles often use satirical writing.

If you already have a topic, analyze the issue. You should come up with a good list of ideas first. Then, choose the most relevant points. Describe these in a satirical style. Add an introduction and a conclusion.

Students often have tasks with exact topics for their satire essays. If you need to develop an idea yourself, think about a topical issue you’ve heard about recently. Your subject might be related to your community or society as a whole.

First, read some examples of how other authors start their essays. This might vary from a quote or an anecdote to a rhetorical question. Sometimes the best way is to create an outline for the essay before writing an introduction.

• Essay Structure: Elizabeth Abrams, for the Writing Center at Harvard University
• What Is Satire? How to Use Satire in Literature, Pop Culture, and Politics: MasterClass
• Choosing a Topic: Purdue Writing Lab
• Satire Essays: Bartleby
• Origin of the Roman Satire Genre: NS. Gill, ThoughtCo
• Juvenalian Satire: Encyclopedia Britannica
• The Power of Political Satire: The New Yorker
• Political Satire: Huff Post
• Political Issues of 2023: I Side With
• Political Issues Students Care About in 2020: Best Colleges
• These Satirical Nat Geo Headlines Aren’t Too Far Off: National Geographic
• Laughing in the Face of Climate Change? Satire as a Device for Engaging Audiences in Public Debate: University of Colorado Boulder
• Technology Addiction: How Should It Be Treated?: Medical News Today
• Concerns Regarding Concerns Regarding Social Media and Health Issues in Adolescents and Young Adults: ACOG.org
• Social/Family Issues: Medline Plus
• Trump’s Biggest Accomplishments and Failures from His 1-Term Presidency: Business Insider
• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to LinkedIn
• Share to email

Hello, thanks for useful and effective ideas for satirical essay writing! They are like a miles stone to me! Wish you good luck!!!

Prominent ideas for satirical essays. These are what I need for my writing process) Actually, for its starting. Thanks a lot!

Actually, it’s a very fantastic article. I liked these topics and will try them. Many thanks for sharing!

Recommended for You

Nationalism Essay: Topics, Examples, & Tips

A nationalism essay is focused on the idea of devotion and loyalty to one’s country and its sovereignty. In your paper, you can elaborate on its various aspects. For example, you might want to describe the phenomenon’s meaning or compare the types of nationalism. You might also be interested in...

Human Trafficking Essay Topics, Outline, & Example [2023]

“People for sale” is a phrase that describes exactly what human trafficking is. It also makes for an attention-grabbing title for an essay on this subject. You are going to talk about a severe problem, so it’s crucial to hook the reader from the get-go. A human trafficking essay is...

256 Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Topics [2023 Update]

Is globalization a beneficial process? What are the pros and cons of a religious upbringing? Do the drawbacks of immigration outweigh the benefits? These questions can become a foundation for your advantages and disadvantages essay. And we have even more ideas to offer! There is nothing complicated about writing this...

World War 2 Essay: Outline + 60 WW2 Research Topics

This time you have to write a World War II essay, paper, or thesis. It means that you have a perfect chance to refresh those memories about the war that some of us might forget. So many words can be said about the war in that it seems you will...

Coral Reef Essay: Descriptive Writing How-to Guide

Coral reefs can be called one of the most amazing things created by nature. These structures can be found in tropical and temperate waters. Like many other unique natural phenomena, coral reefs are influenced by human activity these days. This negative impact is one of the significant issues to consider when...

413 Science and Technology Essay Topics to Write About [2023]

Would you always go for Bill Nye the Science Guy instead of Power Rangers as a child? Were you ready to spend sleepless nights perfecting your science fair project? Or maybe you dream of a career in science? Then this guide by Custom-Writing.org is perfect for you. Here, you’ll find...

Satire Definition

What is satire? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. Public figures, such as politicians, are often the subject of satire, but satirists can take aim at other targets as well—from societal conventions to government policies. Satire is an entertaining form of social commentary, and it occurs in many forms: there are satirical novels, poems, and essays, as well as satirical films, shows, and cartoons. Alec Baldwin's impersonation of Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live is an example of satire.

Some additional key details about satire:

• Satire is a bit unusual as a literary term because it can be used to describe both a literary device and the specific genre of literature that makes use of the device. Just like a comedy is comedic because it uses comedy, a satire is satirical because it uses satire. For most of this entry, the word "satire" will be used refer to the device, not the genre.
• Satire often coincides with the use of other literary devices, such as irony , malapropism , overstatement , understatement , juxtaposition , or parody .
• Though most satires seek to draw laughter, there are many unfunny or even dark examples of satire, such as George Orwell's Animal Farm or Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho , which criticize communist societies and capitalist societies, respectively.

How to Pronounce Satire

Here's how to pronounce satire: sa -tire

Satire as Literary Device vs. Satire as Genre

There are many novels, plays, and other works of literature that fall into the genre of satire. These works are all characterized by their consistent and sustained satirical attacks on their various targets. For instance, Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn satirizes the hypocrisies of pre-Civil-War society in the American South, especially its traditions of racism and slavery.

But satire is not only found in literature that falls into the broader genre of satire. To the contrary, satire is a device that can be used in many types of writing and art. For instance, a 2017 production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in New York City came under criticism for costuming Caesar (who gets assassinated in the play) in a business suit and bright red tie that closely resembled the standard garb of President Donald Trump. While the play Julius Caesar is not itself a satire, this costuming decision added an element of satire to the play, since it equated the despotic almost-Roman-emperor with an American president whom some have criticized as having tyrannical impulses of his own.

Satire and Humor

Satirists use humor not only to to ridicule their subjects, but also to gain the attention and trust of their readers. While readers might not always respond to a highly-conceptual, nuanced argument for change laid out in a dense manifesto or academic essay, they can easily and enjoyably recognize societal problems targeted by satirical writing. Some scholars have argued that the popular appeal of satire helps in bringing about actual social reform, since the use of humor makes it easier to disseminate political and societal critiques more widely.

However, humor is not a required element of satire. George Orwell's Animal Farm is one of the more famous satires ever written, but few people find humor in it—and in fact, many people find it to be a deeply unsettling and not-at-all funny book.

Types of Satire

Traditionally, scholars have divided satire into two main categories: Horatian and Juvenalian satire. These labels are derived from the names of the renowned Roman satirists Horace and Juvenal, who originated each type. A third, less common type of satire is Menippean satire, named after Menippus, the Greek cynic and satirist. These labels are more of a classical framework for literary critics rather than a strict set of guidelines that all modern satires must follow, but they are worth reviewing because they can help make clear the wide variety of forms that satire can take.

• Alexander Pope's poem The Rape of the Lock is an example of Horatian satire that gently mocks the English upper class for its vanity and dim-wittedness.
• George Orwell's Animal Farm is a Juvenalian satire that isn't particularly funny. It ridicules communist governments for their total lack of equality.
• Though Alec Baldwin's portrayal of President Trump on Saturday Night Live can have its lighter moments, the bulk of his satire pointedly criticizes Trump, perhaps with the intent of shaming the president into altering his course or of mobilizing citizens to work against Trump's goals and policies.
• Menippean satire is less common than Juvenalian or Horatian satire, though it's the oldest type of satire. Menippean satires target mindsets or worldviews instead of targeting specific people. There is considerable overlap between Horatian and Menippean satire, since both often target people's stupidity or vices rather than targeting specific people, though the tone of Menippean satire is often harsher, like Juvenalian satire.

Literary Devices Used in Satire

Satire often depends on other literary devices to help it achieve its effect. Below is a list of some of the most common devices that satirists employ when mocking their subjects. Keep in mind that these devices are not specific types of satire—they're just devices that are commonly used as a part of satire (the device), or in satire (the genre).

• Verbal irony refers to the use of words to express something other than their literal meaning. This type of irony depends on a disconnect between what is said and what is meant or what is true—so satirists often use irony to suggest that a speaker is too much of a fool to understand a situation or, worse, a liar. Imagine if a public official told a group of citizens, "There's nothing to worry about!" right after a dam had broken before their very eyes. This would make for an effective satire of a government's careless response to a natural disaster.
• An anachronism is a person or thing that belongs to a time period other than the one during which a piece of writing is set. Satirists might use anachronism to demonstrate how out of touch a subject is with his or her society. For example, if the same public official in the example above told a 21st-century crowd not to worry because steamboats would come to rescue them, readers would understand that the implication was that officials were either too incompetent or too clueless to resolve the problem.
• Parody is the imitation of a literary style for humorous effect. Satirical authors use parody to attack literary conventions and traditional forms of rhetoric, often by exaggerating the key characteristics of the genre until they seem ridiculous or nonsensical. For example, in the prologue to Miguel de Cervantes' classic novel, Don Quixote , Cervantes satirizes the pompous literary conventions in his contemporary Spain by creating his own over-the-top imitations of the elaborate poems that other authors commonly cited in the prologues to their works. Other writers of the time cited such poems to impress readers and project a sense of authority, but Cervantes' parodies make clear that those other writers are merely pretentious and ridiculous.
• Understatement is downplaying something's size, significance, or quality. This device is useful to satirists because, like irony, it can often be used to portray a speaker as deceptive or foolish. If a politician understates the severity of his or her actions (e.g., "I don't think starting a war we couldn't win was the best decision"), it underscores just how ineffective and uncritical someone in a position of power can be.
• Overstatement is the exaggeration of something's size, significance, or quality. This device can also be used to underscore a speaker's shaky grasp on the reality of any given situation. A politician might overstate the extent of his or her achievements ("This was the best bill ever passed"), so satirists use the device to expose the disconnect between what someone says and the reality of the situation.
• Juxtaposition is a literary device in which an author places two things next to each other to highlight the contrast between them. In satirical writing, juxtaposition is especially effective when the combination is unexpected. For example, Seth Grahame-Smith's popular parody novel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, inserts zombies into the genteel world of Jane Austen's 19th-century England. Grahame-Smith could be said to be using juxtaposition to satirize either the propriety of Bennet's society, the ubiquity of zombies in American popular culture, or both.
• Malapropism is the humorous and usually unintentional use of a word in the place of a similar-sounding one. Because these speech errors have the potential to be embarrassing, satirists may portray people as fools by giving them malapropistic lines.

Satire Examples

You can find examples of satire in most art forms, because artists who are critical of their societies may wish to bring about reform or simply to entertain their audiences by mocking familiar people or institutions.

Satire in Literature

There has been a long tradition of satirical novels that criticize and poke fun at all aspects of both society and humanity more generally.

Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels

In this example from Chapter Four of Gulliver's Travels , Swift satirizes the historically troubled relationship between Catholics and Protestants in England, recreating the conflict as a battle over the correct way to eat eggs:

It began upon the following Occasion. It is allowed on all Hands, that the primitive way of breaking Eggs, before we eat them, was upon the larger End: But his present Majesty's Grand-father, while he was a Boy, going to eat an Egg, and breaking it according to the ancient Practice, happened to cut one of his Fingers. Whereupon the Emperor his Father published an Edict, commanding all his Subjects, upon great Penaltys, to break the smaller End of their Eggs. The People so highly resented this Law, that our Histories tell us there have been six Rebellions raised on that accoun t; wherein one Emperor lost his Life, and another his Crown. These civil Commotions were constantly fomented by the Monarchs of Blefuscu; and when they were quelled, the Exiles always fled for Refuge to that Empire . It is computed, that eleven thousand Persons have, at several times, suffered Death, rather than submit to break their Eggs at the smaller End.

While the battle between the two types of egg-eaters is clearly ridiculous—those who fight in it would rather die than eat their eggs "incorrectly"—Swift here is actually taking a jab at the religious quarrels that have played a major role in English politics for hundreds of years by recasting these disputes as frivolous and arbitrary. Swift makes it clear that he's satirizing religious conflicts in England with an allusion to the religious revolts that claimed the life of King Charles I in 1625 and caused his heir, James II, to flee to France. By juxtaposing the king's dramatic escape with the trivial law that led to it, Swift is mocking the seriousness of the ongoing feud.

Satire in Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock

In the Third Canto of The Rape of the Lock , Pope satirizes the vanity of his fellow Englishmen, describing a minor incident (in which a woman loses a lock of hair) as an epic event.

Sudden he view'd, in spite of all her art, An earthly lover lurking at her heart. Amazed, confused, he found his power expired, Resign'd to fate , and with a sigh retired. The peer now spreads the glittering forfex wide, To enclose the lock; now joins it, to divide. E'en then, before the fatal engine closed, A wretched Sylph too fondly interposed; Fate urged the shears , and cut the Sylph in twain (But airy substance soon unites again), The meeting points the sacred hair dissever From the fair head, for ever, and for ever!

Here Pope alludes to a real-life episode in which Robert Petre stole a lock of hair from his love interest, Arabella Fermor. Pope satirizes the minor event by inflating its importance to epic proportions: he makes reference to Sylphs, which are mythological creatures who intervene in moments of crisis. Additionally, Pope overstates the male lover's frustration and the extent to which Fate played a role in the incident (the minor theft of a single curl). The repetition of "for ever" in the final line only heightens the humor of the situation: the hair will obviously grow back in a short amount of time. These lines are gentle jabs at his peers' fixation on appearances.

Additional Works of Satire in Literature

Some additional famous satirical works of literature, and their targets, are:

• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Pre-civil-war Southern society, in particular its racism)
• American Psycho (Consumer capitalist American society of the 1980s)
• Animal Farm (Communist in general and the Soviet Union in particular)
• Arms and the Man (Romantic ideals, particularly about love and war)
• Candide (Every powerful institution, from the Church to the military, of 18th century Europe)
• Catch-22 (The U.S. military)
• Don Quixote (Among many other things, fictional books about chivalrous heroes that were popular when Cervantes wrote Don Quixote )
• Gulliver's Travels (English society, and humans in general)
• A Modest Proposal (English society, particularly in its dealings with Ireland, which at the time was under English control)

Satire in Film and Television

Satire is popular on television, especially on late-night talk shows like Saturday Night Live and The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert , where hosts regularly target politicians and celebrities who have been in the news recently. Ssome famous satirical movies and their targets are:

• Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (the Cold War, American geopolitics, the military industrial complex, and nuclear proliferation)
• Deadpool (Marvel superheroes, particularly their straight-laced style)
• The Wolf of Wall Street (American capitalists, in particular their lavish lifestyles and prodigious hedonism)
• Happiness (American suburban life, particularly its treatment of sexuality)
• Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (English society, particularly its propriety and religious convictions)
• Zoolander (The fashion industry)
• M*A*S*H (The U.S. Military)

Satire in Political Cartoons

For centuries, cartoonists have used satire to raise awareness of political issues and to belittle people in positions of power. Often, they present extremely unflattering portraits of public figures, with exaggerated facial features and outrageous outfits to emphasize how loathsome they are in the eyes of the artist and readers.

Satire in James Gillray's The Plumb-pudding in Danger

Published in 1805, this cartoon depicts the French emperor and British prime minister battling for bigger portions of a globe-shaped dessert. Gillray satirizes French and British political ambitions by recasting the two leaders' competition for global dominance as a fight at the dinner table. While leaders often present their expansion efforts as being for the good of the nation, Gillray links their desire for new territory to their endless appetite for personal fame and power.

Why Do Writers Choose to Write Satire?

Some authors write satire to raise awareness of social problems and apply pressure on the individuals or institutions responsible for creating them. However, satires don't have to explicitly call for social change—they may just be poking fun at human nature for the sake of entertainment. Writers can use satire for a variety of reasons:

• To bring attention to issues that might otherwise be overlooked.
• To advocate for social reform.
• To provide insight into human weaknesses.
• To amuse readers by bringing powerful figures down a notch.
• To invite readers to reflect on their own weaknesses and shortcomings.
• To mock literary or stylistic conventions.
• To recast strongly-held convictions as harmful and/or meaningless.
• To make light of, or quell anxiety about, unpleasant situations by making them fun.

Other Helpful Satire Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Satire: A discussion of satire that focuses primarily on the genre's classical origins and role in politics.
• Canyon Crest Academy's List of Satire and Satirical Devices: Though some of the devices aren't fully fleshed out, this is a concise list of the most common literary devices used in satirical writing.
• Culture Trip's List of The 15 Most Influential Political Cartoons of All Time: While Culture Trip doesn't specifically refer to these cartoons as satire, that's what many of these political cartoons are — the cartoons make light of public figures or societal norms.
• List of Satirical Novels: An extensive list of satirical novels from Wikipedia.

• PDFs for all 136 Lit Terms we cover
• Downloads of 1735 LitCharts Lit Guides
• Teacher Editions for every Lit Guide
• Explanations and citation info for 36,245 quotes across 1735 books
• Downloadable (PDF) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play
• Anachronism
• Juxtaposition
• Understatement
• Verbal Irony
• Flat Character
• Rhyme Scheme
• Dramatic Irony
• Epanalepsis
• Static Character
• Red Herring
• Common Meter
• Anthropomorphism
• Antimetabole
• Connotation
• Tragic Hero

• Advertising
• Applications
• Assessments
• Certificates
• Announcement
• Invitations
• Newsletters
• Questionnaires
• Food & Beverages
• Recruitment
• Marketing Examples
• Transportation

Examples of Writing a Satire Essay

• Satire in Literature
• Literary Essay Writing Example

What is Satire and Satirical Essay?

• Jonathan Swift’s essay called “A Modest Proposal” talks about the societal and political issue in Ireland. The Irish are suffering from famine and the government is unable to solve this problem. Swift then cheekily suggested that in order to resolve the famine, a new form of human breeding is the solution for the economic recovery in Ireland. When deliberating his essay, Swift’s suggestion may seem horrendous but his point is to sarcastically suggest an impossible suggestion to make fun of the shortcoming of the Ireland’s government.
• The Rape of Lock by Alexander Pope satirized the upper middle class of the 18th century England. Most people who belonged in this class were vain and narcissistic. Most young men and women were fashionable, self-absorbed, and superficial.
• “Whether the nymph shall break Diana’s law, o r some frail china jar receive a flaw, o r stain her honor, or her new brocade…”.  An excerpt from Pope’s poem describes a young woman called Belinda who lost a lock of her hair seemed to her that she lost a valuable virtue of their class in this particular era. The lost lock of hair is almost similar like a precious frail china jar that cracked.

Other Forms of Satire

But what makes satire important, how to write a satire essay, 1. familiarize first how to write a satire essay, 2. choose the right topic to write.

• current events
• health or environmental issues
• celebrities
• human vices
• holiday celebrations
• social media

3. Get to the point

4. Know your audience

5. Now it’s time to write

More Design

8+ concept essay examples, samples, 6+ analytical essay examples, samples, 22+ free essay examples, 7+ descriptive essay examples, samples, 6+ synthesis essay examples, samples, 21+ essay writing examples, 10+ scholarship essay examples - free pdf format download, tips for writing an effective essay, 16+ essay examples in doc, related articles.

• What Are the Parts of an Essay?
• 10+ Reflective Essay Examples, Samples

Home — Essay Types — Satire Essays

Satire Essays Examples

Contrary to popular belief, a satire essay is not about getting angry or bitter as you write about politics or some social issues that must be explained. The trick here is to explore existing satire essay topics that would help you to come up with ideas. If you have never written satire in the past, you may be already provided with a topic to start with. In simple terms, a satire essay must criticize some subject by making it in a smart way where you talk about issues like procrastination or being too greedy. It has to be fun and not turn into a sort of bullying. Always show due respect as you structure things as it will help you provide an excellent paper. 

Speaking of satire essay structure , you must remember that it should resemble the rules of creative writing or narrative papers. Here is what you can do as you are about to start with a satire essay. 

• Introduction with a strong sentence hook where you introduce a fictional person or a problem. 
• Talk about why it’s bad and explain things by providing several examples that we all know well. 
• Talk about how to avoid the problem by using some ideas why this or that is wrong. 
• Tell a story or provide another example by making things fun. 
• Provide a conclusion paragraph by explaining why something is wrong or pose a moral lesson. 

Take a look at our checklist for a satire essay and explore our free satire essay examples. It’s always much better to find out what good satire essay structure must be like!

• You introduce your topic by explaining why a certain problem exists.
• You provide at least one example of a problem in real-life or describe a fictional character.
• Make sure that there is no anger or offense.
• You keep your tone in a narrative and follow an explanatory way.
• You provide a moral lesson in the final paragraph by explaining things as to “why and how”.
• You edit and proofread your satire essay by checking for logical words and transitions between the paragraphs.

Remember that you should consult your academic advisor as you choose your satire essay paper. Some subjects that you choose may not be applicable. Think about exploring satire books in classic literature to see what modern subjects can be suitable. 

The Flaws In America’s Reproductive Education

As a young woman currently enrolled in college there are many things I feel like I need to protect myself against such as sexual harassment, rape and an unwanted pregnancy. “Each year nearly half or 45% of the 6. 1 million pregnancies in the U….

Black Magic and the Outcome of a Football Match

In case you’re wondering what black magic is, it’s actually some spiritual forces that some players believe will help them succeed in their football career and be the most sought players in competitive leagues. Although, I know this may sound weird to some of us…

Cricket is Killing All Other Types of Sports

Cricket, the famous sport that brings out the patriotism is making sure that it’s killing any sport that falls on its path. The cricket enthusiasts treat the sport as another religion and also as a festival. The humongous attention given to the sport by the…

Natives Demise at Our Feet

Natives were one of the first people to actively come together and live in harmony as a civilization. They did so for thousands of years, however, this way of life has been jeopardized ever since Columbus decided to colonize North America in 1492. In 158…

Feeling stressed about your essay?

Get professional help in 5 minutes

Columbus Day is Out and Indigenous Peoples’ Day is In

Jaydubbaya NPCs tweeted “happy Indigenous people’s day”. The implication of that renaming is that White people never should have even come here. Even Columbus, Ohio, which is named after him, did not celebrate it this year. Columbus statues are being vandalized all over the country…

The Negative Effects Caused by Overexposure to Violent Video Games and Films

I was inspired to look at modern day childhoods after reading two books for task 1 where the writers both reflected on their youth. Nowadays, our lives seem to revolve around new technology and different types of media. This led me to think of the…

The Euro-American System Kills The State

Introduction Post colonialism is one of the many critical perspectives that seek to challenge our understanding of conventional international relations (IR). Postcolonial theory is best seen as a site of critical inquiry or a set of shared ideas rather than a single theory or unified…

The Controversies of Immigrants Support in the US

Illegal immigration has become a huge problem in the western world. It is subject that has greatly troubled the governments and people alike in recent years. Europe and the USA are the destination of millions of immigrants every year. The whole issue has created a…

Why Dropping Out Of University Isn’T As Good As It Seems

Around 130,000 university students drop out each year. The reasons to leave the race are many, but also to resist and reach the goal. It is estimated that 30% of university students leave their career unfinished. These percentages are double that in the rest of…

National Football League: the Game of Entertainment 

Sunday is finally here, and people all around the country are gearing up to watch football. These passionate fans cheer for and against one of thirty two football teams that make of the NFL, or National Football League. This group is comprised of various components…

The most popular topics for Satire Essays

• Christopher Columbus
• Homelessness
• Illegal Immigration
• Competitive Sports
• Global Warming
• Climate Change
• School Uniform
• Freedom of Speech
• Donald Trump

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

We can help you get a better grade and deliver your task on time!

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

StudyDriver in your Smartphone!

Satire Essay Examples

Story about traveling salesman: “the metamorphosis” (franz kafka).

At its most superficial level, renowned author Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is a story about a traveling salesman who, overnight, metamorphoses into a vermin; how he must continue on with life, and the effects his change has on his family. But, delving deeper, it is obvious that the author is commenting on the perilous inflated […]

Charlie Chaplin’s Talent

Despite the outstanding silence associated with this name I’ve heard the echoes of his works from halfway across the world. I’ve grown up laughing at and enjoying this man but it wasn’t until I studied this extraordinary being that I found out that the most comical feat Charlie Chaplin has achieved was not in his […]

A professional writer will make a clear, mistake-free paper for you!

“My Last Duchess” Characters and Plot Analysis

“My last Duchess” is one of the famous work form the England poet Robert Browning, the poem was published in 1842 and it present a real picture in the Victorian era which is a very representative work in ironies dramatic monologue. The poem sued a monologue of a Duke to telling people about the death […]

South Park: Absurdist Humor or Reflection of American Culture?

South Park What is the first thing that comes to you mind when you hear someone mention the popular animated cartoon South Park? If you are not familiar with South Park then you may remember it as that vulgar and crudely animated so called television show that has an annoying theme song that you just […]

Animal Farm Satire

Animal Farm by George Orwell is a satirical allegory of the dictatorial socialism of the Soviet Union and the Stalinist ideology. With an explicitly political message, Orwell makes use of the fable to indirectly and effectively unveil the effects of the corrupt communist regime , which include exploitation and other acts of injustice and inequality. […]

What would Machiavelli Do?

The Ends Justify the Meanness is a satirical work by author Stanley Bing, written to answer the titular question; what would Machiavelli do in order to achieve greatness over others and work his way to the top? The answers vary, but all intertwine into one main point; what he would do is he would play […]

Satire Feminism and Coming-of-Age in Northanger Abbey

A half-abandoned, eerie abbey, two lovers who can’t be together, a mysterious death, and nearly 200 pages of suspense: Austen’s Northanger Abbey is a melodramatic, brilliantly crafted satire of the gothic romance novel. Through its subversive, female-first lens, the novel at once flips genre conventions on their head while also functioning as a love-letter to […]

Wilde’s Purpose in Writing

Wilde’s purpose in writing this play about Victorian society was to expose the foolishness of the society and show readers that the posh people and their social values were ridiculous. During that time, Victorian society cared mostly about wealth, social status, bloodlines and other irrelevant qualities of a person. Wilde displays these concepts as foolish. […]

Satire in the Importance of being Earnest

The surface overview of Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest paints the image of an amusing comedy merely for entertainment purpose. Evidently, Wilde employs numerous techniques such as trickery, sarcasm, and jokes which are central to humor studies. Although a majority of the readers, critics, and reviewers agree that The Importance of Being Earnest is […]

Satirical Tone and Comedy in Candide

Candide, written by Voltaire, was published in 1759 during the enlightenment era. During this time, the religious and philosophical institutions, especially the catholic church, were being attacked by enlightenment writers. Through their writing, these philosophical writers contradicted and questioned the ideas of the church. This moved many people’s opinions away from this thinking and believing […]

Transcendental Wild Oats

Transcendental Wild Oats is a satirical work of art which was derived from Alcott’s personal experience within her own family. The success of this story is based on the validity of the themes discussed, as well as the style of narration used to construct the story. For one, Alcott’s point of view in the story […]

Irony in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

In Mark Twains novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, satire and irony are frequently used as a medium to portray his emotions towards issues related to society in that time period. Throughout the novel Twain ridicules multiple aspects of society, including the prevailing outlooks on religious hypocrisy and societal stereotypes to represent the social problems […]

The Religious Hypocrisy and Satire in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

In an era of realism and war, the ideology of the American society began to shift. Subjects that were deemed normal were being criticized by society, and Mark Twain, author of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, used his platform to degrade American Christianity and the hypocrisy behind how many individuals behaved during the time. In the […]

Presentation of Satire in Brave New World

A Brave New World was written by Aldous Huxley in 1932. In this dystopian novel, Huxley satirizes his present communities social values and trends, he did this when he saw what could become of civilization when science advanced. When science advanced, Huxley saw that humanity would advance as well. In his eyes it was not […]

A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift

A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift How Swift uses satire to express his true feelings of the situation in Ireland Jonathan Swift, a well-known writer did many topics and used satire in his works to express his message. This was a technique he used to reach his audience and make sure the message reached the […]

Modest Proposal is an Essay

The art of confrontation can be handled in many different ways. Some may use a passive aggressive technique to make others know they are offended or something needs to change. Few people use a direct confrontation technique by approaching the person with the opposing view and having an outright dispute with them leaving nothing unsaid. […]

Top 100 Satirical Essay Topics For A Good Presentation pdf

• presentation

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Introduction<br />

It is quite obvious when you have infinite<br />

satire project ideas! Picking one from an<br />

inventory is difficult but selecting from a list<br />

of trendy topics is easier. So, here is the list<br />

of some conversant satire topics for your<br />

essay paper. The themes are segregated in<br />

definite categories for you to identify your<br />

field of interest and subsequently, pick one<br />

for fun challenge!

Are you Muddling up While<br />

Choosing a <strong>Satirical</strong> <strong>Essay</strong> <strong>Top</strong>ic?<br />

A satirical piece of writing is meant to poke<br />

fun at a specific subject. If you check<br />

satirical essay examples, you can<br />

comprehend that the main motive of these<br />

topics is to make the audience giggle at your<br />

words. Writing a satirical essay is all about<br />

understanding your target audience and<br />

work the piece in a way that seems alluring<br />

to your readers.

How to Start a <strong>Satirical</strong> <strong>Essay</strong>?<br />

Find material that possesses a level of irony<br />

and compose it in a tempting way to hold<br />

your readers’ curiosity. While drafting,<br />

make sure the introductory paragraphs is<br />

quite attention-grabbing. The goal of<br />

writing the opening section is to proffer the<br />

readers with hints of fun elements that you<br />

are going to discuss in the body segment.

Keep it humorous and sarcastic to read but<br />

never open up completely!<br />

• You may get a little personal in the<br />

opening paragraph of your satirical<br />

essay. The purpose is to put forth your<br />

own spin and perspectives on the issue<br />

in a light mode.

• Prepare an ice-breaking statement on<br />

the particular theme while keeping a<br />

satirical touch to it. You must not forget<br />

that the opening statement is the one<br />

going to trigger the reader’s interest.<br />

• Include a hint of the funny arguments<br />

that you are going to develop and<br />

establish in the main body section.<br />

Introducing the irony of the subject.

• A bit of interaction in the opening<br />

paragraphs is indeed important as it<br />

allows the readers to connect more with<br />

the piece of work. You must also<br />

maintain a transition while diving into<br />

the main body paragraphs.<br />

A pull of persuasion is essential in your final<br />

draft and to keep this essence, your topic<br />

selection needs to be perfect. See through<br />

the following ideas on the satirical essay.

<strong>Satirical</strong> <strong>Essay</strong> <strong>Top</strong>ics<br />

Here you can find different satire topics<br />

listed under specific categories like politics,<br />

music, movies, college students and many<br />

more. Enjoy your ride through the varieties<br />

of fun elements!

Trending among college students:<br />

• Social Media and US! – Coupling all the<br />

time<br />

• Bullying in High Schools and Office<br />

Harassment – Are they similar?<br />

• What has made college pregnancies a<br />

prominent topic for discussion?<br />

• Do you think Facebook is the best place<br />

to find University Pals?

• Skype – A medium of communication<br />

among the students during Summer<br />

holidays<br />

• Do you think Artificial Intelligence will<br />

replace the stereotypic college<br />

professors one day?<br />

• What is your take on “study ensures<br />

better grades”?<br />

• What is the underlying reason for<br />

anxiety and stress among the students?

Satire ideas on sports:<br />

• Can you expect Tiger Woods to win<br />

another Major?<br />

• Soccer – one of the most popular sports<br />

today<br />

• By far, which is the hardest record to<br />

break in sports?<br />

• NFL is too soft on conclusion policies –<br />

What is your take on that?

• Why do you think Real Madrid is still the<br />

best football club in the world?<br />

• FIFA World cup – Gushes of expectation<br />

on it<br />

• Visual Assistant Referees – its impact on<br />

the world of football<br />

• Between Lebron and Kobe, who has had<br />

a better basketball career?<br />

• Do you think the World Sprinter Usain<br />

Bolt has retired too soon?

Film, Art and Music:<br />

• How long can you wait for the first<br />

episode of Game of Thrones?<br />

• Do you think TV is one of the best childbabysitting<br />

tools? Why?<br />

• What is your spin on kim and Kanye<br />

marriage?<br />

• In your wedding, whom will you invite<br />

for performing a song – Passenger or Ed<br />

• According to you, which is the best rock<br />

band in recent days?<br />

• Do you know listening to music is the<br />

best form of relaxation?<br />

• According to you, which Hollywood<br />

actor had the best 2017?<br />

• Do you think the superhero characters<br />

have a deep impact on Marvel?<br />

• The world of music is slowly<br />

transforming due to ‘Naija’ beats and<br />

Government and Politics:<br />

• What should we learn from the Gun<br />

Control Act?<br />

• Why do you think people still have faith<br />

in our politicians?<br />

• Can we really comfort terrorism through<br />

public participation?<br />

• Do you know the underlying cause<br />

behind the resignation of South African<br />

President, Jacob Zuma?

• How will Brexit influence the trade in<br />

Eurasia?<br />

• South African National Congress – What<br />

is its state?<br />

• Can you suggest a simpler way to solve<br />

the immigration problem in the USA?<br />

• Learn a few exciting ways to practice<br />

your voting rights<br />

• What is the condition and impact of<br />

Trump presidency, so far?

Religion and Morality:<br />

• As you approach the Easter season, what<br />

message you are expecting from the<br />

Pope?<br />

• Divorce cases are increasing in today’s<br />

world! – can you track it?<br />

• Can you specify a reason why even the<br />

strongest marriages break abruptly?<br />

• Know these crucial reasons why it is<br />

important to pray on a daily basis

• Do you know whether Plastic Surgery is<br />

morally acceptable?<br />

• How do advancements in science affect<br />

our religion?<br />

• What problems did the Jews face during<br />

the 2 nd World War?<br />

• What is the impact of the war in the<br />

Middle East on the lives of Christians<br />

and Muslims?<br />

• Muslims should respect the Holy City of<br />

Mecca – Why!

Favorite celebrities:<br />

• Whom do you consider as the best<br />

footballer in the world?<br />

• Dwayne Johnson – is he the best movie<br />

star in Hollywood right now?<br />

• How was the performance of Chris<br />

Hemsworth in “Thor-Ragna-Rock?”<br />

• Kendrick Lamar – the best Hip-Hop artist<br />

• How is the life of president Barrack<br />

Obama at present?<br />

• Ronaldo and Messi – The greatest rivalry<br />

in football history<br />

• Bob Marley – the name inscribed in<br />

every song lover’s heart<br />

• What is the current state of “One<br />

Direction?”<br />

• Can we expect a new flick from Nicholas<br />

Sparks?<br />

• Is Lebron James still the MVP of<br />

Basketball?

Environment and Nature:<br />

• Do you think cutting down of trees<br />

damage the ozone layer?<br />

• What are the simple methods to prevent<br />

soil erosion?<br />

• How do the Middle East countries grow<br />

crops for food?<br />

• Polythene bags are the significant<br />

factors for destroying our surroundings<br />

• Refuse to brush your gums and teeth<br />

and you can counter Global Warming

Literature and Language:<br />

• Are there any differences between<br />

Roman and Greek forms of literature?<br />

• What lessons have you learnt from the<br />

story of Romeo and Juliet?<br />

• What is the impact of music and art in<br />

our current literature?<br />

• Can you judge the best works of<br />

Shakespeare?<br />

• How can we promote our culture and<br />

beliefs through literature?

Lifestyle:<br />

• Why do you think it is important for<br />

Women to stay fit always?<br />

• It is always important to be kind to<br />

animals<br />

• Do you think staying fit is more<br />

beneficial for men than women?<br />

• Do you think the burial grounds are<br />

indeed overcrowded?

Technology and Equipments:<br />

• Do you think one-day robots can<br />

conquer human beings?<br />

• How does computer and technology<br />

influence learning in today’s date?<br />

• One-day artificial intelligence will<br />

replace human labor – what is your take<br />

on this?<br />

• Do you think electric cars are better than<br />

petrol vehicles?<br />

• In the world of education, what is the<br />

impact of co-browsing?

• <strong>For</strong> you next satirical essay, you must<br />

choose one from the above list.<br />

Research on the topic thoroughly before<br />

writing so that you do not face any<br />

counter concerning your arguments.<br />

Exaggerate your essay theme with irony.<br />

• In case, you come across further<br />

difficulties with your essay, do not<br />

hesitate to seek expert assistance. An<br />

expert, having expertise in that field, can<br />

always better guide you in your essays.

<strong>Essay</strong>s are best<br />

crafted by<br />

MyAssignment<br />

MyAssignmenthelp.com has over 4500<br />

profoundly skilled and qualified Subject<br />

Matter Experts who can craft the best<br />

satirical essays for your substantial<br />

presentation. Our essayists ensure that your<br />

papers are <strong>100</strong>% original and error-free. We<br />

also have a team of professional proofreaders<br />

who check and edit your essays before<br />

submission.

Check out our prominent services:<br />

• All types of essay assistance<br />

• High-quality editing and proofreading<br />

• Consultations and customizations<br />

• Submission before deadline<br />

• Round the Clock Service<br />

• Live chat support<br />

• Friendly and supportive student help desk<br />

• Affordable rates with appealing discounts

We also offer sample essay papers that<br />

includes satire essay examples as well in our<br />

official website. If you have doubts about our<br />

service and want assurance on quality<br />

standard prior to ordering, you can easily<br />

check the sample essays on our portal.<br />

To place your order NOW, fill up the online<br />

form with all your requirements.<br />

You can call us at (+61-3-4000-0330) for<br />

further queries!

Contact Us<br />

Australia<br />

+61-3-4000-0033<br />

United Kingdom<br />

+44-121-285-4112<br />

Dubai<br />

+971-8000320360<br />

Mail Id<br />

[email protected]

• More documents
• Recommendations

Introduction It is quite obvious when you have infinite satire project ideas! Picking one from an inventory is difficult but selecting from a list of trendy topics is easier. So, here is the list of some conversant satire topics for your essay paper. The themes are segregated in definite categories for you to identify your field of interest and subsequently, pick one for fun challenge!

• Page 2: Are you Muddling up While Choosing
• Page 5 and 6: How to Start a Satirical Essay? Kee
• Page 7 and 8: How to Start a Satirical Essay? •
• Page 9 and 10: Satirical Essay Topics Here you can
• Page 11 and 12: Satirical Essay Topics • Skype -
• Page 13 and 14: Satirical Essay Topics • Why do y
• Page 15 and 16: Satirical Essay Topics • Accordin
• Page 17 and 18: Satirical Essay Topics • How will
• Page 19 and 20: Satirical Essay Topics • Do you k
• Page 21 and 22: Satirical Essay Topics • How is t
• Page 23 and 24: Satirical Essay Topics Literature a
• Page 25 and 26: Satirical Essay Topics Technology a
• Page 27 and 28: Essays are best crafted by MyAssign
• Page 29 and 30: Check out our prominent services:
• Page 31: Contact Us Australia +61-3-4000-003

Extended embed settings

Inappropriate

You have already flagged this document. Thank you, for helping us keep this platform clean. The editors will have a look at it as soon as possible.

Mail this publication

Delete template.

Are you sure you want to delete your template?

For this magazine there is no download available

Magazine: Top 100 Satirical Essay Topics For A Good Presentation pdf

Save as template?

• Help & Support
• tuxbrain.com
• ooomacros.org
• nubuntu.org
• Terms of service
• Privacy policy
• Cookie policy
• Cookie settings

Choose your language

Main languages

Further languages

• Bahasa Indonesia

Performing this action will revert the following features to their default settings:

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!

• Essay types
• Satire Essays

Modern Satire Essays & Papers

Other essay types:

• Persuasive Essays
• Argumentative Essay
• Descriptive Essays
• Analytical Essays
• Narrative Essays
• Expository Essays
• Classification Essays
• Cause and Effect Essays
• Problem and Solution Essays
• Compare and Contrast Essays
• Process Essays
• Process Analysis Essays
• Autobiography Essays
• Critical (Analysis) Essays
• Rhetorical (Analysis) Essays
• Evaluation Essays
• Exemplification Essays
• Exploratory Essays
• Informative Essays
• Profile Essays
• Reflective Essays

Proposal Essays

Synthesis Essays

• Personal Essays
• Definition Essays
• Admission Essays
• Scholarship Essays
• Internship Essays
• College Essays

Satirical Essay Examples for Learning

Good satire paper examples, best satirical essays examples, funny satire essay examples, brilliant satire essay examples for students, what is a satire essay, satire essay outline example, satire essay introduction examples, satire body paragraph examples, satire essay conclusion example, how to write a satire essay, tips for writing a satire essay, easy satire essay topics.

In search of a perfect satirical essay example, we can offer you much more than samples. The tool on its own proposes several advantages. We will offer you some of them to get it started. 

We don't need credit cards or payments for you to access all the materials. Everything is free and can be recalled at any point. So, use it freely!

• Popular format

All examples of satirical essays are located here in pdf format. It means that it doesn't matter from which device you access the website. One can read them anywhere with anything.

• User-friendly interface

It will not take you more than a minute to figure out the website. Whether you are a returning customer or someone new to our platform, it will be more than easy.

What makes any, especially our, satirical paper example so good? We always approach such works with precision and accuracy. However, there are other elements that make us stand out from the crowd of other samples.

• Written by dedicated students 

Our examples are written by students who got good grades for their tasks. 

• Academic style

Each article adheres to the norms of academic writing, including style and format.

• Originality

Our writers come up with excellent topics. They are not repeated or copied from other sources. 

At the end of the day, each article serves as an excellent source of motivation and inspiration. One can also look closely into their structure to save it for yourself. Therefore, we do it better, more professionally and academically. See for yourself!

The best satirical essays example is right at your fingertips. We have a vast selection of topics, fields, and subjects. Writers who created them specialize in those fields. So the quality is top-notch. Here are several suggestions for you. 

• Satirical essay on social issues

Social issues are often tricky to write about. However, irony and humor are excellent when talking about them.

Here one can comment on how much people text. It is a real issue. Nevertheless, adding privacy to the discussion is a good idea.

• Satire essay on high school

Our writers here advise everyone to discuss social cliques and possible common issues all teenagers experience. 

• Social media

Social media has become a huge part of our lives. There are different ways that one can talk about it including humor.

Have you ever dreamed about making fun of your dress code? One can do it now with academic purposes in mind. Congrats!

It is obvious that obesity is not something anyone would love about. But humor helps to overcome challenges and discuss topics that are current and relevant.

The best examples of satire will be funny. It is an overall purpose of irony and sarcasm to use humor and discuss somber topics. It is okay if you want to deal with an issue using humor. However, make sure that any good examples of satire:

• Makes it clear that it is ironic.
• Balances irony with concrete evidence.
• Doesn’t aim to humiliate people.
• It should be both entertaining and informative.

Making it clear to your readers that you’re using irony is a key step toward your success. Otherwise, they might be offended by your claims or humorous approach to the topic. Be careful where one can or cannot use humor. Even though we are convinced that such articles can be written on any topic, do research first. Satire essay examples don’t suit everyone, and don’t be offended if not every person gets your main point. We also suggest our users check narrative essay examples from our library. They will help and inspire you telling a story. 

Here we offer a satire essay example pdf. How can you access and find them? It is an excellent question, and we have also prepared a small guide that one can use right before you start the writing process of your essay. 

• Look through the subject you were given.
• Access this platform and find several samples of articles.
• Try searching for those who are similar to one’s subject.
• Analyze them for structure, ironical elements, and overall tone.
• Such article samples are always excellent in helping you get inspiration and some practice.

We also ask you not to submit them as your own work. They do belong to a service and are given to you as a reference. So use them as inspiration or practical samples, but not your own work. 

We totally forgot to give you a satirical essay definition. We should have started with this one, shouldn’t we? In any case, here’s a definition that will help you figure out what you want to write here.

Definition: This type of essay uses a common or a point discussed issue, including politics for business, and adds ironic elements to it. A precisely humorous tone makes search articles stand out in a crowd. Readers always love humor. So you’ll have more chances that others will read your stuff if it’s not only informative or controversial but satirical and fun at the same time. 

Here one can use humor, sarcastic remarks, hyperbole, and anything else to exaggerate your point and make it more fun. Still, remember to balance humor and not add too excessively. There is a silver lining here.

We have also prepared a little satirical essay outline for you. It will be better if you have it somewhere nearby while studying our samples. You’ll see that our writers follow this structure and it is precisely what makes our article clear and easy to read. 

However, one can also see that the structure in many other assets is out. It is rather regular and consists of five paragraphs. Still, many things will depend on the requirements of your professor and the subject on its own. With that said, consider the structure below and make appropriate changes if needed.

Example of satire outline

Introduction

• Hook (quote, question, data)
• Thesis statement

Body paragraphs

• Introductory statement
• Rephrased thesis
• Synthesis of the main point
• Closing statement

We hope this helps with a start. Once more, each article is individual and unique. So fun things will work for you and your requirements. However, there are some standards and this outline falls perfectly into the said standards. 

We will start with a satire essay introduction. What is one of the first things that readers see but one of the last ones you actually start writing? As a matter of fact, we advise you to proceed in the following way:

• Conduct research
• Select topic
• Create thesis
• Make an outline and insert the thesis into it
• Complete make body
• Start the introduction and later the conclusion. 

Introduction in the conclusion works best if you already know what point you’re making. Besides, they’re quite similar and it makes sense to write them together. We hope that this outline will work for you. But practice and see what helps you in writing. Good luck and check out the sample!

Example of a satire essay introduction

Ancient representation of women in the Athenian society was majorly defined by men and this greatly influenced how women were portrayed in the society. Women were defined by their roles in the community which included family life, ritual performance and societal common values. Majorly, the position of women in Athenian society was centered on male domination whereby a girl was under her father’s authority all throughout childhood and under her husband’s authority once she got married. A woman was to remain under the subordination of a man and she was supposed to work and be submissive without complaining (Foley). This paper aims to focus on how women were depicted in ancient times and will take a close look on how comedy in ancient times promoted misogynistic tendencies. To better portray this, the paper will collect sections from Aristophanes’ plays Lysistrata and Ecclesiazusae because these plays provide a clear representation of how a prominent comical figure, Aristophanes portrayed women. It is important to note that any representation of women in the play is a true depiction of how men interpreted the role of women in real life during ancient Athens.

Satire paragraph examples are next in line. Apart from giving you a sample, we want to add more details about writing paragraphs. A good main body paragraph will:

• Start with an introductory statement.
• Include its main point, linking it back to one's thesis.
• Offer as much evidence as possible without being over very.
• Be consistent with the humorous and sarcastic tone of other parts.
• Have a concluding statement that will partially and slowly lead into future paragraphs.

Here one definitely cannot forget that you were writing in a humorous and sarcastic tone. Consistency is what will make your paper not only memorable but not offensive to people reading it. They will see that your humor is intentional just like in our sample below. 

Satirical paragraph example

In the two plays Lysistrata, and Assembly Women, the heroines make use of female stereotypes because they are able to act and behave like men. They try to rescue the society because they claim that men have not been able to live according to their roles as men. They have not been looked upon by the other people in the society because they have failed to achieve what they want. The playwrights make use of sex as a strategy to outwit the men in the whole aspect. 

We’ve got one more thing to cover and that is one’s satire essay conclusion. It is the last chance to make an impression on your readers. So use it wisely. We have prepared not only samples but several things one can definitely remember when writing a conclusion:

• Write it at the same time when you complete the introduction.
• The first statement of one’s conclusion is simply a rephrased thesis.
• Then you must summarize your main points and findings.
• Don’t forget to mention why your research matters.
• Conclude with something memorable (it can be recommendations, a question, offers for future research, or your plans).
• As the conclusion is similar to the introduction, we recommend completing it after the main body.

The only thing left is to check all the samples we can offer. One can always use our platform to learn even more than you already have. You’re free to browse, literally, free.

Example of satirical essay conclusion

In conclusion, it can be argued that the Plays Lysistrata and Women Assembly by Aristophanes were not entirely in favor of the women but rather to a great extent they were against the women. Aristophanes used humor to bring out Athenian women in a negative light while cautiously concealing that fact by making it appear as if he was gunning for them. More so, it is clear that not even comedy could help end the stereotype against women in ancient times, in fact comedy was used as a tool to perpetrate this vice as opposed to empowering the women.

Now all you have to do is write a satire essay! What? It’s not like it’s a huge deal or anything. OK yeah, we got it, it is complicated, but not with us. To make the process even easier for you we have one more satire sentence example and a step-by-step guide.

• Familiarize how to write a satire essay. Here one can definitely use our platform for samples regarding structure and theory. However, be prepared before you start writing. Sadly, theory and structure are important even if you are an excellent writer who can improvise. 
• Choose the right topic to write about. Topics should be relevant, interesting, and intriguing for you. The quality of your paper will be lower if you’re not interested in the topic yourself. So one can look lower for topic inspirations or search samples for inspiration.
• Get to the point. And there is a place for humor here and there is a place for evidence. Balance those things and don’t try to be wordy. If you see yourself using too many words, you might have not done enough research. 
• Know your audience. Know what types of people can be offended or entertained by your article. These types of papers do not shoot all audience members. So know your audience before you select a topic and start reading. 
• Now it’s time to write. Write! It is often the case that students have all the research, but they are afraid to write. True, you’re staring at the blank page of paper and you know that it will take lots of time for writing. But starting is the most important bit one can do. 

If you do not have any idea what to do with your title page, try our title page creator . You will be surprised with the result!

Writing a satire essay will be hard, especially if you have no tips and tricks up your sleeves. Luckily for you and us, we’ve prepared some tips that one can use to impress your readers and professors. So before you check satirical writing examples, look through these tips.

• Select a topic you’re personally interested in. This will increase the quality of your paper. 
• Analyze your audience and make sure that the tone suits their needs and preferences. 
• Be consistent with your tone. If you lose the humorous approach anywhere, a sarcastic tone might seem misplaced making your audience offended. 
• Select a controversial topic that might race eyebrows. But the more interesting your topic is, the more readers will want to see it. 
• Go with a subject or topic that still has some place for research. Two popular topics have already been studied enough and will not be intriguing.

Bonus: Check satire writing examples together with reflective essay examples ! 

We have selected several satire topics for high school students.  It might be hard to select good satire topics to write about. However, we’ve got you covered even here.

Look through these topics for satire we offer.

• A step-by-step guide to creating a successful cult.
• Are politicians born to lie?
• Ways to escape calling people.
• What do FBI agents look like in real life away from the TV?
• How to gain followers instead of real friends?
• Global warming is just a fake.
• Why one can save time and stop recycling (not like it's worth it).
• Do you like brands that use child labor?
• Deforestation just helps our cities grow.
• Comfort vs. environmental threats.

Use the following topics or change them up. Try keeping the tone closer to sarcastic so the readers know what to expect right away.

Get to know the price estimate for your paper

Free essays of any type.

You will never get enough of the free essay samples that we have to offer. All essays are categorized by types for easier search.

• P e r s u a s i v e E s s a y s
• A r g u m e n t a t i v e E s s a y
• D e s c r i p t i v e E s s a y s
• A n a l y t i c a l E s s a y s
• N a r r a t i v e E s s a y s
• E x p o s i t o r y E s s a y s
• C l a s s i f i c a t i o n E s s a y s
• C a u s e a n d E f f e c t E s s a y s
• P r o b l e m a n d S o l u t i o n E s s a y s
• C o m p a r e a n d C o n t r a s t E s s a y s
• P r o c e s s E s s a y s
• P r o c e s s A n a l y s i s E s s a y s
• A u t o b i o g r a p h y E s s a y s
• C r i t i c a l ( A n a l y s i s ) E s s a y s
• R h e t o r i c a l ( A n a l y s i s ) E s s a y s
• E v a l u a t i o n E s s a y s
• E x e m p l i f i c a t i o n E s s a y s
• E x p l o r a t o r y E s s a y s
• I n f o r m a t i v e E s s a y s
• P r o f i l e E s s a y s
• R e f l e c t i v e E s s a y s
• P r o p o s a l E s s a y s
• S a t i r e E s s a y s
• S y n t h e s i s E s s a y s
• P e r s o n a l E s s a y s
• D e f i n i t i o n E s s a y s
• A d m i s s i o n E s s a y s
• S c h o l a r s h i p E s s a y s
• I n t e r n s h i p E s s a y s
• C o l l e g e E s s a y s

FAQ About Free Satire Essays

1. are your satire essay examples free.

Yes! All satire examples you find here are totally free. We think that we need to repeat that at least twice. Everything one can find here is free of charge. We do not require credit cards, billing information, payments, or charges. As a result, you have plenty of available knowledge that you’re not charged for. What a beauty, are we right?

2. How to start a satire essay?

The best satire essays always start with a hook. It can be anything from a famous quote, an intriguing statement, a rhetorical question, or even data. Depending on what you intend or what your audience likes, hooks can be very different. However, if we were talking about the actual process of starting an essay, thesis and research are mostly common steps. So do your research before you start writing anything!

3. Can I submit one of the short satire essays examples you provide?

No. Any short example of a satire essay you will find here belongs to our service. This means that all papers are provided for references only. One can use them as inspiration, reference of structure, or copy their town. However, one cannot submit one of them to your professor or teacher.

4. What is a good satire essay topic?

Satirical essay topics must sound sarcastic from the get-go. You have to let your readers know that you are writing a humorous piece, on a serious matter. Good ones will talk about politics, social issues, or events relevant to today’s world. Just make sure that your topic was not thoroughly studied and there is still some room for research and improvement. Other than that, you might want your topic to be personally interesting to you. This will improve the quality of your work.

It’s time to jumpstart your paper!

Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.

By clicking “Proceed”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related emails.

Plagiarism checker

Writing help, paraphrasing tool, satire essay examples, satire in harrison bergeron.

“Harrison Bergeron” was initially distributed in 1961, by Kurt Vonnegut. “Harrison Bergeron” was composed as a type of parody, to deride people sees that everyone ought to be equivalent in all angles. ( Harrison Bergeron Satire) What is Harrison Bergeron Satirizing? This story happens in 2081, in a general public where everybody is as far […]

Satire in Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain was a realist who used his work to present controversial ideas to society. The novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, is about a boy named Huckleberry Finn and a slave named Jim, wanting to escape to the north for freedom. Huckleberry and Jim encounter many other groups of people through […]

Borders by Thomas King Summary

The short story “Borders” by Thomas King was a very interesting short story about a mom and her son who tried to cross the border from Canada to the United States to go visit the mom’s daughter who now lived in Salt Lake City but faced an issue. Every time the border security asked for […]

“Pride and Prejudice” Satire

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is famous for satirizing society’s rules and for exaggerating the extent to which they impact people. Although Austen is parodying the class structure in society throughout the whole novel, she is also enforcing the importance of self-awareness. Austen exaggerates the interactions between high and low status people because it ridicules […]

The Era of Class and Play of Satire

The victorian Era is remembered as an era of class, structure, and matrimony. It is a time in which men and women had certain duties society had expected them to follow. The years between 1835 and 1900, the Victorian Era, was a time of great change. The society of England represented various classes, rules, and […]

We will write an essay sample crafted to your needs.

Huckleberry Finn Belongs in High Schools Across the Nation

Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been a widely debated book in classrooms across the country. Some believe the book, along with the lessons it teaches, is necessary, but others believe its derogatory language towards African-Americans is not worth students being exposed to. Huckleberry Finn should be taught in schools, not only because […]

What is Racism?

Racism is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior and the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races. […]

Students for Lunch: a Satire

As the principal of Main Street High School for the past 20 years, I hear 10,000 complaints about the school daily from students. The lockers are too small, the hallways are too crowded, the teachers are too hard, it goes on and on and on. The number one complaint though, that I hear every single […]

Representative Characters in “Heathers”

Imagine sitting in your high school cafeteria and looking out amongst the sea of different cliques and wondering where you fit in, or questioning the clique of which you are a part. While many of us may resent our peers, we wouldn’t go as far as to kill those whom we hate. Such possible real-world […]

An Overview of the Two Types of Satire in Literature: Horatian and Juvenalian

In literature, there are two types of satire: Horatian and Juvenalian. Both can be effective to help change the opinions and actions of society; However, overall, Horatian is a much more effective form of satire in accomplishing this goal. Horatian is a form of satire that aims to correct through broad laughter. This technique is […]

About Malcolm Alexander

Malcolm Alexander was freed 38 years after being wrongly convicted of rape on january 30th. Malcolm was accused of rape of a 39-year-old woman who was managing an antique shop in Jefferson Parish. The woman told the authorities her attacker raped her twice in a bathroom while holding a gun to her head. She then […]

Political Cartoon Analysis

Political cartoons are comical way of making you thoughtful and persuade the issues. To understand a political cartoon you are required to be aware of current political issues. In the cartoon above, Gary Varvel uses elephant and donkey as political characters. Elephant is representing the Republican party and the donkey representing the Democrat party. They […]

Environmental Pollution

People kill the environment with so many of the things they do in their lives, but no one realizes that killing the environment around you is killing the humans around you too. Riding in the car, there is always a new construction site and everyone around says something like “we really do need that new […]

Is Graffiti Art or Crime of Vandalism?

Graffiti has sparked controversy among our society for it is misunderstood and seen only for its affiliations with gang activities. Many people argue that it is not art but rather a crime, for it is illegal to damage and paint in someone’s property without their consent. However, others disagree, and believe graffiti is a form […]

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

• Environment
• Information Science
• Social Issues
• Argumentative
• Cause and Effect
• Classification
• Compare and Contrast
• Descriptive
• Exemplification
• Informative
• Controversial
• Exploratory
• What Is an Essay
• Length of an Essay
• Generate Ideas
• Types of Essays
• Structuring an Essay
• Outline For Essay
• Essay Introduction
• Thesis Statement
• Body of an Essay
• Writing a Conclusion
• Essay Writing Tips
• Drafting an Essay
• Revision Process
• Fix a Broken Essay
• Format of an Essay
• Essay Examples
• Essay Checklist

Can’t find a perfect paper?

• Free Essay Samples

Essays on Satire

A satire essay explores caustic, malicious mockery, sharp denunciation, also known as satire. Satire is a genre of literature as well as a comical tool, intended to criticize societal and human problems. Satire essays state that it can be expressed through hyperbole, grotesque, allegory, and other means. Humor is usually intended to achieve to entertain and cause laughter. Unlike humor, satire actively uses humor as a means of collective criticism. Many essays on satire review how through the prism of satire problems of society and the state system appear more sharply. Check out satire essay samples below. There is no need for tiresome research – we compiled essay samples you can read and learn more about the topic to better write your essays.

Geoffrey Chaucer created the Canterbury Tales at the end of the fourteenth century as a social satire condemning the estates, or social classes of the time. He criticized the church, the nobility, and the peasantry, which was actually the majority representative. It is crucial to remember that at the time...

Satire is a genre that can be found in literature, theater, and even graphic arts. The art or performance exemplifies community abuses, vices, and flaws and is held up to ridicule (Morreall 1). Satire's goal is to shame the government, corporations, individuals, or society as a whole into correcting and...

Words: 1585

A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift is a satirized literary work that delves into the deplorable circumstances in Ireland in the early eighteenth century. The publishing of the novel coincided with the arrival of the New World and the slave trade, in which people were commodified into commodities. Furthermore, Ireland,...

Words: 1263

Many sources of news have incorporated the use of humor to introduce such topics that appear to be unappealing to the public's attention and spread them around the board to ensure that they are known to the specific viewer and often worked on. Currently, satirical news programs that have been...

Satire is a literary talent that is used to draw attention to societal evils in order to raise public consciousness and advocate for reform. The profession employs graphics and the design of cartoons that resemble the targeted members of society. Satire employs humor in the delivery of material, but its...

Words: 3235

Satire is the use of satire to highlight flaws or negative characteristics in a culture, a person, or a government. Voltaire and Swift use parody in their literary works Candide and A Modest Proposal to highlight societal horrors and folly. They convey their messages to their readers in both toothed...

Words: 1912

Found a perfect essay sample but want a unique one?

Request writing help from expert writer in you feed!

Satire is an art form or stylistic device that employs sarcasm, cynicism, and humor to demonstrate some degree of folly, vice, or rot in society or in some individuals. Satire is used to point out flaws in some social problems and individual characters. In recent years, the genre has been...

Words: 1406

Both Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift used satirical techniques in their works to share their views on the upper-class lifestyle of the English people as well as frivolous politics. While Pope's poem The Rape of the Lock reflects on the upper-class lifestyle, Swift's book focuses on Irish and English politics,...

Lewis Caroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is often misunderstood as simply a journey to a dream world generated by Alice's imaginations. As a result, the books transport the reader to a Wonderland devoid of any link to life. In reality, Matthews defines Wonderland as a place dominated by incoherence and...

Marcus Schulzke's commentary essay Contentious Language: South Park and the Transformation of Meaning on the iconic TV show South Park's episode titled "The F Word" confirms the principle "the result justifies the means." According to Schulzke, the authors of this show is attempting to convey the idea that vocabulary is...

Words: 1075

Satire is a literary term that refers to a work that is used to mock or tease an institution or group of people in order to be satirical. This element in writing can be used by an author to persuade or persuade an audience to believe in a certain philosophy....

Words: 1603

Related topic to Satire

You might also like.

Home / Essay Samples / Literature / Literary Genres

Satire Essay Examples and Topics

Summary: pride and prejudice plot and the role of satire.

Pride and Prejudice is set in rural England in the early 19th century, and it follows the Bennet Family, which includes five very different sisters. Mrs. Bennet is anxious to see all her daughters married, especially as the modest family estate is to be inherited…

Summary: the Purpose of Marriage Through the Novel

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a romantic novel that entertains readers through the fluctuation of a relationship amongst two opposite individuals. However, the novel is more than a simple love story. The main characters Elizabeth and Darcy, marry for affection while the others…

The Issue with Memes Overpopulation in Our World

Memes are overpopulating and it is a problem, while memes are growing in numbers it takes over the internet. Memes are all over the internet, in fact memes are on facebook, tumblr, Instagram, Twitter, they are everywhere! Since memes are overpopulating we need to be…

• It's confidential

Expectation is the Root of All Heartache

Love is one of the most profound emotions known to human beings, the type of sensation everyone dreams about. We expect no regret, fretfulness, illogical, or anger. Shakespeare used to say ¨Expectation is the root of all heartache.¨ The poet uses the literary element which…

A not so Modest Proposal: Humorizing a Dark Subject of English Authorities

Jonathan Swift, author of “A Modest Proposal”, utilizes his mastery of satire, outrageous claims, and rhetorical devices; Satire is the use of irony and exaggeration to expose or criticize people’s stupidity, vices, and faults. Swift succeeds in discretely criticizing the contemporary politics and policies of…

Analysis of Essay "Advice of Youth" by Mark Twain

The Lessons in Advice to Youth Mark Twain’s essay “Advice to Youth” written in 1882 mainly discusses valuable lessons Twain himself learned from his childhood that he then passes down to the audience, whether they be parents or children alike. His satirical essay delves deep…

Flagship Movie of Comedic Techniques

Shrek is the flagship movie of comedic techniques because it highlights and makes use of many types of humour to create a the best film. It does this through strategical placement of satirical techniques like parody, reversal and intertextuality. It is confirmed that Shrek is…

The Literary Devices Used in Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a science-fiction parody novel by Douglas Adams. It can be classified as an absurdist story where the protagonist searches a meaning to life. Throughout this character’s journey, he’s faced with multiple obstacles which are totally absurd events that…

Satire, Representational Metaphor and Hope in Sayeed Ahmad’s Survival

In the manner of the absurd form, Sayeed Ahmad’s play Survival (1966; 1976), is based on a popular folktale of Bangladesh. Originally written in Bengali, the play is translated into English and “published in the weekly Holiday at first” (Ahmad, 2012, p. xiii). Eventually along…

How Does Priestley Present Gerald in An Inspector Calls

In his didactic play ‘An Inspector Calls’, Priestley presents Gerald, and the upper class as a whole, to be extremely callous and unwilling to accept the opportunity for redemption. He explores themes and ideologies such as patriarchy in order to excoriate those for living protected…

The Life of Kurt Vonnegut

Satire enthusiasts Kurt Vonnegut mixed comedy and real life events to offer a new perspective on things he experienced. He was a late 20th century writer who was famous for his science fiction and satiristic books. He won many awards and even has a library…

Satire as One of the Most Powerful Forms of Expression

Satire, one of the most powerful forms of expression, has many purposes. However, it is primarily intended to convey society’s crucial issues. Employing humor, irony, and sarcasm to prove the satirist’s argument and demonstrate the ridiculousness of the topic at hand, satire attracts wide audiences…

Moliere: a Man of Medicine and Mockery

Moliere’s The Imaginary Invalid is full of specific references to 17th Century France, and could be alienating for a contemporary audience. By setting the play in the current-day United States, with an emphasis on the health care system, and huge gaps between social classes, The…

Review on Hanif Kureishi’s the Buddha of Suburbia

American humorist Molly Ivins once said, “Satire is traditionally the weapon of the powerless against the powerful.” It gives the everyday person the unique ability to say something about the world in a critical yet captivating way. Throughout history, many have utilized humor as a…

A Satire of the English Nobility in Alexander Pope’s Poem the Rape of the Lock

Unlike Milton, in Paradise Lost, Alexander Pope was not trying to make any moral pronouncements or display any larger than life message in his mock epic, The Rape of the Lock. Pope was merely satirizing the English nobility of his time and chose to use…

The Difference Between Parody and Satire

Have you ever watched a film and got déjà-vu, recognising certain elements form a film previously watched? This may include characters, setting or even dialogue. If your answer is yes to the above, you may find this essay interesting. My main claim for the essay…

Analysis of Political Cartoon by Mike Likovich

The cartoonist for this is known as Mike Likovich. This cartoon describes a football referee who has gone on strike and subsequently replaced by one who has made some outrageous calls. This basically upends the team that is thought to be in a position to…

Characteristics of the Main Heroes in "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" by Jesse Andrews

Even though a lot of characters in books may seem the same there is always a big difference between them. The big difference between people who are really important is that they are always changing themselves for the better of the people around them. Two…

Satire in ‘the Diary of a Nobody’ by George and Weedon Grossmith

Mr. Pooter is a man of unobtrusive aspirations, content with his conventional life. However he generally is by all accounts grieved by unpalatable tradesmen, rude youthful office agents and wayward companions, also his nonchalant child Lupin with his unsatisfactory decision of lady. In the blundering,…

How Satire is Used in Both Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and The Tempest by William Shakespeare

Comparison Essay Between Brave New World and “The Tempest” In the novel, Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, and the play, “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare, the concepts of civilization, government, and the individual and his/her role in society are satirized. Huxley’s utopia is embodied…

How Satire is Portrayed in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Satire in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn addresses many of the issues in the Southern United States around the 1850’s. The novel follows the adventures of Huck Finn and his journey through the South attempting to free a slave named…

How Oscar Wilde Created the Comedy of Manner Brand of Satire in The Importance of Being Earnest

Manners Gone Wilde: The Importance of Being Ernest in Victorian England Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) in The Importance of Being Ernest 1895 play utilizes the comedy of manners brand of satire to lampoon the social etiquette, pretensions, and conventions of Victorian society. Characterizing the comedy of…

The Success of A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift and What It Meant

The Effectiveness Of “A Modest Proposal” Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” was designed to horrify the Irish by suggesting the act of selling their children for slaughter and serving them as a delicacy on the tables of wealthy Englishmen in hopes of recognizing the depths…

Satire is a literary genre that ridicules human and societal shortcomings. Through sarcasm and irony, its main goal is to offer constructive social criticism. It often uses figures of speech, such as double entendre, analogy, comparison, juxtaposition, exaggeration, burlesque, and parody.

Voltaire, Molière, Alexander Pope

The earliest examples of satire are found in an Egyptian writing called The Satire of the Trades. It dates from the 2nd millennium BC. Ancient Greeks used the form a lot, but they referred to it as parody or cynicism.

Satire is an old form of social study, and it’s regarded as one of the most effective ways to criticize and understand society. Throughout history, authors have used it to ridicule and debunk leading politicians, religious leaders, and other prominent figures of power.

The main goal of this literary form is to challenge popular opinions through irony and humor, and make people aware of the realistic state of affairs.

• “A poem in which wickedness or folly is censured.” – Samuel Johnson
• “Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own.” – Jonathan Swift

People have the right to use satire to criticize individuals and society. This right is protected by the U.S. Constitution as freedom of speech. Still, satire can be censored when it involves revulsion, victim targeting, and other offensive elements.

Satire can be used as a tactical weapon for triggering reforms in a society.

Regardless of the level of humor in its expression, satire can be malicious, harmful, and abusive.

Words & Pages

Literary Devices

Bibliography

Select cited works

We use cookies to offer you the best experience. By continuing, we’ll assume you agree with our Cookies policy .

Choose your writer among 300 professionals!

You cannot copy content from our website. If you need this sample, insert an email and we'll deliver it to you.

Please, provide real email address.

This email is exists.

• Give this article

Advertisement

Supported by

Critic’s Notebook

The ‘Succession’ Soundtrack Is Fit for a Concert Hall

Nicholas Britell’s score for the HBO series, which concludes on Sunday, has developed, episode by episode, into a classic theme-and-variations work.

Send any friend a story

As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share.

By Joshua Barone

There comes a moment near the start of most “Succession” episodes when a faint beat enters the scene, right before some punchline or turn of the screw.

Then the show’s theme music kicks in. Over snippets of vintage family videos, a piano fantasia as grainy as the footage unfurls like a sample for swaggering hip-hop alongside courtly, imperious strings.

Like any effective theme, it lodges itself in your head immediately. But this music’s composer, Nicholas Britell, isn’t a mere tunesmith, and he doesn’t stop there. Over the four seasons of “Succession,” which ends on Sunday, he has written something unusual in television: a sprawling yet conceptually focused score that has developed, episode by episode, into a classic theme-and-variations work that would be just as fit for the concert hall as for the small screen.

This is characteristic of Britell, who doesn’t tend to simply set the emotional tenor of a scene. A screen composer at the forefront of his generation — not a successor to John Williams and his symphonic grandeur but rather a chameleonic, sensitive creator of distinct sound worlds — Britell draws as freely from late Beethoven as he does from DJ Screw, and is compelling in modes of aching sincerity and high satire alike.

And in “Succession,” he evokes a classical music tradition in which a composer doodles at the piano to improvise on a theme, putting it through permutations based on mood and form. This could serve as good parlor entertainment, but also the basis for inventive, kaleidoscopic works; Britell’s soundtrack, in its pairing of piano and orchestra, has an ancestor in Rachmaninoff’s concerto-like “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.” He would do well to adapt his score into a similar piece.

With his theme and variations, Britell offers a parallel of the show itself: an idée fixe established at the start — a patriarch’s departure from the top of his business empire is more of a when than an if — and a circular (some would say static) plot about the ways in which three of his children maneuver to take over.

It is a premise that carries on even after the father’s death early this season; the most recent episode , about his funeral, demonstrates the psychological hold Logan Roy still has over his children and how, united in grief, they nevertheless continue to scheme.

The musical seed for all this couldn’t be simpler: not the theme for the main titles, but a lumbering, eight-chord motif that appears within it, and at the start of the “Strings Con Fuoco” cue.

From there, variations surface with nods to Classical and Baroque forms: a dancerly minuet or rondo , a concerto grosso of angular strings, a wandering ricercare .

Many cues have titles resembling those of a symphony’s movements, tempo indications like “Adagio” and “Andante Con Moto.” Others could blend in with a chamber music program, like Serenade in E flat , or Impromptu No. 1 in C minor , which shares its name with one of Schubert’s most famous piano solos .

That can’t be a coincidence. Listening to Mozart’s Fantasia in C minor (K. 475), “Succession” fans might feel transported to the show’s soundtrack.

An excerpt from Mozart’s Fantasia in C minor (K. 475)

In the first two seasons, Britell followed a fairly confined playbook of the eight-chord motif’s different guises: a beating piano similar to that Mozart fantasia, darkly regal strings and brasses .

Generally, each variation was recognizably developed from the same cell. The biggest departures occurred whenever the Roy family left New York. For an episode at Connor’s New Mexico estate, Austerlitz, Britell interjected a guitar variation not heard before or since.

Scenes in England took on a stately fanfare . And, at the family’s country house, preparations for a meal were accompanied by a Schubertian violin sextet .

Something changed by Season 3. The music, like the story, became more openly emotional; for every cunning rondo, there was a doleful largo . Unsteady ground onscreen translated to surprises in the sound, such as Britell’s first use of a choir at the end of the season finale. Again the score swerved, stylistically, when characters were away from Manhattan. During the climactic episodes, set in Tuscany, he put his theme through an Italian prism for cues like “Serenata — ‘Il Viaggio.’”

In the final season, Britell has expanded his palette of variations even further. Logan Roy’s authoritarian monologue on the floor of his news channel ATN is given a coda of chilling dissonance. Suspended chords conjure the in-between state of the children after his death. The irrepressible feelings at the most recent episode’s funeral might as well have a cue title like “Appassionata.”

The question is, how will Britell’s theme and variations end? Historically, composers have gone one of two ways: by revisiting the beginning, as in the Aria of Bach’s “Goldberg” Variations , or with the potential for further development, as in Beethoven’s “Diabelli” Variations .

You could ask the same of the Roy children, who going into the series finale are behaviorally similar to where they started but also, on a deeper level, are not. Will they achieve resolution? Or will their cycles of intrigue continue? Chances are, the answer will be in Britell’s music.

Joshua Barone is the assistant classical music and dance editor on the Culture Desk and a contributing classical music critic.

‘Succession’: Family Drama and Betrayal

The fourth and final season of the hit hbo series about the roys, an ultrawealthy and deeply dysfunctional family, ended on may 28..

Critic’s Notebook: “Succession” updates past rich-people soaps like “Dallas.” But unlike those series, it argues that the problems of the hyper-wealthy inevitably become ours too, James Poniewozik writes .

Betting Among Fans: Viewers made wagers before the finale on who would take control of the Roy family’s media empire. Some jackpots went up to $1,000 .

Tom and Greg’s Bond: In a joint interview, Matthew Macfadyen and Nicholas Braun reflected on their characters’ bond and their big finale slap fight .

The Roys’ Wardrobe: Michelle Matland, the show's Emmy-nominated costume designer, discussed dressing some of TV's most despicable and compelling characters .

Soundtrack: Nicholas Britell’s score for the HBO series has developed, episode by episode, into a classic theme-and-variations work that’s fit for a concert hall .

Ready to Leave the Roys: Alan Ruck, who plays the eldest and most bumbling Roy son, Connor, said he is looking forward to new roles  — and to fewer people calling him a moron.