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Tasks: Hermann the Irascible, by H.H. Munro

A photo taken at the end of the nineteenth century showing 16 middle/upper-class women dresses in the traditional dresses of the time. They are demonstrating for women's right to vote.
Image: Anonymous / CC0

Talk:

  1. How do you feel about Hermann's solution to 'the problem'?

  2. The king is called 'Hermann the Irascible' and he is also nicknamed 'the Wise'. Does he deserve either of the names? Can an irascible person also be wise?

  3. How would you define the society described in the short story? Is it a good society to live in? If so, a good society for whom?

  4. At the end of the short story, Hermann states that "There are more ways of killing a cat than by choking it with cream, but I'm not sure that it's not the best way." What does he mean by that?

  5. Does Munro side with the women or the king?


Satire in 'Hermann the Irascible':

'Hermann the Irascible' is a satirical piece. Using the definition below, define the flaws and absurdities that are highlighted in the short story. Who is ridiculed and made fun of? What is Munro trying to alert the public to, and what changes do you think he wants?

What is satire?

Satire is a literary device that aims to reveal flaws, absurdities, and/or vices of a person or a group in society. It is used especially as social, moral, or political commentary. The ultimate aim of satire is to alert the public to a problem and force a change.

Discuss:

  1. In satire, you mix comedy and criticism. How does this affect your argument? What happens if there is an abundance of comedy? What happens if there is an abundance of criticism?

  2. Does satire need to be political? And does it need to address a complex issue?

  3. "Satire is often a more effective way to reach the public than sober political comments and traditional journalism." Do you agree with this statement? What are the benefits and/or disadvantages to receiving news this way?

  4. When might it be most effective to use satire? When would it be least effective?

  5. What is the difference between satire and fake news?

Secretary John Kerry makes an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The two men are sitting on either side of a desk, in deep conversation.
John Kerry on the Late Night Show, one of the American talk shows that often shed light on political controversies in a satirical way. Image: The Late Night Show / CC0

Find out:

Satire is everywhere in society! We find it in political cartoons, satirical websites, and TV shows, such as The Daily Show and Nytt på Nytt. Use one of the suggested media outlets below to solve the following task.

Individual work: Choose one of the media outlets. Look for a specific article or video clip where satire is used to criticise a social or political situation.

In pairs / small groups: Share your findings with the rest of the group and explain why you chose that specific article/clip.

Discuss:

  1. How effective is satire used in this specific article / video clip?

  2. Who or what is being ridiculed?

  3. Is anything exaggerated?

  4. Are there any surprising elements introduced in this satire?

  5. What is the message of this article / video clip?

Examples of satirical websites and shows:

The Onion

The Daily Mash

Saturday Night Live

The Now Show

The Daily Show (Trevor Noah)

The Late Edition

Last Week Tonight (John Oliver)

Have I Got News for You

Mock the Week

The Late Show (Stephen Colbert)


Create:

Write your own satirical text.

A few hints as to how you can write your own satirical text:

  1. Don't be afraid to exaggerate!
    Make a situation or a person look better or worse than they are by overstating or understating certain characteristics beyond reality.

  2. Make the normal appear abnormal or vice versa.
    Introduce something unexpected into an otherwise normal scene or story. For example, present a baby as a politician dressed in a suit and holding a phone but still babbling.

  3. Flip things on their head and subvert them. Switch the positions of two things or people. For example, describe a teacher as bubble-gum chewing, loud, and obnoxious, and the students as well-groomed, academically driven, and mature.

  4. Use parody.
    You could imitate the style of a certain writer or ridicule a specific genre. A parody article could for example have the headline 'Celebrity Eats Lunch'. This would mimic the absurdity of celebrity culture and paparazzi emphasising mundane activities.

  5. Use anachronisms.
    Anachronism is a type of satire that places people or objects in time periods where they don't belong. For example, you could write a story about how Henry VIII microwaves his dinner.

  6. Use Irony.
    Irony is when what appears to be happening on the surface is quite different from what is actually going on. Irony can be:

verbal: the literal meaning of a written or spoken statement is the opposite of what is actually meant by it. For example, a statement like 'What a beautiful day' when it's actually pouring down, is ironic.

situational: the difference between what people expect to happen and what actually happens. For example that a fire station burns down or a police station is robbed.

Below are some themes for possible satirical texts. Choose a topic from the list that you think deserves a satirical presentation and write your own satire.

  • the way politicians speak

  • living with OCD

  • Halloween

  • Norwegian graduation celebration (russefeiring)

  • a political campaign and election

  • royalty and traditions

  • conspiracy theories

  • vaccine deniers

  • loneliness and a thousand 'friends' on social media

  • influencers and blogging

Write:

Satire is also a popular genre in entertainment. The Simpsons, The Office, and Succession are just three examples. Choose a satirical film, novel, or series. Present the work, explain what it is satirising and what devices are used, and discuss how effective the satire is. Will it change anyone's mind about what is being satirised? Is it the goal of the work to change people's minds?



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