A Satyr Against Reason And Mankind

Katherine Philips’ “On the 3. of September, 1651” is a thirty-four line poem with an AABB rhyme scheme. Comparing a royal’s reign to a sunset, the poem depicts the destructive, blazing fall of a monarchy.

“They were not badly off whilst Morel was in the hospital. There were fourteen shillings a week from the pit, then shillings from the sick club, and five shillings from the Disability Fund.” (pg.87)

Oliver Cromwell is – and has always been – one of the most controversial characters in British and Irish history. There are few people in Great Britain and Ireland today who have not yet heard of Oliver Cromwell and either loathe him or see him as a hero. Yet, the world is not black and white and so is the truth about Cromwell. In order to understand his role in both countries as a whole, one has to look at the perspective of both nations, Cromwell’s beliefs and his motives.

The story of Antigone deals with Antigone’s brother who’s body has been left unburied because of crimes against the state. The sight of her brother being unburied drives Antigone to take action against the state and bury her brother regardless of the consequences. The concept of the Greek afterlife was far more important and sacred than living life itself. Everything they did while they were alive was to please the many gods they worshipped. They built temples for their Gods, made statues to symbolize their Gods, and had a different God to explain things that we now say are an act of mother nature. Antigone percieved her actions to be courageous and valid, and Kreone, the King, percieved them as blasphemous. The entire story focuses on

A true libertine of the Restoration Era, John Wilmot, Second Earl of Rochester – better known as his literary persona Rochester – is recognized for his poetry that often breaks barriers and social conventions in obscene ways. One such poem that is particularly explicit, some might even say pornographic, is entitled “A Ramble in St. James’s Park.” Including the sex, alcohol, and debauchery that is so characteristic of Rochester, this poem creates a unique balance between depravity of content and elegance of literary form. While there is much evidence that Rochester represents sex explicitly with obscene and shocking language in “A Ramble in St. James’s Park” for the purpose of satirizing both himself and contemporary love poems, I will argue that in doing so, he also makes a broader statement regarding the tension between the public and private spheres of sexuality, specifically representing female sexuality in the public sphere and erotic female bodies as communal property; finally, the lewd language hints at an anxiety about the power of the feminine over men, thus queering gender roles by becoming the abject feminine.

Antigone and A Raisin in the Sun are two pieces of literature that are similar in one way, yet very different in another way. Both are very interesting pieces that were written to captivate even the most critical of audiences. This paper will show similarities as well as differences between the two pieces and their authors.

Throughout the sixteenth century Satire was used as a method of both exposing and correcting vice. Isabella Whitney, the first known woman in England to publish a volume of poetry, wrote several satirical works. Throughout the duration of this course, although on the syllabus, satire was never discussed. Whitney used satire to write her two final poems “A Communication Which the Author had to London Before She Made Her Will” and “The Manner of Her Will, and What She Left to London and to All Those in It at Her Departing” which were published as the final two poems in her second volume, A Sweet Nosegay. They were written as a critique of modern London at the time. Although very little is known about the life of Isabella Whitney it is very possible to assume that her works, including these two, are autobiographical. These two works, regarding Isabella Whitney’s “last will and testament” to London should be included in L309 because of the different perspective that could be gained through; reading a work in which the speaker is portrayed by the poet, acquiring a female perspective, hearing the view of a member of the lower class, and the additional perspective it could add to the discussion regarding satire, or start the discussion in the case of this semester.

Bradstreet makes a point to show her thought process of returning to the Puritan mindset when she begins to question herself in her poem. The following is an example: “The straight I ‘gin my heart to chide,/And did they wealth on earth abide?/Didst fix thy hope on mold’ring dust?/The arm of flesh didst make they trust?” (37-40). The repetitive notion of the author questioning herself allows the reader to see into her thought process regarding her current struggle with her beliefs. The author includes this process in the poem to enable the reader to fully understand her way of thinking and ultimately makes her writing more relatable. Bradstreet develops the content of the poem to show her external struggle to release her material possessions and focus on the process of regaining her Puritan beliefs, however, the form of the poem speaks louder to her unwavering internal faith.

Sir Thomas Wyatt’s defence covered two major areas; the possible insulting of the king and conspiring with Catholics in a newly decided protestant country. His 1541 defence guards his actions on both parts, however due to the lack of historical evidence it is impossible to know if this defence was ever used, even if we do know he somehow did manage to get himself off the charges. Nevertheless, it offers great insight to the mind and feelings of an otherwise elusive and ambiguous historical figure. It is this, that being Wyatt writing about his own biography, that offers vital importance to his poetry, and more importantly his satires like ‘Myne Owne John Poyntz’. Through Wyatt’s own work we can examine the possible emotion, and tie it down to its own specific historical moment.

This is shown by the way he talks to her and how he acts around her.

Structure is needed for a society to thrive. Without it, people would do anything they pleased, with little consideration or concern for others. Structure, usually in the form of laws created by a person of power, is what keeps a group of people together, and allows for peaceful order between these individuals. Laws, however, can sometimes be corrupted by the one that is governing them. Although these laws may go against what is good for the people, fear can often times effect the way a population behaves. There are also times when someone stands up against the unmoral laws set by a powerful government, making logical arguments against them, and sparking positive change in a society. Whether through the power of fear or the expression of

The publishing of the Book will cause events similar to the Biblical account of Elijah challenging the false prophets at Mount Carmel. (1 Kings 18:17-39) The following are three comparisons between what occurred in the Bible and what is occurring today. First, Elijah approached King Ahab and told Ahab to bring the people of Israel ("People of Israel") to Mount Carmel, as well as Baal's 450 false prophets. (1 Kings 18:17-19) After Ahab followed Elijah's commands, Elijah encouraged the people to no longer be divided between two opinions: that if the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him.

“A Satire against Reason and Mankind” is a poem written by John Wilmot the Second Earl of Rochester. Two things are argued against in this poem. First, mankind and its base nature that causes men to exploit each other for seemingly no reason. Second, mankind’s ability to reason which causes them to compare themselves to God. However, at the end of the poem Rochester offers a chance for himself to be proven wrong, but only if a just man can be found. This idea of a “just man” is not Rochester believing mankind can improve, but rather it is him supporting his own argument because he knows that this man does not exist. When this “just man” is described he directly contrasts with human nature and shines a light on man’s true baseness and shows

Within two classical works of philosophical literature, notions of justice are presented plainly. Plato’s The Republic and Sophocles’ Antigone both address elements of death, tyranny and immorality, morality, and societal roles. These topics are important elements when addressing justice, whether in the societal representation or personal representation.

In the Republic, Plato proposes the complete censorship of imitative poetry from his ideal city, arguing that it corrupts individuals’ souls and therefore has a negative effect on society, resulting in injustice within the city. Although seemingly trivial at first, when considered within its proper context, the censorship of imitative poetry from the city would result in severe consequences. Throughout this essay I will discuss the political and psychological implications of its censorship, and will also refute Plato’s argument, showing how it lacks soundness: notably, through a criticism of his epistemology. Regarding the political implications of the censorship of poetry, I will draw from the ideas of Karl Popper, who argued Plato to be one of the most influential philosophers on the emergence of totalitarian regimes in the 20th century, laying the foundations for their very existence (K. Popper, 1945). I will also show how poets themselves have an important political role within cities, in that they enable the general population to hold the state accountable for their actions. To discuss the psychological implications of poetry’s censorship, I will compare the contrasting views of Plato and Aristotle regarding its effect on the soul, whereby Aristotle claims that poetry actually has beneficial, cathartic effects. Following these criticisms, it will become apparent that Plato’s proposed ban of imitative poetry is indefensible.