Satire in Jonathan Swift's Poems - Book Report/Review Example

Essay: Satire in Swift's 'A of a Shower' and 'A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed' Introduction: Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), one of the masters of satirical verse in English literature, celebrates his power of satire in the poems 'A Description of a City Shower' and 'A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed'. A detailed analysis of the literary career of this genius in the English literature makes his mastery of the genre of satire very explicit. These poems have been illustrative of the satirical merit of the poet. The critics of Swift have always been in praise for the prominence of the satire of Swift. It is most significant to note satire in Swift was the most favourite tool in the hands of the artist and various characteristic features of his satire make it most recognised in literature. His satire makes the readers laugh as well as reflect. "For Swift, language, religion, and politics are not strictly divisible, but are all inextricably linked as integral parts of human endeavour. The serious business of Swiftian satire is that it invites (or provokes) the reader to be critical: that is, to judge. Most often, the judgments that Swift's satires ask us to make go well beyond straightforward condemnation of the work's obvious target; rather, we are led to form a series of deeper judgments about language, religion, and politics, and about the operations of human vice and virtue that govern these activities in others and in ourselves." (Suarez SJ 2003). This paper analyses the satirical qualities of the poems 'A Description of a City Shower' and 'A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed' and identifies some of the major satirical characteristics that the poems enjoy in common. Satire in 'A Description of a City Shower' Among the famous satires by Swift, 'A Description of a City Shower' is often considered in literary circles as involving many of the satirical qualities of Swiftian poetry. The poem very well illustrates the literary qualities as well as social concern of the poet. The literary and generic parody of the poem is generally considered as making the poem a great piece along those great masterpieces of English satires. However, there are other critics of the poem who value the social and moral concerns of the poem as they feel that it is a social and moral commentary on what Swift depicts as a degenerate city. Therefore, Roger Savage comes to such a conclusion with some literary emphasis more than moral stress, when he makes the remark that "this is the theme of the City Shower throughout-the ludicrous attempt of an imperfect, trivial London to live up to classical dialects and situations." (Roger Savage, 1968. p143). Therefore, the poem needs to be understood as one of the crude contributions to the social satires of English literature. The significance of the poem 'A Description of a City Shower' is that through the narration of the poem the poet has been successful in depicting the social life of the city life in its class distinction and its meaningless modern life. As mentioned by the poet at the very opening of the satire, only a careful determined reading and analysis of the poem will prove the true inner meaning of the poem as well as the realities of modern city life. "Careful observers may foretell the hour/ (By sure prognostics) when to dread a show'r:/ While rain depends, the pensive cat gives o'er/ Her frolics, and pursues her tail no more." (Swift 2005, lines 1-4). The poetic tools such as imagery and symbolism have been helpful in order to convey the deeper meanings incorporated in the satire and it is the same tools that elevate the poem to greater levels. The image of 'city shower' brings to the mind of the reader the pretensions and difference of views which are evidently present in the city life. "A city shower ironically levels the pretensions and class differences which ordinarily divide the town's population, even as it exposes the disgusting waste that the new "mode" (namely, "modern") life now forbids one to mention. All social surfaces suddenly are exposed, from low to high: Susan takes down her linens from the line, Tories and Whigs "forget their feuds, and join to save their wigs" (line 41), etc." (Swift). There is a view that the satire lacks an apt title, though it is considered the use of image employed or as a tool for the satiric humour. This is a view that is based on the interpretation of the images of the poem. "In a sense, the title of Swift's poem doesn't fit. Be it his ironic and satiric humour or an intentional attempt to mislead the audience from the beginning, "A Description of a City Shower" contains enough carnage and disquieting images to justifiably be called a description of a colossal (not to mention deadly) flood. Upon reading the title, one immediately expects-and envisions-a gentle drizzle falling over a bustling metropolitan centre. This assumption is further reinforced by the first several lines, which paint an almost nave picture of a town waiting patiently under grey skies for the drops to fall." (Leading Questions about Eighteenth-Century Authors 1998). However, apart from such minute concerns, the poem seems to be masterpiece in the satirical tradition of English literature. As we have already seen, one chief quality of the satires by Swift is their social concerns and the poem under consideration marks a clear indication of the satirical quality of Swift. It is clear from the analysis of the poem that the poet's most significant attacks are the result of his overall disdain for the "intellectual pretensions" of thinkers that are excessive, or at least ignorant of the lack of rationale, in their ideas. This would explain his attacks on the policies of religion and politics, and of their leading organizations that produce "petty responsibilities, financial obsessions, and emotional vagaries" within society. Through this we can see how the nature of Swift's satire produces such a universal mode of "teaching." Even today's audience can adapt Swift's humour and disdain toward our main structure of society (e.g. capitalism). The essence of Swift's satire on mankind are "...his images of men making foolish choices in politics, ethics, science, philosophy, literature, and religion." (SATIRE - Restoration and Eighteenth Century Poetry and Prose 1981). In an ultimate conclusion of the analysis of the poem "A Description of a City Shower" it becomes evident that the poet has been successful in introducing the social satire through the poem. The literary quality of the poem very much depends on the merit of its satire as well as its social character. Satire in 'A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed' Another example of Swift's satirical genius is the poem 'A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed' in which the poet is very critical about some of the social aspects of the time. One essential nature of the poem is that it is critical towards the social nature of prostitution in which both men and woman are essential tools driving the prostitutes of the city towards more and more practices of prostitution. The poem is socially and morally relevant and therefore it is considered to be an excellent illustration of satire. Prostitution is viewed with all the contempt and thus the poem becomes a means for social change. The practice of prostitution is "despicable, and the way in which Swift describes the diminished woman in physical terms and the men psychologically, it evokes moral repulsion. The satirising of social attitudes in the poem makes one think and when stepping back to gain a more objective angle, although written centuries ago, the same things occur in the present day, the element of duplicity in society now and then is shocking. There are lessons which can be taught through this poem and other pieces of literature like it; however whether people choose to acknowledge and try to learn from them is a different question." (Audley 2004). The poem is a significant contribution to satire as it deals with socially relevant matters. Swift is exactly suggesting the role of society in making the prostitutes, when he addresses women as goddess. It is essential to make a distinction of the main theme of the poem as well as its relevance. It is of crucial note that the poet compares the women in his poetry to Goddesses, as is the case with Corinna in the Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed which indicates some elementary social purpose of the satire. "The very title of the poem sets the reader's expectation to read about a beautiful young woman in her chamber preparing herself for bed. The beautiful young nymph is actually a prostitute returning from a nights work. Society has built up the character to fit into the part of being young and beautiful. The poem takes us through Corinna's night time routine before going to bed. ... As with Strephon in Lady's Dressing Room, the reader of the Beautiful Nymph can no longer see any real beauty in either subject. When Corinna finally gets into bed she sleeps an uneasy sleep where she is tortured by dreams of punishment and pain. ... Corinna is no longer the "beautiful young nymph." (Analysis of a Beautiful Nymph Going to Bed 2002-2008). Through the poem, the poet proves the social nature of his poetry. The portrait of the lady in the bed prepared by the social customs, and practices is the clever presentation of a society that has degraded in all its moral values. The picture of the prostitute women drawn in the poem constitutes the central concern of the poet. The plight of the lady in continuously engaged in the social evil is satirically presented by the poet through the image of the goddess. The poem proves itself to be the central contribution to the nature of the satire by the poet. "The Nymph, tho' in this mangled Plight,/ Must ev'ry Morn her Limbs unite./ But how shall I describe her Arts/ To recollect the scatter'd Parts/ Or shew the Anguish, Toil, and Pain,/ Of gath'ring up herself again/ The bashful Muse will never bear/ In such a Scene to interfere." (Swift 2005, P.65-72). A close reading of the poem "A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed" reveals, as against the common notion that that it is targeted at women alone, that it satirizes the idealization of women by society, men, and poetic forms, rather than the women themselves. As many of Swift's poetic satires raise questions about his opinion of women and his views of sexual politics, the common concept of the satires of Swift has been different. It is often asked on the basis of his poetry of social satirical nature whether Swift has Misogynist leanings. "On the surface level, Swift's satires of women seem to fit into this genre of literature. However, there is also an element of sympathy and appreciation for women in his poetry that contradicts the misogynist attitude presented at the surface level. Because Swift's satires often use exaggeration and outrageous language to uncover truth and achieve reform, it is possible that Swift is not really expressing disgust for women, but merely drawing attention to the problem of the idealization of women in order to deflate that notion." (Alexander 2002-2008). The social nature of the satire of Swift is therefore also evident in the poem 'A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed' which attempts social correction. The poet has been effective in presenting through the poem, his most essential quality, i.e. the satiric excellence. Conclusion: The most essential quality of the poems of Jonathan Swift is their satirical element and the social correction purpose. Through the analysis of two of his beautiful poems, Swift's 'A Description of a City Shower' and 'A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed,' it has been evidently concluded that the poet has been successful in the social rectification through the effective implementation of satiric tools. The poetic quality of these satires is evident. However, the focus of the study has been to bring out the social nature of the poems which evidently proves the literary value as well as social value of the poem. Evaluated from this point, Swift's 'A Description of a City Shower' and 'A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed' prove to be most essential contribution to English literature. Both the poems are significant in that they contribute to the types of poetry which have a social function as well. Swift makes use of his satirical merit, through the poems, in order to clarify the social nature of his poems. Bibliography Analysis of a Beautiful Nymph Going to Bed. (2002-2008). [Online]. FreeforEssays. Last Accessed 21 April 2008 at: http://www.freeforessays.com/show_essay/Arts-A-19309.html Roger Savage "Swift's Fallen City: 'A Description of the Morning.'" The World of Jonathan Swift: Essays for the Tercentenary. Ed. Brian Vickers. Oxford: Blackwell / Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1968. p143. Ferguson, Margaret W., Salter, Mary Jo, Stallworthy, Jon, (Eds). The Norton anthology of poetry: 'A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed', 5th Edition. Norton, 2005, P.65-72. Ferguson, Margaret W., Salter, Mary Jo, Stallworthy, Jon, (Eds). The Norton anthology of poetry: Lines 1-4: 'A Description of a City Shower', 5th Edition. 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