The Sense Of History Analysis

The expectations and conventions in relation to the form of genre to a substantial degree play a pivotal role for the satirist, as it serves the purpose of masquerading original intent. This creates an aura of deception, allowing the satirist to mimic the authenticity of this mode of discourse, in order to create a greater comedic scenario. In this instance, the genre conventions are compromised by the ease they can be used to dissimulate and their ability to insinuate perspectives and ideas upon the credulous audiences. It is through these means that the audience becomes implicated and targeted by the satire, which cloaks itself through the authentic forms of genre, creating an alluring method by which to hoodwink the audience. John Swift …show more content…
Both Swift and Leigh, at least initially, delude the viewer to the authenticity of the cases provided. The Sense of History by the use of deceptive techniques imitates the aesthetic characteristics of the manor house documentary format, epitomised in the clichéd opening sequence with the low brass music, long shots of woodland estates scenes in an attempt to convince the viewers of its authenticity. Similarly, Swift taps into the naivety of the audience in this period of educational fervour in their willingness to believe this poplar mode of speculative pamphlets through his language of rational discourse. The full title of Swifts political pamphlet sums up nothing more reasonable or morally thoughtful, only for the reader to be taken aback by the hideousness of his innuendo within the text. By mimicking the particular genre conventions it enables the audience to be captured before the twisting of the texts that would to challenge their perceptions of reality. In both works there is a moment of realization for the audience that the text is not as it is purported to be. In the Sense of History the switch from the classical framing of the camera to the sudden shaky camera technique, exemplifies the divergence of the narrative to one of sudden absurdity where the 23rd Earl is losing self-control and textual clarity. Therefore, the satirist builds upon the habitual expectations of particular genre conventions, only with the aim to violate them in order create a scenario of hidden ridicule and thus, perplexing audience 's expectations to awaken their awareness on points they may have been previously oblivious