Second Earl Of Rochester Essay -- essays research papers

The ridiculers shared a talent for making other individuals feel uncomfortable, particularly by making them aware of their own moral inadequacies. They utilize irony, derision, and wit to attack human vice or folly. One method the satirist utilized to catch their readers attention, while also making them feel uncomfortable, was to recognise those things that were deemed inappropriate to discuss openly in society. The classical example of a topic that was discussed behind closed doors, yet the satirist used freely, was sex. Mention of such things as sex can always bring a giggle, excite feelings of hidden passion, or make atomic number 53s cheeks rosy from embarrassment. John Wilmot, Second Earl of Rochester, and Jonathan Swift, were two satirist that were noted for using perverse style and graphic depictions to elicit desired emotions from their readers and to wage their attacks on human folly.To understand Rochesters use of sex in his work, one must understand his distaste for reason. This can be seen in his poem, A Satyr Against Mankind, when he comments "Women and Men of wit, are dangrous tools, and ever fatal to admiring fools." Rochester viewed reason as a vice rather than an admirable trait in man. When man followed a course of action that was advised by reason he move into a coward who often betrayed his ideals, his family, and his friends.Rochester believed that to enjoy true happiness one must follow a course dictated by passion. Unlike reason, the passions do not betray ones senses and ideals. According to Rochester, the passions define who an individual is because the passions encompass ones emotions and desires. Reason cannot fully comprehend such a thing. Rochester highlights this belief in his poems with tales of lust and sexual innuendoes. He uses perverse language and topics not only to mock those that believe reason is the human faculty that can bring about self-satisfaction, but also to recognise to his readers that sensual ple asure is the highest pleasure because sensual pleasure is derived from passion, not reason.Rochesters poems rarely discuss love in the traditional sense rather, he discusses it in a bodily context. Naturally, this would bring about the ire in any moralist. His poems make reference to ancient figures that draw on images of mass orgies and debauchery. He often uses language that elicits images of human... ...llivers Travels not only excite the attention of the reader but they also leave the reader with a very pessimistic impression of the modern world. If Gulliver had leftover a description of a pile of soil instead of his urination procedure, the reader would perhaps view his work as boring, but not as comedic or repulsive. The tales would have lost their derogatory tone, their satirical edge, and their comedic nature had Swift not used such images.Such images and language are a bizarre element of satirical writing. Satirist wanted to attack the vices of the community and impress an image on their readers. They, however, could not accomplish this through bland social commentary. all(prenominal) literary style has certain tools to capture its audiences. The romantics used fruitful language and supernatural images. The realist used images and words that photographed how life really was. The satirist used wit, irony, sarcasm, as well as crude images and language. If they failed to use these tools then their attacks were not heeded and their words were not remembered. Rochester and Swift did not fail to use their satirical qualities and their impression on the literary world remains to this day.