Short Poetry and Prose: Satire

My favourite writings from this week were Swift's "The Lady's Dressing Room" and Montagu's "The Reasons that Induced Dr. S[wift] to Write a Poem Called the Lady's Dressing Room". I have read Swift's poems several times before but I do not recall having read Montagu's poem before. It was extremely entertaining. I am interested to hear what we are going to learn about the background between Montagu and Swift because I am sure there must be a story behind it. The first poem I actually found quite entertaining on its own simply because of how the man was describing Celia. It struck me funny because there is a very good chance that he is not all that sanitary either. After all this was a time when yearly baths were common place. It was also funny because of the things he was commenting on. He comments on a dirty smock, and her pot that she used for the washroom as if it would be surprising for such things as her undershirt and her excrement to smell bad. Montagu's response is of course entertaining because it describes Swift being with a prostitute and being unable to perform and blaming her. When she says that she will not return his money he says that he will write a poem describing how disgusting her bed chamber is, but this does not seem to phase her. Oh it is funny when men scorn a female poet.