what is Burlesque ?

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Burlesque is a literary term that refers to a form of writing (or performance) that mocks, imitates, or exaggerates serious subjects, styles, or characters in order to create humor, satire, or ridicule. The word comes from the Italian burla (meaning joke or mockery).

Burlesque can either make fun of something serious by treating it lightly, or make something trivial seem very serious. It often works by using incongruity, where the style and the subject do not match.

Types of Burlesque

  1. High Burlesque – Treating a trivial or silly subject in a serious, elevated, or “high” style (mock-epic, mock-heroic).

    • Example: Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock – a mock-epic that treats the trivial incident of a stolen lock of hair as though it were a grand, heroic battle.

  2. Low Burlesque – Treating a serious subject in a low, crude, or comic style.

    • Example: Cervantes’ Don Quixote – where the noble traditions of chivalry are presented through the foolish actions of Don Quixote.

Features of Burlesque

  • Imitation with Exaggeration – copying a serious style but making it ridiculous.
  • Parody and Satire – often overlaps with these forms by mocking literary conventions, social norms, or people.
  • Contrast between Style and Subject – grandeur applied to nonsense, or comedy applied to seriousness.

Examples in Literature

  • Henry Fielding’s "Tom Thumb" – a burlesque play mocking tragic drama by presenting heroic characters in absurd situations.
  • John Dryden’s "Mac Flecknoe" – a satirical burlesque poem ridiculing his literary rival Thomas Shadwell.
  • Aristophanes’ comedies (like The Frogs) – often burlesque serious Greek tragedies.

Importance in Literature

Burlesque allows writers to:

  • Criticize society, politics, or literary traditions through humor.
  • Entertain audiences by making serious things appear ridiculous.
  • Challenge authority or convention in a playful but thought-provoking way.


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