Parody

The purpose of parody is to call attention to the characteristic themes or modes of expression of a given writer or artist, in an exaggerated way, with the purpose of both making the audience laugh and perhaps implicitly critiquing the works in question. A parody could potentially even alter the audience's perceptions of the original work, insofar as they may be more likely to pay attention to the aspects of the work that were targeted by the parody.

Details of a parody 

Many famous artists claim mimicking one’s work is the greatest form of flattery. This sentiment is at the root of parodies.

A parody is a musical recreation of another artist or writer’s work. Webster Dictionary defines a parody as “a literary or musical work in which the style of an author or work is closely imitated for comic effect or in ridicule; a feeble or ridiculous imitation.”

And, while a parody copies the work, it does so in a comical relief. For example, a popular work to parody is the Phantom of the Opera. Many playwrights use this opera classic as fruit for their artistic recreations.

What is a parody

Also known as a spoof or satire, parodies mimic the works of other people. They imitate, make fun of, or comment on current events or popular culture. 

Good parodies consists of amusement, are able to incite laughter, and are capable of entertaining even the most sophisticated minds. Modern parodies come in the form of musical cartoons that mock. Also burlesque tradition has a type of parody involved.

To create a parody, one must study other works to understand how to poke fun at a topic, without being obvious. And, while this may seem easy at first, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Next, parody writers need to research popular styles, trends, events, etc. Those are the elements that make up a great parody. Dissecting a play or movie that you want to parody is the next crucial step.

Once all of these are met, the rest is in the writing.

History

Much like a satire, spoof, etc., parodies have a mocking, ironic element to its storylines. Artists pull from real life events to connect with the audiences. Combining the satirical appeal with a recreation of another’s work makes for a more appealing story.

But, before there was modern parody, there was ancient prose. Aristotle attributes the modern parody as coming from the works of Hegemon of Thasos, and he claimed this artist was the father of musical spoofs. The word parody has roots in ancient Greek literature. The word originated as parodia – meaning a narrative poem that imitates another’s style in a light or satirical fashion.

Early Roman writers took the meaning a little further and explained it as an imitation of one poet by another for comical effect. The French also used this literary element in its early neoclassical literature. These works meant the artists didn’t exactly copy or recreate another’s work, but, rather, they imitated their style.

Parody also was a type of poem where one work imitates the style of another to produce a humorous effects, and the Ancient Greeks used these techniques to create satyr plays. Satyrs came to be known as satires, another form of comical imitation. These early satirical parodies used actors dressed as satyrs – creatures known in ancient myths as half-human and half-goat. 

Satyrs were known in ancient Greek mythology as lovers of music and goodhearted souls. They loved to drink, laugh, play, sing, and make fun of other creatures.