What Is The Use Of Satire In In The Beggar's Opera

According to Webster’s Dictionary Online, the definition of satire is, “the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues” (Definition of Satire in English). Early British literature authors created the “era of Satire” with their writing, often poking fun at parliament and royalty, heads of the church, or any other important figures of the time. By doing so, they sparked an interest in readers’ attention by bringing light to taboo subjects, or simply by writing about things that people didn’t have the courage to say. In The Beggar’s Opera, Gulliver’s Travels, Joseph Andrews, as well as a Modest Proposal, the readers
are supposed to find satire as a way to see the world for what it truly is, while learning to better themselves from it.
In the Beggar’s Opera by John Gay, there are multiple times where the Whig party of the time period is referred to through the characters and their constant want for money and power.
Two characters, Lockit and Peachum, are the examples that Gay uses for this. They both show a great want for monetary gain, but are extremely hypocritical in their methods they go about doing so. The character Peachum has made a career of turning in criminals, which goes completely against the fact that he is a criminal in his own right. More importantly though, Peachum is used as a representation of the middle class during Gay’s time, who were prosperous through their own criminal ways, yet hypocritical when condemning other criminals. As well, Lockit is much the same to Peachum with the fact he hides his criminal ways under his cover of propriety and honor in society. Lockit is the head officer of the prison, which is a respectable position of the time, though he is just as corrupt and dishonest as Peachum. Gay uses both Lockit and Peachum to show that they both are not inherently malicious or evil characters, but they are products of their society, specifically, the 18th century they thrive in. For example, Lockit believes that selfless acts or feelings towards anyone, even if it is love or just loyalty to friends, are commodities that can be used for personal gain. He believes that because such exploitation and manipulation is present within his society, it does not make sense for one not to
use it for personal gain. Lockit states this saying, “Lions, wolves, and vultures don’t live together in herds, droves, or flocks. Of all animals of prey, man is the only sociable one. Every one of us preys upon his neighbor, and yet we herd together” (2820, Vol. C). The quote is filled with irony, which fits the overall mood of Gay’s play. Saying that mankind are beasts, Gay is playing on the hypocrisy of it as a whole: vultures and lions are predators with killer instinct as well, but unlike them, mankind chooses to be social beings…thus creating a paradox within the analogy.
In Johnathan Swift’s Gulliver’s travels and A Modest Proposal, there are numerous points of satire used. Whether it is through exaggeration, mocking understatement and seriousness, Swift found many ways to get his point across through the different races and people he created within his story. One example can be found with his not-so-sentimental attitude that he created when referring to Lilliputian kids. In the story, when they are young, they are “wisely taken” away from their friends and families and handed to the State for them to raise. This can also almost be seen as identical to his earlier writing, A Modest Proposal, as he brought the idea forward that the impoverished in Ireland could or should sell their kids to England to be made into a gourmet food. Both of these examples are outlandish of course, but nevertheless they brought enormous notoriety to Swift’s work, and a great backlash from the Irish against it as well. Swift saw fit to poke fun at society in the ways we trust the government for the care of our children, especially during his time period. Even more so, he was not afraid to call out his characters and races for what they truly were. Swift states at one point, “But by what I have gathered from your own relation, and the answers I have with much pains wringed and extorted from you, I cannot but conclude the bulk of your natives to be the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth” (2562, Vol. C). The irony of the statement is that Gulliver is supposed to be explaining how essential England is, how significant it is to society and the world. Yet, no matter how hard he tries, mankind as a whole is still belittled to nothing…hinting that we are all not as grandiose as we believe. Another example can be taken from the following quote, “…I took a second leave of my master; but as I was going to prostrate myself to kiss his hoof, he did me the honor to raise it gently to my mouth” (2624, Vol. C). The satire contained in the chapters about the Houyhnhnms is so precise and subtle, that many readers to this day have trouble seeing the true message being presented. In the quote, Swift has taken what was an act of virtue, and instead turned it as a vice. The Houyhnhnms did not ask for Gulliver to kiss their hooves as if they were royalty, though they expected him to do so. Gulliver idolizes the horses, their culture and their nature, seeing that they are a pure embodiment of reason and logic. As he idolizes them, he also shows their true nature: they are unfeeling, dull, emotionless creatures. They find no pleasure in joyous activities, and essentially are emotionless. The comparison he makes many times is them to the royals of the English parliament, showing how the people idolize them and wish to be like them, when really they are emotionless, cold, and nothing like the image the people think they are.
Lastly, satire found in Henry Fielding’s Joseph Andrews is one of the key mechanisms to making to piece work.
The novel captures 18th century social life, manners, and morality all whilst mirroring realism and the faults in mankind’s nature. Throughout the work, Fielding depicts humans as vain, narcissistic, and hypocritical, all hiding each of these traits behind social class and respect. In doing so, Fielding was essentially proclaiming his version of how he truly saw society for what it is, and how everyday English social life was influenced by all these things. An example of this can be seen when looking towards his representation of women in Joseph Andrews, compared to that of 18th century women. During the time, it was not unusual for women of class to be amorous or snobbish to some extent, often flaunting their goods or wealth in society. Thus, Fielding created the characters such as Mrs. Slislop, Betty, and Lady Booby to fit these roles. Lady Booby, for example, finds Joseph’s personality and manliness to be greatly attractive, thus she tries unsuccessfully to gain a sexual advantage from him to sake her own sexual appetite. Just as Lady Booby did, Mrs. Slipslop tries her own ways to retrieve Joseph as her own lover, though she too is unsuccessful. Just as the others, Betty also falls for Joseph and tries her best to gain his favor, but she too, is rejected. Through the representation of these ladies and their actions towards Joseph in the story, Fielding is exposing
the amorous and immoral intentions that were ever prevalent within the social society of the 18th century.
Satire was not created by each of these infamous authors, but it will forever be remembered that they each helped to pioneer a movement through the inflections and intentions of their writings. Still captivating audiences and readers alike today, these stories have been written upon and had ideas based off them for centuries now…forever showing the brilliance of these authors, and the importance of satire in literature in the past, present, and hopefully the future.