Browse Items (7 total)

Candide by Voltaire is a satirical novella that follows a series of characters as they navigate a world filled with hardship and absurdity. Despite endless misfortunes, the characters cling to the optimistic philosophy that "all is for the best in…

This is a poem excerpt from a 1722 newspaper. It includes a political call to action against the Stamp Act of 1712, stating, "No Stamp, no Track of Acts like these remain." Most people are familiar with the Stamp Act of 1765, but the Stamp Act of…

The Licensing Act of 1737 marked the beginning of a formal system of theatrical censorship in Britain. It effectively silenced oppositional voices on the stage. It gave the state the power to shut down productions, edit scripts, and blacklist…

The Festival of the Golden Rump is a visual satire, circulated in the popular political paper Common Sense or The Englishman's Journal. Its main purpose was to critique governmental overreach and manipulation during King George II's rule. At the…

The Rape of the Lock' is a satirical narrative poem about a petty squabble between two aristocratic families. A young man cut off a lock of hair from a young woman without her consent, which caused quite a scandal in high society. Pope, who…

This is the first page of Samuel Johnson's periodical essay, The Rambler No. 11. In this essay, Johnson analyzes the social and personal implications of individuals lacking emotional control. There is a very theatrical leading letter that embodies…

Anthony Benezet instructing colored children