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What are the thesis and antithesis parts of a Roman verse satire?
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satire
George Bernard Shaw speaking about the novelty of technology; excerpt from a Hearst Metrotone newsreel (c. 1930). (29 sec; 2.6 MB)
Roman verse satire typically employs a bipartite structure consisting of a thesis and an antithesis.1
- Thesis: In this part of the poem, the satirist critically examines a specific vice or folly from various perspectives and angles.1
- Antithesis: In this section, the poet recommends an opposing virtue.1
These two components are often disproportionate in length and emphasis, as satirists have historically focused more on castigating wickedness than on exhorting readers toward virtue. This structural arrangement helps provide order to the poem, often within a semidramatic frame that features a conflict between the satirist—or their persona—and an adversary.1