Final answer:
Mocking imitation in literary works is known as 'parody,' which uses humor to imitate and ridicule the original work. Satire also uses humor to criticize and provoke social change, but it focuses more on highlighting human follies to make a serious point.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mocking imitation in verse or prose of literary works is called parody. A parody is a form of humor that imitates the style and content of another work to ridicule or make fun of it in a light-hearted way. It involves exaggeration and sometimes distortion of characters, methods, or works that are the subject of the parody.
Famous works, such as those by Homer, have included parodies that lampooned characters and mocked societal norms. Satire, on the other hand, aims to criticize and provoke change by highlighting human follies, ignorance, or vice through the use of humor, exaggeration, or ridicule.
Famous satirists like Jonathan Swift used satire to address serious social and political issues while engaging readers with humor. It's important for writers to balance humor with their message, as too much humor can dilute the impact of the underlying commentary.