Home › Glossary › Letter B

Burlesque

Genre
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A satirical or comic genre that parodies serious subjects or styles through exaggerated imitation, incongruity, and absurdity for humorous or critical effect.

Explore this topic in depth (1)

Satire in Poetry — Satirical poetry can make us laugh, wince or feel implicated. This guide explains how satire works: from irony and caricature to persona, historical context and the crucial role of voice in performance.

Detailed Definition
Burlesque in poetry uses exaggerated imitation, incongruity, or low diction to mock serious subjects or styles, ranging from high burlesque (elevating trivial topics) to low burlesque (degrading grand ones); it’s central to satirical works like Pope’s The Rape of the Lock.
Example
Example in poetry:
Burlesque in Alexander Pope’s "The Rape of the Lock" mocking epic conventions; Modern example: "Ode on a Grecian Urn... full of yogurt"; Satirical burlesque by Wendy Cope parodies love poetry; Burlesque exaggerates form to ridicule content; The genre thrives on incongruity
Additional Notes
Parody or satirical imitation of serious work or genre. Comic deflation through exaggeration. Related: parody, mock-heroic, travesty. Tip: Successful burlesque requires audience knowledge of original being mocked.
Also Known As
Mock-heroic parody verse satirical imitation travesty
Skip to main content