Obvious question, do we count Terry Pratchett's works as parody? Or maybe here 'satire' would be a better word. It's probably most pertinent in the earlier Discworld books, like Wyrd Sisters (which just happens to be the first of his that I read), with its very obvious Shakesperean referents.
In the end I think Pratchett is a great deal more than just a parodist/satirist— unlike Bored of the Rings, for example. I did very much enjoy when I read it but I don't think it has any real ambition beyond parody.
There were “mockumentaries” made some years ago - one about a traveling rock band was particularly funny. I think Idiocracy also falls into that genre- it is so funny.
They lend themselves to parody more easily than some genres because so much of the "straight" work in these two genres is conducted with such a solemn and reverent sense of responsibility. Parodying them shows that tragedy and comedy are just two sides of the same coin, and one can easily devolve into the other.
Obvious question, do we count Terry Pratchett's works as parody? Or maybe here 'satire' would be a better word. It's probably most pertinent in the earlier Discworld books, like Wyrd Sisters (which just happens to be the first of his that I read), with its very obvious Shakesperean referents.
In the end I think Pratchett is a great deal more than just a parodist/satirist— unlike Bored of the Rings, for example. I did very much enjoy when I read it but I don't think it has any real ambition beyond parody.
There were “mockumentaries” made some years ago - one about a traveling rock band was particularly funny. I think Idiocracy also falls into that genre- it is so funny.
They lend themselves to parody more easily than some genres because so much of the "straight" work in these two genres is conducted with such a solemn and reverent sense of responsibility. Parodying them shows that tragedy and comedy are just two sides of the same coin, and one can easily devolve into the other.
If something is popular enough then there’s money to be made by making fun of it. We all need to laugh!