In some 18th-century works, the emphasis on allusion and drawing inspiration from the past proved to be one of the most effective methods of composing a satirical piece. Appearing in two forms, Juvenal or Horatian, a satire is "a poem, or in modern usage sometimes a prose composition, in which the prevailing vices or follies are ridiculed" (Drabble). The first satire of the second book of Horace imitated by Alexander Pope alludes to the past as well as the present in a representative piece of Horatian satire. An example of youth satire is Samuel Johnson's London: A Poem, In Imitation of the Third Satire of Juvenal. The meaning of the allusions present in both passages is fundamental to understanding the general intention of each satire. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Alexander Pope's first imitated Second Book of Horace satire, published in London in 1733, is Pope's effort to defend himself and his satirical works by writing yet another satire (Pope 1-14) . In the poem he defends himself by alluding to some of his previous victims and subjects, declaring that satire is the truth as well as his guilty pleasure and if he stopped writing he would think / and for the life of me I can't sleep a wink /...The Fools they come to mind and then I write” (Pope 29). Writing, particularly about the follies and vices of others, is his main passion. The poem is written as a dialogue between the Pope and a friend who serves as his “learned counsel in the Law” and while the Pope justifies his satire, the friend attempts to convince him of the dangers of his writing (Pope 27). Having the piece written as a dialogue gives the reader the chance to hear a stranger's opinions as the text jumps from the friend's main concerns followed by Pope's justifications. Incorporating dialogue between one Pope and another into the poem adds an extra dimension by allowing the reader to place themselves in the text as a second character in the dialogue. The controversial nature of his allusions and arguments is the source of displeasure with his poems. . Probably, the “precise question is whether the Pope's verses constitute satire or defamation” (Maresca 366). Is he simply mocking those who appear in his works, or is he actually guilty of slander against them? Pope defends his earlier works, referring to when he wrote satires that seemed "too bold / Poor for the wise Peter complacent enough / And something said of Chartres too crude" (Pope 27). The Pope claims he wrote satire and not defamation since both references were to guilty men, so the Pope “undermines the charge of defamation in the very act of presenting it by referring to his attacks” (Maresca 367). Pope believes he is not guilty of defamation when the words he wrote were those of public opinion. He satirizes the traditional writing methods of poets simply for the pleasure and satisfaction of others such as the poet "Sir Richard, booming, rude and ferocious / With Arms and George, and Brunswick crowd the Verse", who writes what Pope considers a superficial poetry written exclusively for the affections of royalty (Pope 29) refers to what he sees as lesser poets thus providing an example to further defend the fact that he must be the one to satirize the truth otherwise no one will The Friend encourages Pope to use his poetry to "Let Caroline sweeten the melodious Lai/ Lull with the liquid Name of Amelia the Nine / And flow sweetly through all the Royal Line" because by immortalizing the royal family she has the greatest chance of immortalizing her own writing (Pope 31).he writes poems to give an idea of ​​the human condition and to discover the defects that exist in everyone. Comparing Pope's satire with Horace's original, and regarding writing poetry for the glorification of kingship, Pope and Horace's “excuse for not writing heroic poetry is literally true of them; their talents are insufficient” (Maresca 386 ). The Pope believes that royalty is unworthy of such immortalization without just cause. The Pope further alludes to the past when he professes his dedication to remaining honest and sincere in his works: My head and my heart flow thus through my pen, the man of verse or the man of prose call me which you will be, Papist or Protestant, or both, like a good Erasmus in an honest way. (Pope 33) Erasmus was one of the greatest scholars of the 16th century, known for a series of works including translations of the Bible and classics that helped revolutionize European literary culture (Drabble). Alluding to Erasmus, Popes draws a comparison between himself and another great intellectual. Erasmus wrote The Praise of Folly in 1511, which satirized church dignitaries and theologians (Drabble). Erasmus satirized others and was still considered "good" and "honest", traits with which the Pope himself wishes he and his satires could also be associated. Pope draws from the past to compare and relate them to each other, allowing the association to have a positive impact on Pope's reception among his readers. Pope further defends his use of satire in the lines: I only wear it in a land of Hectors, thieves, supercargoes, tormentors and directors, save only our army! and let Jupiter encrust swords, pikes, and rifles with everlasting rust! (Pope 35) Here the Pope alluded to the past as well as the present to defend his satire. He uses satire against the “Land of Hectors/Thieves, Supercargoes, Sharpers, and Directors” who represent the “corrupt and spoiled England” that exists in the present (Maresca 390). His inclusion of the government comes from his use of the term “minister” which “emphasizes the fact that the court is primarily responsible for the disorder of England and therefore indirectly responsible for forcing the Pope to write satire” (Maresca 391). Pope cleverly closes the circle of satire by claiming that those who criticize its use are the sources of his material for writing it. His last defense is that he has to write it down. Along with these current allusions, Pope's use of “Jupiter” alludes to the ancient Roman god, also known as Jupiter. Jupiter is the king of the gods and the allusion to him underlines the power that the Pope attributes to the concept of peace. He asks for peace by asking Jupiter to destroy the weapons of their armies, in the same way he asks his readers for peace. Samuel Johnson's London: A Poem, In Imitation of the Third Satire of Juvenal was published in London in 1738 (Johnson 1). This poem uses youthful satire to express Johnson's disappointment and disgust with the current state of his beloved city of London. As Pope did, Johnson also alludes to the past and present, although, since the poem is juvenile satire, the allusions are less playful and more abrasive and critical (Drabble). The fact that the poem is an imitation of Juvenal's Third Satire immediately associates the poem with the past. In constructing his poem in this way, each line, though different from the original, still has some connection to it. The structures and ideas within Johnson's London verse were written in a way that reflects the original, bringing the past into his new poetry. In the first stanza of the poem Johnson emphasizes the poor state of London: I praise the Hermit, but I regret the Friend, who does not resolve, from vice and distant London, to breathe in the distant fields a purer air, and, fixed on the lonely beach of Cambria, to give toSt David another true Briton. (Johnson 3) His use of the phrase “from Vice and London far” presents the reader with the association between vice and London essentially equating one to the other. London has become so corrupt and broken that it is almost synonymous with the term vice. Even a “true Briton” can no longer settle there, seeking relief where there is “purer air” (Johnson 3). His use of the term "true Briton" to describe the speaker's persona, Thales, in the poem implies a strong sense of pride, but even that pride is not powerful enough to compel you to stay in London. Thales acts as “a stereotype of the good man 'tormented' by the cowardice of his city...[who] must endure the agony of exile to survive as an 'enemy of vice'” (Bloom 116). Johnson draws a key distinction between Thales and spoiled Londoners. In presenting the image of this fractured London, Johnson reveals how society has “within the elements of its own destruction, an enemy within it that will subvert and betray it” (Varney 204). When Johnson asks "Who would leave, uncorrupted, the land of Hibernia / Or exchange the rocks of Scotland for the Strand," he draws subtle allusions to the past by using the more classical names Cambria and Hibernia to refer to Wales and Ireland (Johnson 4) . These more classical terms imply a sense of history or the overall passage of time. Some of the most powerful allusions to the past are included in the third stanza of the poem: Struck by the seat that gave birth to Eliza, We kneel and kiss the hallowed ground; in pleasant dreams the blessed age is renewed, and calls to sight the glories of Britain; behold his triumphant cross on the Main, the guard of commerce and the terror of Spain. (Johnson 5)The suggestion of the “Hallowed Land” where Queen Elizabeth was born brings to mind what is considered one of the greatest kingdoms in England. Elizabeth I ruled from 1558 to 1603, and during her successful reign she was immortalized in countless literary and artistic works (Drabble). Its inclusion in the poem draws a clear distinction between the present-day London of Johnson's poem and the London of his greater glory days. By alluding to Elizabeth I, Johnson invites the reader to consider the seriousness of her poem by forcing them to make their own comparisons between the London of the present and that of the past. Since the poem refers to one of England's most renowned political figures, it draws a stark contrast between past and current administrations. Politics plays a heavy role in influencing London and many of the failures Johnson sees in it. London “reflected and contributed to the volatile political atmosphere of 1738 and its popularity was undoubtedly enhanced by its highly engaging content and tone,” thus making it one of Johnson's most publicized works (Varney 203). Further emphasis on political issues in London in 1738 are mentioned when Johnson asks readers to "call up the glories of Britain to see / Behold her triumphant cross on the Main / The guard of commerce and terror of Spain" (Johnson 5). Looking to the past is necessary to understand Johnson's insistence that London is rapidly falling apart. Compared to the “Glories of Britain” of the past, London in 1738 appears to be in even greater chaos. It reminds readers of the days when the English army triumphed and defeated the Spanish Armada, drawing another comparison to the current lack of victories. The depth of Thales' grief at the fall of London is evident as “he is more shaken by the world he decries and may even have taken on something of its fatal, self-destructive character. He is more a product of the world he lives in and less independent” (Varney 205). This description reveals the level of, 2011.