Study Questions On Swift The Lady's Dressing Room And Montag

study Questions On Swift The Ladys Dressing Room And Montagu T

Study Questions on Swift, “The Lady’s Dressing Room” and Montagu, “The Reasons that Induced Dr. Swift to Write a Poem Called the Lady’s Dressing Room”: The lady’s dressing room: The Reasons that Induced Dr. Swift to Write a Poem Called the Lady’s Dressing Room: 1). In the final lines of “The Lady’s Dressing Room,” the speaker seeks to distance himself from Strephon. Is he persuasive when he claims that his view of women differs dramatically from Strephon’s? Why or why not? Why do you think that Montagu’s portrayal of the prostitute differs from Swift’s portrayal of the woman that Strephon visits? Why do you think she portrays the prostitute in the way that she does? Why do you think that Montagu characterizes Swift as visiting a prostitute? What does she seek to reveal about Swift (from her perspective)?

Study Questions on Leapor’s “An Essay on Woman” and Montagu’s “The Lover: A Ballad”: 1). Why, specifically, might Leapor’s own life be useful in interpreting “An Essay on Woman”? [Note: There are good, if brief, biographies of Leapor here and here]. 2). How might “An Essay on Woman” be seen in relationship to Pope’s “An Essay on Man”? 3). Is Montagu’s “The Lover: A Ballad” more optimistic than Leapor is about the obstacles that women face? If so, how? If not, why not?

Study Questions on Astell’s “Some Reflections on Marriage”: 1). Why, specifically, does Astell argue that there is very little difference between a marriage based on a man’s love for a woman, and a marriage based on a man’s desire for a woman’s money? 2). Why, specifically, does Astell think that “improving” women will challenge customary notions of marriage? 3). How does Astell say that men might benefit if women were “improved”? Does she think this will actually happen? Why or why not?

Paper For Above instruction

The exploration of 18th-century perspectives on gender, morality, and societal critique through the works of Swift, Montagu, Leapor, and Astell reveals a complex landscape of attitudes toward women, love, and societal roles. These writers employ satire, personal reflection, and normative critique to challenge prevailing notions, encouraging a reevaluation of gendered expectations and moral standards of their time.

In Jonathan Swift’s “The Lady’s Dressing Room,” the speaker’s final distancing from Strephon’s naïve idealization of women underscores a cynical view of female vanity and bodily concealment. Swift’s portrayal, heavily satiric, reveals the unglamorous reality behind the superficial beauty women project. When the speaker claims that his view of women diverges dramatically from Strephon’s, it can be seen as persuasive because it exposes the often-ignored physical and bodily realities, challenging romanticized notions of female perfection (Swift, 1732). Swift’s satire aims to demystify Lady’s beauty, emphasizing the deception and triviality of superficial appearances, thus persuading the reader of a more pragmatic, unromantic reality.

Contrastingly, Montagu’s portrayal of the prostitute in her critique differs significantly from Swift’s depiction. Montagu’s focus tends to humanize the prostitute, viewing her as a victim of societal exploitation rather than merely an object of ridicule. This portrayal reflects her broader feminist agenda, seeking to critique societal hypocrisy and the commodification of female sexuality (Montagu, 1714). Montagu’s depiction seeks to reveal the vulnerability and moral complexity behind such figures, emphasizing societal culpability rather than moral condemnation.

Regarding Montagu’s characterization of Swift as visiting a prostitute, her critique aims to unveil perceived hypocrisy. Montagu seeks to portray Swift as embodying the very moral contradictions he often criticizes, exposing a supposed inconsistency between his satirical voice and personal behavior. From her perspective, this reveals the often-hidden flaws and hypocrisies among societal elites, emphasizing the importance of moral honesty and social reform.

Moving to the poetic and philosophical reflections of Leapor and Montagu, their works offer contrasting visions of women’s societal obstacles. Anne Leapor’s “An Essay on Woman” can be better interpreted considering her own life circumstances—her modest background and personal struggles lend authenticity and urgency to her advocacy for women’s intellectual and moral improvement (Leapor, early 18th century). Her tone combines wit and earnestness, arguing that women possess the capacity for virtue and rationality deserving of societal respect.

Leapor’s work also bears a relationship to Pope’s “An Essay on Man,” as both address human nature within a societal framework, but Leapor’s tone is more direct and emotionally engaged, emphasizing women’s individuality and moral agency (Pope, 1734). Pope tends toward abstract philosophical universalism, while Leapor advocates for tangible improvements in women’s lives aligned with moral virtue.

In comparison, Montagu’s “The Lover: A Ballad” exhibits a more optimistic attitude toward women’s obstacles than Leapor’s tone of realist critique. Montagu’s ballad subtly celebrates love and female desire, suggesting that genuine emotional connection can transcend societal inequalities, thus offering a more hopeful outlook (Montagu, 1714). If Leapor’s tone is more grounded in societal critique, Montagu’s maintains a romantic optimism about love’s potential to challenge social barriers.

Turning to Mary Astell’s “Some Reflections on Marriage,” her arguments are rooted in a critique of marriage’s commodification and the unequal power dynamics. Astell asserts that marriage based on love and marriage based on monetary desire are essentially indistinguishable because both diminish women’s autonomy by reducing their worth to transactional value (Astell, 1700). She advocates for women’s intellectual improvement as a means to challenge traditional notions of marriage, proposing that educated women can engage as moral equals rather than possessions (Astell, 1700). Such educational progress, Astell believes, will alter societal expectations, fostering marriages grounded in mutual understanding rather than economic necessity.

Astell also discusses potential benefits for men if women were “improved,” suggesting that enlightened women could contribute more meaningfully to society and family life, thus elevating the moral fabric of society. However, she is skeptical about whether such societal improvements will occur naturally; her writings reflect a hope rooted in moral and educational reform rather than an optimistic expectation of inevitable change (Astell, 1700). Her call for reform embodies the Enlightenment ideals of reason, autonomy, and equality, challenging reproductive and social norms of her time.

In conclusion, these authors collectively challenge conventional perspectives on women’s roles, morality, and societal expectations. Their works advocate for honesty, moral improvement, and societal reform, emphasizing that genuine change requires moral and intellectual development. Their writings remain influential as early voices in feminist thought, highlighting the importance of integrity, education, and societal critique in progressing toward equality (Showalter, 1985; Abrams, 2004). The enduring relevance of their ideas underscores the importance of critical engagement with gender and societal issues, a discourse that continues to evolve today.

References

• Abrams, M. H. (2004). The Norton Anthology of English Literature. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Leapor, A. (early 18th century). An Essay on Woman. (Historical text)
• Pope, A. (1734). An Essay on Man. (Poetry)
• Montagu, M. (1714). The Reasons that Induced Dr. Swift to Write a Poem Called the Lady’s Dressing Room. (Essay/Satire)
• Swift, J. (1732). The Lady’s Dressing Room. (Poem)
• Showalter, E. (1985). Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness. Critical Inquiry, 11(2), 263-290.
• Wootton, A. (2010). The Political Writings of Mary Astell. (Collected essays)
• Gordon, S. (1994). The Universal Self: Three Studies on Selfhood. Harvard University Press.
• McGann, J. (2001). The Romantic Ideology. University of Chicago Press.
• Johnson, D. (2007). Women and Enlightenment Philosophy. Routledge.