Hudibras

Hudibras is a satirical poem written by Samuel Butler that was first published in 1663. The poem is divided into three parts and tells the story of the eponymous character, Sir Hudibras, a Puritan knight who sets out on a series of comical adventures with his squire, Ralpho. The poem parodies the political and religious conflicts of the time, particularly the English Civil War and the rise of Puritanism. The character of Hudibras is portrayed as a pompous and self-righteous figure who is constantly making moral judgments and quoting scripture, but is ultimately shown to be hypocritical and foolish. Ralpho, on the other hand, is a more level-headed and pragmatic character who often serves as a voice of reason. Throughout the poem, Butler employs a variety of literary devices, including satire, irony, and parody, to poke fun at the social and political issues of his time. The poem is also notable for its use of rhyming couplets and its frequent references to classical literature and mythology. Despite its initial success, Hudibras fell out of favor in the 18th century and is now primarily remembered as a landmark work of English satire. Its influence can be seen in the works of later satirists such as Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope.Ah me! what perils do environ The man that meddles with cold iron! What plaguy mischiefs and mishaps Do dog him still with after-claps! For though dame Fortune seem to smile And leer upon him for a while, She'll after shew him, in the nick Of all his glories, a dog-trick.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.