A parody is a work of art created to mock, comment on, or poke fun at another work, or its subject, author, style, or some other related target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation. The Oxford English Dictionary defines parody as imitation "turned as to produce a ridiculous effect". However, parody is by no means necessarily satirical, and may sometimes be done with respect and appreciation for the subject involved. Parodies are sometimes colloquially referred to as spoofs, send-ups, or lampoons.
In ancient Greek literature, a parodia was a narrative poem imitating the style and prosody of epics but employing a satirical or mock-heroic subject. The apparent Greek roots of the word are para- (which can mean beside, counter, or against) and -ody (song, as in an ode). Thus, the original Greek word parodia has sometimes been taken to mean "counter-song", i.e., an imitation that is set against the original. The first English usage cited in The Oxford English Dictionary is from Ben Jonson's Every Man in His Humour (1598): "A Parodie, a parodie! to make it absurder than it was."
In the broader sense of Greek parodia, parody can occur when whole elements of one work are lifted out of their context and reused, not necessarily to be ridiculed. Often, the most satisfying element of a good parody is seeing others mistake it for the genuine article.
Although a parody can be considered a derivative work under United States Copyright Law, it can be protected from claims by the copyright owner of the original work under the fair use doctrine, which is codified in 17 USC § 107. The Supreme Court of the United States stated that parody "is the use of some elements of a prior author's composition to create a new one that, at least in part, comments on that author's works". It is this commentary function that provides justification for use of the older work. Under Canadian law, although there is protection for Fair Dealing, there is no explicit protection for parody and satire.
- Adapted from the Wikipedia article on parody.