Aesop, who wrote famous ancient fables, and James Thurber, who wrote “fables for out time” both gave human stupidities and vices to birds and forces and other animals. This kind of wit that ridicules man’s vices and follies is called satire. Satirists are usually more cynical or distrustful of human behavior than other writers.

Perhaps the two greatest satires in literature are Voltaire’s Candide and Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s travels. The first makes fun of the idea that “All is for the best in this best of all possible worlds”. The second attacks man’s vices in general. The satire is hidden beneath Gulliver’s adventures and humorous incidents.

Another classic satire is Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Don Quixote is an idealistic knight. He and Sancho Panza, his squire, try to correct the justices of the world. But they

“Tilt against windmills”, that is, they fight senseless battles. Many dramatists, especially of the 17th century, wrote plays that were satires. One of the greatest of these was Moliere.