- Born:
- April 1, 1647, Ditchley Manor House, Oxfordshire, Eng.
- Died:
- July 26, 1680, Woodstock, Eng. (aged 33)
- Notable Works:
- “Satyr Against Mankind”
- Movement / Style:
- Court Wit
John Wilmot, 2nd earl of Rochester
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Who was John Wilmot, 2nd earl of Rochester?
John Wilmot, 2nd earl of Rochester (1647–1680), was a prominent figure in the Restoration court of Charles II, known for his wit and poetry. He gained the earldom in 1658 and was granted an annual pension by Charles II, who also appointed a tutor for him. After traveling for three years, he became a leader among the court wits and was notorious for his debauchery and affairs.
Rochester is regarded as the most learned and talented poet among the Restoration wits. He was a satirist, with works like History of Insipids and A Satyr Against Mankind. In his later years, Rochester's health declined, and he turned to philosophy and religion, experiencing a religious conversion before his death.
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When and where did he live?
John Wilmot, the 2nd Earl of Rochester, was born on April 1, 1647, at Ditchley Manor House in Oxfordshire, England, and died on July 26, 1680, in Woodstock, England. In 1658, Wilmot inherited his father's earldom, and in 1661, he earned his M.A. from Oxford. Afterward, he traveled the Continent for three years until 1664. In 1674, Rochester was appointed ranger of Woodstock Forest, where he subsequently penned much of his later poetry.
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What kind of poetry did he write?
John Wilmot, the 2nd Earl of Rochester, was a court wit and English poet who helped establish English satiric poetry. Rochester is considered the most learned and considerable poet among the Restoration wits.
His works included:
* Love songs with passionate intensity
* Erotic celebrations of physical pleasures
* Original and powerful satires, like "History of Insipids"
* Lyrics with psychological grasp and phrasing
* Verse satire on contemporary society, such as "A Letter from Artemisia in the Town, to Chloë in the Country"2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What made his poems unique or controversial?
John Wilmot, the 2nd Earl of Rochester, stands out as a unique and controversial figure in English literature due to his bold and often scandalous approach to poetry. As a court wit during the Restoration period, Rochester's poems were known for their eroticism and satirical nature, which challenged the norms of his time.
His works often denounced rationalism and optimism, displaying a scathing view of humanity's folly. Rochester's willingness to explore themes of libertinism, materialism, and nihilism set him apart, making him both admired and criticized for his unflinching portrayal of society and the human condition.
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How did his lifestyle influence his writing?
John Wilmot, the 2nd Earl of Rochester, was a court wit known for his wild and debauched lifestyle, which significantly influenced his writing. As a leader among the Restoration court, his experiences and relationships, including those with mistresses like Elizabeth Barry, found expression in his bold and erotic poetry, celebrating the pleasures of the flesh.
Rochester's satirical works, such as "History of Insipids" and "A Satyr Against Mankind," reflect his critical view of the government and his denunciation of rationalism, influenced by his observations and experiences within the court. Even as his health declined and he turned to more serious matters, his earlier life experiences shaped his unique and powerful satirical voice.
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How is John Wilmot remembered in English literature today?
John Wilmot, the 2nd Earl of Rochester, is remembered as a court wit and poet who helped establish English satiric poetry. He is considered the most considerable poet and learned among the Restoration wits.
Rochester's works range from passionate love songs to bold, erotic celebrations and original, powerful satires. His "History of Insipids" attacked Charles II's government, and "A Satyr Against Mankind" anticipated Jonathan Swift's denunciations of rationalism. His poetry often reflects his libertinism, philosophical skepticism, and experiments with verse satire. Today, Rochester is recognized for his significant contributions to Restoration literature, particularly his satirical and lyrical verse.
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John Wilmot, 2nd earl of Rochester (born April 1, 1647, Ditchley Manor House, Oxfordshire, Eng.—died July 26, 1680, Woodstock, Eng.) was a court wit and poet who helped establish English satiric poetry.
Wilmot succeeded his father to the earldom in 1658, and he received his M.A. at Oxford in 1661. Charles II, probably out of gratitude to the 1st earl, who had helped him to escape after the Battle of Worcester (1651), gave the young earl an annual pension and appointed Sir Andrew Balfour, a Scottish physician, as his tutor. They travelled on the Continent for three years until 1664.
On his return, as a leader of the court wits, Rochester became known as one of the wildest debauchees at the Restoration court, the hero of numerous escapades, and the lover of various mistresses. Among them was the actress Elizabeth Barry, whom he is said to have trained for the stage, and an heiress, Elizabeth Malet. He volunteered for the navy and served with distinction in the war against the Dutch (1665–67). In 1667 he married Elizabeth Malet and was appointed a gentleman of the bedchamber to the king. In 1673 John Dryden dedicated to Rochester his comedy Marriage A-la-Mode in complimentary terms, acknowledging his help in writing it.
Rochester is generally considered to be the most considerable poet and the most learned among the Restoration wits. A few of his love songs have passionate intensity; many are bold and frankly erotic celebrations of the pleasures of the flesh. He is also one of the most original and powerful of English satirists. His “History of Insipids” (1676) is a devastating attack on the government of Charles II, and his “Maim’d Debauchee” has been described as “a masterpiece of heroic irony.” A Satyr Against Mankind (1675) anticipates Swift in its scathing denunciation of rationalism and optimism and in the contrast it draws between human perfidy and folly and the instinctive wisdom of the animal world.
In 1674 Rochester was appointed ranger of Woodstock Forest, where much of his later poetry was written. His health was declining, and his thoughts were turning to serious matters. His correspondence (dated 1679–80) with the Deist Charles Blount shows a keen interest in philosophy and religion, further stimulated by his friendship with Gilbert Burnet, later bishop of Salisbury. Burnet recorded their religious discussions in Some Passages of the Life and Death of John, Earl of Rochester (1680). In 1680 he became seriously ill and experienced a religious conversion, followed by a recantation of his past; he ordered “all his profane and lewd writings” burned.
His single dramatic work, the posthumous Valentinian (1685), an attempt to rehandle a tragedy of John Fletcher’s, contains two of his finest lyrics. His letters to his wife and to his friend Henry Savile are among the best of the period and show an admirable mastery of easy, colloquial prose.