Idyll , Pastoral poetry & Satire

Idyll

An idyll (British English) or idyl (American English) (/ˈaɪdəl/ or /ˈɪdəl/; from Greek εἰδύλλιον, eidullion, "short poem") is a short poem, descriptive of rustic life, written in the style of Theocritus' short pastoral poems, the Idylls.

Unlike Homer, Theocritus did not engage in heroes and warfare. His idylls are limited to a small intimate world, and describe scenes from everyday life. 

Later imitators include the Roman poets Virgil and Catullus, Italian poets Torquato Tasso, Sannazaro and Leopardi, the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson (Idylls of the King), and Nietzsche's Idylls from Messina. Goethe called his poem Hermann and Dorothea—which Schiller considered the very climax in Goethe's production—an idyll.

In the visual arts, an idyll is a painting depicting the same sort of subject matter to be found in idyllic poetry, often with rural or peasant life as its central theme. One of the earliest examples is the early 15th century Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry.The genre was particularly popular in English paintings of the Victorian era.


Pastoral poetry

Pastoral poetry is a genre that typically relates to country/rural life and often depicts the lives of shepherds. This sort of poetry describes the simple and pure lives of shepherds, who exist free from the corruptions of city life. 

Rural life is depicted as being “pure” in pastoral poetry and is usually idealized. The most common themes that are written about in pastoral poetry are love and death, although religion, politics, and other social issues are common as well. 

Often, the poet and his friends are represented by the characters in the poem. Through these characters, the poet expresses his or her own social, moral, political, and literary views.

Pastoral poetry was first introduced by the Greek poet Theocritus in his Idylls. Set in the countryside, his poems reflect on folk traditions and involve dialogue between shepherds. 

This style of poetry was later adapted by the Roman poet Virgil, who frequently set his poems in Arcadia. Over time, the genre was adapted by a variety of different poets to include various themes, including romance, drama, courtship, seduction, and death. 

One of the most popular subgroups of pastoral poetry is the elegy, in which the poet mourns the death of a friend, often a fellow shepherd.

Eventually, pastoral poetry became popular among English poets, especially through Edmund Spenser's “The Shepherd’s Calendar,” which was published in 1579. 

One of the most famous examples of pastoral poetry is John Milton's “Lycidas.” Written in 1637, the poem is written about Edward King, a fellow student of Milton's who had died.

Satire

Satire is a genre of literature that uses wit for the purpose of social criticism. Satire ridicules problems in society, government, businesses, and individuals in order to bring attention to certain follies, vices, and abuses, as well as to lead to improvements. Irony and sarcasm are often an important aspect of satire. Satirists also often use juxtaposition, analogy, parody, and double entendre to highlight their points.

Different Classifications of Satire
Within the general definition of satire, there are three main classifications of different types of satire. The first two of these are named after ancient Roman satirists—Horace (first century BCE) and Juvenal (late first century BCE to early second century AD)—while the third is named after the ancient Greek parodist Menippus (third century BCE).
  • Horatian: Horace playfully mocked the societal norms of his day, and the satire named after him is clever, yet gentle. Rather than attacking evils, Horatian satire ridicules universal human folly so that the reader might identify with what is being critiqued and laugh at him/herself as well as at society.
  • Juvenalian: Unlike Horace, Juvenal attacked public officials and governmental organizations through his satires. He regarded their opinions not just as wrong, but instead as evil. Juvenalian satire thus is more contemptuous and abrasive, and uses strong irony and sarcasm. Polarized political satire is often of this nature, and aims to provoke change. Juvenalian satire is not often as humorous.
  • Menippean: Menippean satire criticizes mental attitudes rather than societal norms or specific individuals. This type of satire often ridicules single-minded people, such as bigots, misers, braggarts, and so on.

Difference Between Satire and Parody

For some, it can be difficult to distinguish between satire and parody. Both devices utilize humor to convey meaning and fulfill their purpose. However, there are differences between them–particularly in their intentions. Satire intends to ridicule human and/or societal flaws, discrepancies, and inadequacies as a means of provoking an audience and challenging viewpoints. Parody intends to mimic something familiar to an audience as a means of amusement or invoking humor.

Parody primarily relies on audience recognition of what is being mimicked in order to understand the ridicule of the subject. However, the focus of parody tends to be exaggeration or observation at a surface level such as a well-known leader’s mannerisms or pattern of speech. The motive of parody is to generate laughs rather than any deeper understanding.

The focus of satire is a larger scope. Satire relies on audience recognition of a systemic problem underlying the ridicule and humor. Therefore, though satire does intend to be humorous, the motive is a greater common understanding of humanity and society rather than generating laughter.