Topic > The film The Great Dictator and the tools of satire against the Nazis

Examples of satire in “The Great Dictator”There are many rich examples of satire throughout the film “The Great Dictator”. Overall, the film satirizes the Nazis and their fantasies of domination and power over the world. The satirical tone that permeates the film contributes greatly to its humorous portrayal of not only the Nazis but the entire Axis regime. Everything from their behavior to their clothing is satirized in some way. From the opening scene to the final speech, the film provides near-constant comic relief thanks to its clever use of satire. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayA superb example of satire is found in a scene involving the two Axis leaders, Hynkel and Napolini. In this scene, Hynkel invited Napolini to get a haircut with him at his personal barbershop. They both sit in their chairs and Hynkel raises his chair with the intention of rising above Napolini. After a moment Napolini does the same and raises his chair. They continue to raise the chairs until Hynkel's chair reaches the ceiling of the barbershop. Then he falls abruptly to the ground and Napolini still towers over him. This scene satirizes how every Axis leader during World War II wanted to be arbiter of the Axis powers. This revelry among the leaders was perfectly exemplified in this scene. Before the war Mussolini was the precursor of the Axis powers. During the war, Hitler came to take Mussolini's notoriety. Each leader will attempt to oust the other leader by occupying another country or increasing the power of their army. Every Axis leader during World War II had a strong aspiration to be at the center of the Axis powers and to have complete control of his force. The end of the scene, when Hynkel falls back to the barbershop floor, may have a deeper meaning. Since Hitler posed a major threat to the Allies during World War II, this may have been a subtle Allied propaganda effort. Hitler, like the other Axis leaders, aimed for world domination and, unlike the other Axis leaders, had the means to achieve it. He was in control of a large army containing over 18 million soldiers and had already captured over half of Europe. The ending of this scene implied that while Hitler may have been a powerful and dangerous man, he would never be able to realize his dreams of world domination. He would eventually fall from the throne, just as Hynkel fell from the ceiling and onto the floor. Two other scenes throughout the film also satirize Hynkel's desire to surpass the other Axis leaders. Hitler and his comic counterpart, Hynkel, were both fascinated by the new "wonder weapons" that their weapons design bureaus could manufacture. These “war-winning” weapons would give Hitler a great chance to be at the forefront of the Axis powers and succeed in his bid to achieve world domination. While these revolutionary designs seemed practical and foolproof on paper, that wasn't always the case when it came time to put the designs to the test. Many times these projects ended up failing and were replaced by more advanced technologies. This is satirized and presented as mere interruptions in Hynkel's meticulous daily schedule. The designs presented to Hynkel include a flak suit and a parachute hat, which apparently result in failure. These failed tests result in the death or injury of two scientists that Hynkel immediately dismisses and of..