Arthur Pollard (1922–2002)

An odd book- Pollard's introduction and closing chapter are both short, sharp and insightful (kind of like the best satire). In between, he lists the typical targets of satire as death, religion, love, and women... which is kind of like saying the typical subject of sports journalism is finance, labor law, monopolistic practices, and philosophical aesthetics. Um, mightn't *politics* be the typical target of satire, M. Pollard? The long chapter on modes and means is okay, but basically a ramble through some of his favorite books, which won't add anything to your reading of Swift or Waugh. The chapter on 'Tones' could have been good, but is again a ramble through...

Most importantly, this book quotes from Clough's poem 'The Latest Decalogue,' and I was very glad to have that brought to my attention:

Thou shalt have one God only; who
Would tax himself to worship two?
God's image nowhere shalt thou see,
Save haply in the currency:
Swear not at all; since for thy curse
Thine enemy is not the worse:
At church on Sunday to attend
Will help to keep the world thy friend:
Honor thy parents; that is, all
From whom promotion may befall:
Thou shalt not kill; but needst not strive
Officiously to keep alive:
Adultery it is not fit
Or safe, for women, to commit:
Thou shalt not steal; an empty feat,
When 'tis so lucrative to cheat:
False witness not to bear be strict;
And cautious, ere you contradict.
Thou shalt not covet; but tradition
Sanctions the keenest competition.

Good stuff that.

This is a book in the old 'Critical Idiom' series; a book on satire in the 'New Critical Idiom' series is meant to be released this year. I expect something substantially more 'theoretical,' with much more writing by women and non white people, that complains endlessly about the 'conservative' nature of much satirical writing. I also assume this new book will be utterly unreadable. Fingers crossed that I'm wrong.… (altro)