Poetry - Satirical Elegy

Question 1

When was ‘A Satirical Elegy…’ written?

Answer 1

1722

Question 2

Who was ‘A Satirical Elegy…’ written about?

Answer 2

It’s about the death of John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough

Question 3

How did Jonathan Swift witness the effects of English colonisers?

Answer 3

He was a protestant minister in Dublin, Ireland

Question 4

Why did Swift write ‘A Satirical Elegy…’?

Answer 4

He wanted to alert the public about pompous, self important aristocrats + politicians whose practice brought misery and common people.

Question 5

What is satire?

Answer 5

• Exposes/criticizes foolishness + corruption of an individual or society using humour irony and exaggeration
• Laughing 𝒂𝒕 them → sometimes cruel

Question 6

What is juvenalian satire?

Answer 6

Bitter ironic criticism of contemporary persons + institutions

Question 7

Describe what happens in ‘A satirical Elegy…’

Answer 7

• Speaker reacts to news of Churchill’s death with invective
• Describes funeral procession and points out the Dukes ‘achievements’ in creating widows and orphans
• Then broadens focus to criticise all aristocracy and how it is favoured by monarchy
• Finally, returns focus to Churchill

Question 8

Give 5 attitudes Swift has towards Churchill in ‘A satirical Elegy…’

Answer 8

• 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻 towards churchill and similar aristocrats
• 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 towards his poor leadership
• 𝗚𝗹𝗲𝗲 in knowing he will be judged by God
• 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 his poor leadership
• 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 the aristocracy

Question 9

What effect does the structure of ‘A satirical Elegy…’ have?

Answer 9

One stanza has the effect of:

• Making Swift’s invective seem never-ending (no pauses for thought/reflection)
• Preventing any ideas of a counter argument

Question 10

How does Swift use tone to convey meaning in a ‘A satirical Elegy…’?

Answer 10

• Mock surprise opens the poem dramatically
• Colloquial, casual tone adds to the disrespect
• Rhyming couplets add an inappropriately jaunty tone to the biting satire

Question 11

Give some literary context for ‘A satirical Elegy…’

Answer 11

Swift uses an elegy form to create satire

Question 12

What is an elegy?

Answer 12

a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead

Question 13

Give 4 comic concepts in ‘A satirical Elegy…’

Answer 13

• Comic villain (Churchill)
• Mockery and ridicule of the upper class
• Exaggeration
• Sarcasm