Satire in Scriblerian Literature: A Critical Analysis
Satire in Scriblerian Literature
The aim of this essay is to discuss the role of satire in Scriblerian literature, focusing on the satirical techniques employed by members of the Scriblerus Club. The Scriblerus Club, named after the fictional Martinus Scriblerus, was an informal association of authors formed in 1714, including Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, John Gay, John Arbuthnot, Henry St. John, and Thomas Parnell. They used satire to address their concerns about widespread corruption.
Alexander Pope: The Rape of the Lock
Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock satirizes 18th-century aristocratic customs. Critics view it as a mirror reflecting the superficiality of English aristocratic society. The poem depicts a society preoccupied with trivial pursuits such as gossiping, playing cards, and engaging in sexual intrigues. This moral corruption is evident in Canto III, lines 25-27, where Belinda’s involvement in a card game is portrayed as a grand battle, highlighting the triviality of their lives and ridiculing the upper classes.
Pope also satirizes religion in Canto II, lines 7-8: “On her white breast a sparkling cross she wore, Which Jews might kiss, and infidels adore.” The cross, worn as an accessory, lacks religious significance and is instead presented as an object of erotic attention. This juxtaposition of the erotic and the religious critiques the superficial treatment of religious worship in the early 18th century.
Henry Fielding: Hypocrisy and Vanity
Henry Fielding excelled at satire, particularly targeting hypocrisy. He famously stated, “the highest life is the dullest,” criticizing the upper class’s vapid existence. As an “anti-Pamelist,” he wrote Joseph Andrews as a satirical response to Samuel Richardson’s Pamela, mocking sentimental fashion. Joseph Andrews critiques hypocrisy and vanity, exploring the theme of appearance versus reality. For example, in Chapter V, Lady Booby’s flirtation with Joseph Andrews reveals her vanity and superficiality, exposing her true nature and threatening Joseph to maintain her secret. Fielding’s satire extends beyond social commentary to political critique. His play Pasquin, which insulted Robert Walpole, led to the Licensing Act and a system of censorship.
John Gay: The Beggar’s Opera
John Gay attacked the vanity and social issues of his time, including the vast social disparities and the disruption of the hierarchical order. The Beggar’s Opera, initially a political statement, satirizes the royal court’s rewarding of hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy over virtue and talent. The play observes that “the fine gentlemen imitate the gentlemen of the road, or the gentlemen of the road the fine gentlemen” (p. 2656). Gay also mocked the conventions of Italian opera, using “airs” (e.g., p.2639, p.2641) to interrupt the dialogue with song and dance. He chose low-class characters over the upper-class figures typical of Italian opera, refusing to judge them for their moral failings. Duality serves as a satirical device, exemplified by the characters Macheath, a thief disguised as an upper-class captain, and Peachum, a criminal syndicate runner posing as an honorable man. The title itself, juxtaposing “beggar” and “opera,” highlights this duality.
Jonathan Swift: Irish Concerns and Social Critique
Jonathan Swift focused on the plight of the Irish, criticizing the English taxation that impoverished them in A Modest Proposal. His critical views of the English made him unpopular in some circles. Gulliver’s Travels contains references to Ireland’s relationship with England and offers a harsh critique of science and humanity. Other satirical works include A Tale of a Tub, which satirizes religious tensions, and The Battle of the Books, a parody of modern science and the Royal Society. Gulliver’s Travels includes a section in Book Two that is highly critical of the Royal Society.
Conclusion
In conclusion, satire in Scriblerian literature served as a response to the injustice, corruption, vice, vanity, and moral decay prevalent in 18th-century society. These authors sought to reform society by exposing and criticizing its flaws.