Scriblerus Club | Jonathan Swift | 18th Century Literary Movement in English Literature | Chapter #7

Summary

This video explores the Scribbler's Club, a literary group formed in the early 18th century, consisting of writers like Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, John Gay, and others. The club, known for its aggressive and satirical works, avoided direct interaction among its members, preferring communication through letters. Their works, including Swift's *Gulliver's Travels* and Gay's *The Beggar's Opera*, critiqued society's hypocrisy, corruption, and moral decay. The group, using satire as a tool for social reform, produced sharp critiques aimed at exposing societal flaws, aiming to provoke change and challenge norms.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Scribbler's Club was founded around 1713-1714 by notable writers like Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, and John Gay.
• 😀 The members of the Scribbler's Club rarely met in person and communicated mostly through letters due to their strong personalities and fears of conflicts.
• 😀 Key writers in the Scribbler's Club included Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, John Gay, Thomas Parnell, and John Arbuthnot.
• 😀 The members of the Scribbler's Club were known for their aggressive and reclusive nature, with most of their communication happening through written correspondence.
• 😀 The club aimed to expose societal corruption, hypocrisy, and injustice through satire and works that critiqued social norms.
• 😀 Jonathan Swift's *Gulliver's Travels* satirized the political and social structures of the time, highlighting human flaws and societal issues.
• 😀 John Gay's *The Beggar's Opera* focused on the hypocrisy of both the rich and poor and critiqued the institution of marriage as a social construct for financial and personal gain.
• 😀 Alexander Pope's *The Dunciad* targeted the literary world and mocked false, unworthy poets, contributing to the critique of societal values.
• 😀 The Scribbler's Club members created a fictional character, Martinus Scriblerus, who served as a mouthpiece for their satirical ideas.
• 😀 The Scribbler's Club's works were not merely for mockery but aimed to bring about social reform by exposing the flaws of society.

Q & A

Who were the main members of the Scribbler's Club?

The main members of the Scribbler's Club were Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, John Gay, Thomas Parnell, and Dr. Arbuthnot.

What was the primary form of communication among the members of the Scribbler's Club?

The members of the Scribbler's Club primarily communicated through letters and messages, avoiding physical meetings due to their aggressive and individualistic personalities.

What were the key literary works produced by members of the Scribbler's Club?

Key literary works produced by the Scribbler's Club include Jonathan Swift's 'Gulliver's Travels', John Gay's 'The Beggar's Opera', and Alexander Pope's 'The Dunciad'.

Why did the members of the Scribbler's Club avoid meeting each other in person?

The members avoided meeting each other in person due to their aggressive personalities and fear that physical meetings might lead to arguments or the disintegration of the group.

What was the purpose of the Scribbler's Club's satirical works?

The purpose of their satirical works was to expose the hypocrisy, corruption, and injustice in society, with the aim of reforming and improving society.

What was the significance of the character 'Martinus Scriblerus'?

Martinus Scriblerus was a fictional character created by the Scribbler's Club members as a mouthpiece for their satirical works, representing their collective critique of society.

What does the term 'scribbler' mean in the context of the Scribbler's Club?

In the context of the Scribbler's Club, the term 'scribbler' refers to a talentless writer, and the members used it to criticize contemporary writers they deemed lacking in skill.

How did Jonathan Swift’s 'Gulliver’s Travels' contribute to the aims of the Scribbler's Club?

Jonathan Swift's 'Gulliver's Travels' contributed by satirizing human nature and the flaws in society, reflecting the club's goal of critiquing and reforming society.

What was the central theme of John Gay’s 'The Beggar's Opera'?

The central theme of John Gay’s 'The Beggar's Opera' was a critique of both the rich and the poor in society, questioning the concept of marriage and exposing the selfishness inherent in all social classes.

How does Alexander Pope’s 'The Dunciad' fit within the Scribbler's Club's literary goals?

Alexander Pope’s 'The Dunciad' fits within the Scribbler's Club's literary goals by satirizing the literary establishment and criticizing the society's lack of taste, much like other works of the club aimed at societal reform through satire.