Essay about Satire In Swift And Pope - 1618 Words

The Issue of Bad Writing in Swift and Pope The eighteenth century witnessed a major revolution, in some ways more profound than the Civil War, the Printing Trade. It was a state of anarchy within which struggling writers, who came from the lower strata, were writing in journals, newspapers, magazines etc. Great consumption of these kinds of writings led to the formation of the Grub Street (a London Street inhabited by literary hacks such as writers of small histories, dictionaries and temporary poems. The term Grub Street is often used collectively for poor and needy authors who wrote for meager sums of money.) This popular culture, which in the view of historians is created, produced and consumed by people themselves, acquired an†¦show more content†¦Swift has, in this book, ridiculed various literary practices of his contemporary writers. He has poked fun at the tradition of writing prefaces which became a vehicle for the authors to denounce other writers and indulge in se lf-praise to assert their own worth. He mockingly says that his work might be criticized for not conforming to this important practice. In a tongue in cheek manner Swift claims that he must be given all the privileges which are claimed by other modern writers, for example that of being regarded as remarkably clever, witty or profound where a part of the text is put in a different type, italicized or simply obscure. By this he has only revealed the shallowness of learning and meaninglessness of the works of modern writers who unduly received fame by only catering to the craze for cheap and crude entertainment. In ‘Section V: A Digression in the Modern Kind’, under the guise of complementing the moderns and showing them superior to the ancients who are only weak glimmering lights, Swift actually exposes the shallow literature, unprincipled politics and pseudo-scientific pursuits of his contemporaries. The aim, on the surface, of ‘Section VII: A Digression in Praise of Digressions’ (A Tale of a Tub) is of defending the modern practice of introducing digressions in the literary works due to lackShow MoreRelatedEssay on Comparison of Pope and Swift1712 Words   |  7 PagesAlexander Pope and Jonathan Swift in their respective poems, The Rape of the Lock and The Progress of Beauty, offer opposite representations of the nature and function of cosmetics in eighteenth century society. In The Rape of the Lock, Pope gives a positive representation of cosmetics nature and function in eighteenth century society. On the other hand, Swifts representation takes a very negative tone. Both poets clearly appreciate and admire the natural beauty of a woman and their opposite opinionsRead More Comparison of Pope and Swift Essay1676 Words   |  7 Pages Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift in their respective poems, The Rape of the Lock and The Progress of Beauty, offer opposite representations of the nature and function of cosmetics in eighteenth century society. In The Rape of the Lock, Pope gives a positive representation of cosmetic’s nature and function in eighteenth century society. On the other hand, Swift’s representation takes a very negative tone. Both poets clearly appreciate and admire the natural beauty of a woman and their oppositeRead MoreSatire In Gullivers Travels1455 Words   |  6 Pagesof these elements that writers use is called â€Å"satire.† This element is used to make fun of something that the author disapproves of in a comical but hidden way. Widely considered as one of the greatest satirists to ever live, Jonathan Swift used satire in his works to express his disgust in society and the British Monarchy during the 18th century. One of the greatest satires ever written by Swift was Gull iver’s Travels. In Gulliver’s Travels, satire is evident through Gulliver’s voyage to LilliputRead More Contrast Between Satire in The Rape Of The Lock and A Modest Proposal1679 Words   |  7 PagesContrast Between Satire in The Rape Of The Lock and A Modest Proposal   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although Alexander Popes, The Rape Of The Lock and Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal are both witty satires, they differ on their style, intention, and mood. To begin, in The Rape Of The Lock, Alexander Pope uses Horation satire to invoke a light, whimsical, melancholy mood to illustrate the absurdity of fighting over the cutting of ones hair. In fact, Horation satire is defined by K. Lukes as a deviceRead MoreA Modest Proposal By Johnathon Swift801 Words   |  4 PagesJohnathon Swift employs no shortage of phrases that dehumanize the Irish people. He likens women and the poor to â€Å"breeders,† implying that the only thing they are good for in life is to procreate and profit from their offspring. He goes on to reference, â€Å"child dropped from its dam,† as if making a comparison between women and animals. Swift furthers that with talk of allowing a number of women for breeding reserves, and it being more than the allotted number to that of livestock. Swift continuesRead MoreSatire : A Modest Proposal And The Rape Of The Lock905 Words   |  4 PagesIn this paper, satire in A Modest Proposal and The Rape of the Lock wi ll be discussed. The satire within these two texts will be linked by showing how each writer attacked the accepted way of life or common belief in order to present their own opinion on the matter. What makes these two writings a good comparison is that although one is in essay form and the other in poetic form, they are both from the same time period; they were written 17 years apart in the beginning of the 18th century. This isRead MoreHow Does One Define Progress?1738 Words   |  7 Pagesnotion of improvement and advancement. However, satirist writers Jonathan Swift (1667 – 1745), Alexander Pope (1688 – 1744), and William Hogarth (1697 – 1764) undermined the notion of progress in their works in order to represent their general disenchantment with humanity. Their prose, poetry, and print works respectively condemn the society of the spectacle that begins to emerge in the 18th century. Ultimately, their satire attacks the actions and interests of Great Britain in a time of purportedRead More Comparison of Popes The rape of the Lock and Swifts A Modest Proposal765 Words   |  4 Pages Although Alexander Popes, The Rape of the Lock, and Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal are both witty satires, they differ on their style, intention, and mood. To begin, in The Rape of the Lock, Alexander Pope uses satire to invoke a capricious, melancholy mood to illustrate the absurdity of fighting over the cutting of ones hair. Hidden inside this poem is a crafty criticism of the society that helps create the crisis over the stolen lock. A Society in which appearances ere more importantRead MoreA Modest Rape : The Eighteenth Century And The Power Of Satire1715 Words   |  7 PagesPower of Satire During the restoration in the eighteenth century, wit and reason came to the forefront of literary works. Keen intellect and sharp observation exposed moral corruption of the neoclassic British society through the use of satiric literature. Although they placed importance on the ideals of order, knowledge, and rational, there was an underlying obsession with maintaining a faà §ade of moral and political supremacy. British satirists, such as Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope, aimed toRead MorePope, Swift, and Aristocratic Women Essay1652 Words   |  7 PagesThe task of satirist is to criticise the vices and follies of their contemporary society. However, the purpose of satire is to be universal. In this case, we are going to focus our attention on the works of two major poets of the 18th century which can be subscribed within Augustan literature: Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock and Jonathan Swift’s â€Å"The Lady’s Dressing Room†. In Pope’s mock-heroic verse The Rape of the Lock (1717) what is criticised is a moral fault: mainly, immoderate female