Parody: Ancient, Modern and Postmodern. by Margaret A. Rose

Rose, Margaret A. Parody: Ancient, Modern and Postmodern. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK. 1993.

http://books.google.com/books?printsec=frontcover&vid=ISBN0521429242&vid=ISBN0521418607&vid=ISBN0521418607&vid=ISBN0521429242&vid=LCCN92039133#v=onepage&q&f=false

In her book, Parody: Ancient, Modern and Postmodern, Margaret Rose analysis and critiques the literary history and common uses of parody throughout the ages. Rose offers a literary and artistic approach to the classification of modern, late-modern, and post-modern theories of parody, including some references to her previous work entitled Parody/Meta-Fiction. Her writing has been a key factor in establishing the language of parody to be understood as what she calls a”'double-coded” device usable for more than simple mockery. She expounds upon the practices and evolution of parody considering ancient and modern definitions and uses, and she adds substantial references to key literary and semiotic theories that break down the makings of the rhetoric of parody, and even delves into the modern extension of pastiche and other modes of humor.

Rose’s exploration of parody, even as contrasted with other commonly relatable forms such as burlesque, hoax, plagiarism, irony, sarcasm, satire, and metafiction, evenly provides a linguistic and theoretical underscore of the constructs and effects of parody. She defines both exactly what parody is and isn’t, from the very ancient forms known to have existed to our very contemporary forms recognizable today. Since The Onion can be considered both satire and parody (depending on which article, image, headline, and subject it addresses) Rose’s definitive exploration of parody, especially where it relates to satire, and especially where it is viewed in terms of verbal construction, is an important support for exacting the mock news site’s rhetorical significance.

semiotic
burlesque
sarcasm
metafiction
linguistics