Read Jonathan Swift's poem "The Lady's Dressing Room" (1732) and Mary Wortley Montagu's response poem: "The Reasons that Induced Dr S to write a Poem call'd the Lady's Dressing room" (1734).
Think of this writing task as a close reading of both poems. Choose 2-3 terms or phrases from either poem to look up in the Oxford English Dictionary.
Using the (often multiple) definitions you've found, craft an analysis considering what is the argument Swift makes in his poem and/or what is Montagu's argument?
Are these terms/phrases part of any kind of poetic devices (satire, metaphor, alliteration, analogy, rhyme, & meter) and what vivid imagery does it convey to the reader?
Microsoft Word - swift.montagu.noted The Lady's Dressing Room By Jonathan Swift 1732 annotated by J. Lynch Five Hours, (and who can do it less in?) By haughty Celia spent in Dressing; The Goddess from her Chamber issues, Arrayed in Lace, Brocades and Tissues. Strephon, who found the Room was void, [5] And Betty otherwise employed; Stole in, and took a strict Survey, Of all the Litter as it lay; Whereof, to make the Matter clear, An Inventory follows here. [10] And first a dirty Smock appeared, Beneath the Arm-pits well besmeared. Strephon, the Rogue, displayed it wide, And turned it round on every Side. On such a Point few Words are best, [15] And Strephon bids us guess the rest; But swears how damnably the Men lie, In calling Celia sweet and cleanly. Now listen while he next produces, The various Combs for various Uses, [20] Filled up with Dirt so closely fixed, No Brush could force a way betwixt. A Paste of Composition rare, Sweat, Dandruff, Powder, Lead and Hair; A Forehead Cloth with Oil upon't [25] To smooth the Wrinkles on her Front; Here Allum Flower to stop the Steams, Exhaled from sour unsavoury Streams, There Night-gloves made of Tripsy's Hide, Bequeathed by Tripsy when she died, [30] With Puppy Water, Beauty's Help Distilled from Tripsy's darling Whelp; Here Gallypots and Vials placed, Some filled with washes, some with Paste, Some with Pomatum, Paints and Slops, [35] And Ointments good for scabby Chops. Hard by a filthy Basin stands, Fouled with the Scouring of her Hands; The Basin takes whatever comes The Scrapings of her Teeth and Gums, [40] A nasty Compound of all Hues, For here she spits, and here she spews. But oh! it turned poor Strephon's Bowels, When he beheld and smelt the Towels, Begummed, bemattered, and beslimed [45] With Dirt, and Sweat, and Ear-Wax grimed. No Object Strephon's Eye escapes, Here Petticoats in frowzy Heaps; Nor be the Handkerchiefs forgot All varnished o'er with Snuff and Snot. [50] The Stockings, why should I expose, Stained with the Marks of stinking Toes; Or greasy Coifs and Pinners reeking, Which Celia slept at least a Week in? A Pair of Tweezers next he found [55] To pluck her Brows in Arches round, Or Hairs that sink the Forehead low, Or on her Chin like Bristles grow. The Virtues we must not let pass, Of Celia's magnifying Glass. [60] When frighted Strephon cast his Eye on't It showed the Visage of a Giant. A Glass that can to Sight disclose, The smallest Worm in Celia's Nose, And faithfully direct her Nail [65] To squeeze it out from Head to Tail; For catch it nicely by the Head, It must come out alive or dead. Why Strephon will you tell the rest? And must you needs describe the Chest? [70] That careless Wench! no Creature warn her To move it out from yonder Corner; But leave it standing full in Sight For you to exercise your Spite. In vain, the Workman showed his Wit [75] With Rings and Hinges counterfeit To make it seem in this Disguise, A Cabinet to vulgar Eyes; For Strephon ventured to look in, Resolved to go thro' thick and thin; [80] He lifts the Lid, there needs no more, He smelt it all the Time before. As from within Pandora's Box, When Epimetheus op'd the Locks, A sudden universal Crew [85] Of humane Evils upwards flew; He still was comforted to find That Hope at last remained behind; So Strephon lifting up the Lid, To view what in the Chest was hid. [90] The Vapours flew from out the Vent, But Strephon cautious never meant The Bottom of the Pan to grope, And fowl his Hands in Search of Hope. O never may such vile Machine [95] Be once in Celia's Chamber seen! O may she better learn to keep "Those Secrets of the hoary deep!" As Mutton Cutlets, Prime of Meat, Which tho' with Art you salt and beat, [100] As Laws of Cookery require, And toast them at the clearest Fire; If from adown the hopeful Chops The Fat upon a Cinder drops, To stinking Smoke it turns the Flame [105] Pois'ning the Flesh from whence it came; And up exhales a greasy Stench, For which you curse the careless Wench; So Things, which must not be expressed, When plumped into the reeking Chest; [110] Send up an excremental Smell To taint the Parts from whence they fell. The Petticoats and Gown perfume, Which waft a Stink round every Room. Thus finishing his grand Survey, [115] Disgusted Strephon stole away Repeating in his amorous Fits, Oh! Celia, Celia, Celia shits! But Vengeance, Goddess never sleeping Soon punished Strephon for his Peeping; [120] His foul Imagination links Each Dame he sees with all her Stinks: And, if unsav'ry Odours fly, Conceives a Lady standing by: All Women his Description fits, [125] And both Idea's jump like Wits: By vicious Fancy coupled fast, And still appearing in Contrast. I pity wretched Strephon blind To all the Charms of Female Kind; [130] Should I the Queen of Love refuse, Because she rose from stinking Ooze? To him that looks behind the Scene, Satira's but some pocky Quean. When Celia in her Glory shows, [135] If Strephon would but stop his Nose; (Who now so impiously blasphemes Her Ointments, Daubs, and Paints and Creams, Her Washes, Slops, and every Clout, With which he makes so foul a Rout;) [140] He soon would learn to think like me, And bless his ravished Sight to see Such Order from Confusion sprung, Such gaudy Tulips raised from Dung. Notes 5. The names Strephon and Celia come from classical pastoral poetry or romance. 6. Betty is the generic name for a maidservant. 24. Lead was used as a cosmetic to whiten the face. 26. Front, "forehead." 27. Allum flower, or powdered alum, is used as an antiperspirant. 29. Tripsy, a typical name of a lapdog. 32. Whelp, "puppy." 33. Gallypots, "jars." 35. Pomatum, "ointment for the hair." 37. Hard, "near." 48. Frowzy, "messy." 53. Coifs and Pinners, "night caps." 60. Glass, "mirror." 83. Pandora’s Box: From Greek mythology, this refers to the box that Zeus gave to Pandora. She was told not to open it, but she gave in to curiosity; as she opened it, all the miseries and evils of the world flew out—except one, hope—and that’s why we have suffering in the world. She is an Eve figure in Greek mythology. Epimethus (84) was her husband, created by Zeus. Epimethus was warned never to accept a gift from the gods, but he did— the box that Pandora opened. 95. Machine, "Any complicated piece of workmanship" (Johnson). 98. "Those Secrets of the hoary deep": See Paradise Lost, 2.890-91: "Before their eyes in sudden view appear/The secrets of the hoary Deep." 99. Mutton: Meat from an older, mature sheep. Very rich in flavor, this is less tender and delicate than lamb. 134. Satira, the heroine of The Rival Queens by Nathaniel Lee; quean, "A worthless woman, generally a strumpet" (Johnson). Pocky suggests either smallpox or a venereal disease. The Reasons that Induced Dr. S. to write a Poem called "The Lady's Dressing Room” by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu 1732 annotated by T. Howe The Doctor in a clean starched band, His golden snuff box in his hand, With care his diamond ring displays And artful shows its various rays, While grade he stalks down ----- street [5] His dearest Betty ----- to meet. Long had he waited for this hour, Nor gained admittance to the bower, Had joked and punned, and swore and writ, Tried all his gallantry and wit, [10] Had told her oft what part he bore In Oxford's schemes in days of yore, But bawdy, politics, nor satire Could move this dull hard hearted creature. Jenny her maid could taste a rhyme [15] And, grieved to see him lose his time, Had kindly whispered in his ear, "For twice two pound you enter here; My lady vows without that sum It is in vain you write or come." [20] The destined offering now he brought, And in a paradise of thought, With a low bow approached the dame, Who smiling heard him preach his flame. His gold she takes (such proofs as these [25] Convince most unbelieving shes) And in her trunk rose up to lock it (Too wise to trust it in her pocket) And then, returned with blushing grace, Expects the doctor's warm embrace. [30] But now this is the proper place Where morals stare me in the face, And for the sake of fine expression I'm forced to make a small digression. Alas for wretched humankind, [35] With learning mad, with wisdom blind! The ox thinks he's for saddle fit (As long ago friend Horace writ) And men their talents still mistaking, The stutterer fancies his is speaking. [40] With