Debating Women: Reading Augustan Verse

Abstract

Some of the works of Swift and Pope use satiric bite towards gender and sexuality. Moreover, their misogynistic attitude towards female and feminine virtues, and characters had sparked controversy. Women poets of their time mocked at their misogynistic attitude. Misogynistic impact on Pope and Swift has been much discussed in terms of their physical appearance and the reality that they were life-long bachelors. Swift hates human pride, or the illusion that we can rise above the sinfulness and frailty that are our nature impure, fallen creatures and he never misses a chance to shatter that illusion. Hence women, associated romantically with beauty and love, must be dragged down to earth and have their cosmetics rubbed off. His focus on bodily function in “The Lady’s Dressing Room”has often been ascribed to a fixation or frustrated desire, as in Lady Mary Wortley Montagu’s counterattack. Pope, like Swift, attracts attack on his misogynistic attitude from some female poets of his time. Despite his patronizing attitude towards female wit as in the exchange with Lady Winchilsea, he certainly takes a strong interest in female and domestic arrangement. Anne Irwin and Mary Leapor dismisses Pope’s characterization of women.