Frontmatter -- Preface -- Contents -- Note on citations -- Foreword -- Chapter one. Targets of satire -- Chapter two. The problem of the comic -- Chapter three. Satirical characterization: Non-metaphoric denigration -- Chapter four. Satirical characterization: Metaphoric denigration -- Chapter five. The comic in language -- Chapter six. Special cases of the comic -- Chapter seven. Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- Index of Saltykov's works -- Name index -- Subject index