Libel is a verse genre primarily of the Renaissance, descended from the tradition of invective in classical Greek and Roman poetry. Libel is usually expressly political, and balder and coarser than satire. Libels were generally not published but circulated among friends and political partisans in manuscript.
In ancient Greece, invective verse generally existed in the form of epigrams written, almost always anonymously, against public figures. In Latin, the genre grew in prestige and boldness, as major authors including Juvenal and Catullus wrote extended invectives without the cushion of anonymity. One of Catullus's fiercer examples, expunged from most post-classical collections of his work until the 20th century, is Catullus 16, written against two critics:[1]
Pedicabo ego vos et irrumabo, Aureli pathice et cinaede Furi qui me ex versiculis meis putastis, quod sunt molliculi, parum podicum ...
I'll sodomize and face-fuck you, Pussy Aurelius, and Furius the sodomite Who conclude, based on my verse, Which is voluptuous, that I have gone soft ...
In 17th-century manuscript culture, in which verses were copied out and distributed among (usually aristocratic) social groups, libel achieved a new standing. At the same time, the growing power of Parliament allowed the genre a new currency, since prominent members of Parliament could be attacked with greater freedom than could royalty. Libels frequently substituted humor and scatological inventiveness for poetic quality, as in the case of this well-known and much-circulated example, "The Censure of the Parliament Fart," which was in response to an audible emission by MP Henry Ludlow in 1607:[2]
Downe came grave auntient Sir John Crooke And redd his message in his booke. Fearie well, Quoth Sir William Morris, Soe: But Henry Ludlowes Tayle cry’d Noe. Up starts one fuller of devotion Then Eloquence; and said a very ill motion Not soe neither quoth Sir Henry Jenkin The Motion was good; but for the stincking Well quoth Sir Henry Poole it was a bold tricke To Fart in the nose of the bodie politique
However, libels were also written by much better poets with considerably more technical achievement. John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester was one of the more accomplished practitioners; Rochester is still held in high esteem by literary critics.
^"Censure of the Parliament Fart". The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia. 2017-03-07. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
External links
Catullus at perseus.org
Web edition of Early Stuart Libels
August 18, 2023
libel, poetry, libel, verse, genre, primarily, renaissance, descended, from, tradition, invective, classical, greek, roman, poetry, libel, usually, expressly, political, balder, coarser, than, satire, libels, were, generally, published, circulated, among, frie. Libel is a verse genre primarily of the Renaissance descended from the tradition of invective in classical Greek and Roman poetry Libel is usually expressly political and balder and coarser than satire Libels were generally not published but circulated among friends and political partisans in manuscript Contents 1 Classical roots 2 Renaissance English examples 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksClassical roots EditIn ancient Greece invective verse generally existed in the form of epigrams written almost always anonymously against public figures In Latin the genre grew in prestige and boldness as major authors including Juvenal and Catullus wrote extended invectives without the cushion of anonymity One of Catullus s fiercer examples expunged from most post classical collections of his work until the 20th century is Catullus 16 written against two critics 1 Pedicabo ego vos et irrumabo Aureli pathice et cinaede Furi qui me ex versiculis meis putastis quod sunt molliculi parum podicum I ll sodomize and face fuck you Pussy Aurelius and Furius the sodomite Who conclude based on my verse Which is voluptuous that I have gone soft Cicero s In Pisonem a hyperbolic attack on Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus is one of the best known political examples Renaissance English examples EditIn 17th century manuscript culture in which verses were copied out and distributed among usually aristocratic social groups libel achieved a new standing At the same time the growing power of Parliament allowed the genre a new currency since prominent members of Parliament could be attacked with greater freedom than could royalty Libels frequently substituted humor and scatological inventiveness for poetic quality as in the case of this well known and much circulated example The Censure of the Parliament Fart which was in response to an audible emission by MP Henry Ludlow in 1607 2 Downe came grave auntient Sir John CrookeAnd redd his message in his booke Fearie well Quoth Sir William Morris Soe But Henry Ludlowes Tayle cry d Noe Up starts one fuller of devotionThen Eloquence and said a very ill motionNot soe neither quoth Sir Henry JenkinThe Motion was good but for the stinckingWell quoth Sir Henry Poole it was a bold trickeTo Fart in the nose of the bodie politiqueHowever libels were also written by much better poets with considerably more technical achievement John Wilmot 2nd Earl of Rochester was one of the more accomplished practitioners Rochester is still held in high esteem by literary critics See also EditMonarchomachsReferences Edit Gamo J M A 2004 Cayo Valerio Catulo poesias completas Cayo Valerio Catulo poesias completas in Spanish Ed Aache p 168 ISBN 978 84 96236 15 8 Retrieved 2022 04 27 Censure of the Parliament Fart The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia 2017 03 07 Retrieved 2022 04 27 External links EditCatullus at perseus org Web edition of Early Stuart Libels Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Libel poetry amp oldid 1133331070, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
