Libertine Virtue: Rochester's "A Satire Against Reason And Mankind"
Witty refine 'Love Poetry'
Similar, "On His Drinking Bowl" - high and witty but destroyed by diction within conclusion - ONE WORD tears the complete poem to pieces.
Wisdom literature of the Erotic Life
the erotic life can be enjoyed on multiple levels
- pornographic
- low, debased
- high, wisdom
Speaks directly about the Erotic Life -> observes the dirtiness that is taken from Eroticism and placed into everyday life -> attempts to place wisdome within the erotic
Satirists => paradigm relationship between feeling and action
=> arising from passion
-> pride}
} results in the experience of PASSION
-> value}
When one has pride and values as an inherent characteristics, then actions arising from passion may incur. Such a when one is infuriated by a misdemeanor by one's representatives.
The poem;
1. Statement of argument against the 'Reason of Humanity'
2. Critique
3. Re-asserts argument with qualification
4. Re-asserts critique of his own argument - without a qualification
5. Credo on virtue
(Re)Actions to the corruption of one's SOCIETY - popular result id to leave the corrupt society EG Corialanus
-> what if mankind is corrupt?
-> there remains no human refuge!
-> one alternative is to leave the human society to create a life of hermitage OR to rejoin NATURE
the poem has a pointed attack upon the Faculty
-> traits that are counter to poetry's tradition - point made by a personal Rochestor
-> attack upon the virute that is supported by the classic such as Aristotle, Virgil, Milton
=> our faculty to REASON is what distinguishes us from the animal kingdom
=> however it follows that if mankind is corrupt than Reason itself is corrupt! (does one not use reason to come to this conclusion?!?)
Then Rochestor sets about comparing MAN to ANIMAL
Sets a criterion of success
- That the completion of one's objectivities in daily life are criterion enough to determine which is 'better' (perhaps mode of life)
-> conlusion: MAN fails to achieve his personal tasks that in the same vain animals achieve and accomplish every waking day to survive.
OBJECTION TO REASON (and by default to tradition)
The poem, in comparison to his other works, is more Horation then it is Juvenile.
- witty figures
-> anaphora
-> chiasmus
- established dignified critique (mesure by measure)
- regulated IAMBIC rhythm
Line 94
- distinguishes between Right and Wrong REASON
-> re-description of Rochestor's Reason
-> control }
}
-> measure } } Leads to a better enjoyment of the WORLD
}
-> understanding }
Line 175 (179 ~ 216/8)
= Proveides Alternative (grammatically confusing and must be carfully read)
(Defining of) VIRTUE:
conclusory antecedent followed by consequence
IF:
-> an upright man in court can be found - PROTECT STATE
-> an honest statesman - SERVES NATION/WORLD
-> a meek priest - PRACTICES WHAT HE PREACHES
THEN:
-> 'I' would be virtuous. => honour those whom were virtuous and honour those 'shrines'.
UNTIL:
-> 'I' will be a 'pig' myself in this corrupt society ~> DESTRUCTIVE PROTEST (protest by participation)
[acute aside: Rochestor himself publicly destroyed himself in his lifestyle, when asked on his deathbed "WHY" he chose the life he lead he answered in return so that he could make a protest (mockery) of the society that he lived in]
HEART OF ARGUMENT LIES AGAINST HYPOCRISY (OF COURT/CHURCH/ARISTOCRACY)-> this is the corruption of man...to be able to justify the right and the moral in theory and yet in practice to do the opposite
libertine definition of Virtue and Corruption -> harps back to Epircurus (to enjoy life in refined pleasure) -> needless to say ths philosophy had many issues with the Aristotlian REASON