Satire and Secrecy in English Literature from 1650 to 1750

This book revises assumptions about satire as a public, masculine discourse derived from classical precedents, in order to develop theoretical and critical paradigms that accommodate women, popular culture, and postmodern theories of language as a potentially aggressive, injurious act. Although Habermas places satirists like Swift and Pope in the public sphere, this book investigates their participation in clandestine strategies of attack in a world understood to be harboring dangerous secrets. Authors of anonymous pamphlets as well as major figures including Behn, Dryden, Manley, Swift, and Pope, share at times what Swift called the writer's "life by stealth"--Résumé de l'éditeur This Book Revises Assumptions About Satire As A Public, Masculine Discourse Derived From Classical Precedents, In Order To Develop Theoretical And Critical Paradigms That Accommodate Women, Popular Culture, And Postmodern Theories Of Language As A Potentially Aggressive, Injurious Act--publisher Description. Introduction. Public Versus Secret, Not Public Versus Private -- 1. A History Of Secrecy -- 2. Toward A Theory Of Satire I : Gossip And Slander -- 3. Toward A Theory Of Satire Ii : Secret History -- 4. Contracts And Promises : Speech Acts, Sex Acts, And Don Juan -- 5. Satire And Secrecy : Rereading 'the New Atalantis, ' 'gulliver's Travels, ' 'the Rape Of The Lock, ' And 'the Dunciad' -- 6. A Life By Stealth : Autobiographical Satire In Manley, Swift, And Pope -- Conclusion. Postmodernizing Satire : Irony, Conspiracy, And Paranoia. Melinda Alliker Rabb. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [207]-224) And Index. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Introduction: Public versus Secret, Not Public versus Private......Page 14 1 A History of Secrecy......Page 34 2 Toward a Theory of Satire I: Gossip and Slander......Page 60 3 Toward a Theory of Satire II: Secret History......Page 80 4 Contracts and Promises: Speech Acts, Sex Acts, and Don Juan......Page 104 5 Satire and Secrecy: Rereading The New Atalantis, Gulliver's Travels, The Rape of the Lock, and The Dunciad......Page 128 6 'A Life by Stealth': Autobiographical Satire in Manley, Swift, and Pope......Page 158 Conclusion: Postmodernizing Satire: Irony, Conspiracy, and Paranoia......Page 190 Abbreviations......Page 202 Notes......Page 204 Select Bibliography......Page 220 B......Page 238 D......Page 239 G......Page 240 I......Page 241 M......Page 242 P......Page 243 S......Page 245 V......Page 247 Z......Page 248 This book revises assumptions about satire as a public, masculine discourse derived from classical precedents, in order to develop theoretical and critical paradigms that accommodate women, popular culture, and postmodern theories of language as a potentially aggressive, injurious act. Although Habermas places satirists like Swift and Pope in the public sphere, this book investigates their participation in clandestine strategies of attack in a world understood to be harboring dangerous secrets. Authors of anonymous pamphlets as well as major figures including Behn, Dryden, Manley, Swift, and Pope, share at times what Swift called the writer's "life by stealth"--Résumé de l'éditeur "This book revises assumptions about satire as a public, masculine discourse derived from classical precedents, in order to develop theoretical and critical paradigms that accommodate women, popular culture, and postmodern theories of language as a potentially aggressive, injurious act"--From publisher description.