Satire

Satire is an artistic form, primarily literary and dramatic, that uses ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, parody, or caricature to expose and criticize human vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings, often with the aim of inspiring social reform.1

Ludovico Ariosto, an Italian poet of the Renaissance, is known for his epic poem Orlando furioso (1516). While Orlando furioso is his most famous work, Ariosto also composed seven satires titled Satire, modeled after the works of Horace. These satires, written between 1517 and 1525, addressed themes such as the dignity of writers, ecclesiastical corruption, ambition, marriage, and the selfishness of patrons. His comedies, based on Latin classics but inspired by contemporary life, also marked the beginning of Renaissance drama in the vernacular.23