A Letter from Artemizia in the Town, to Chloë in the Country
Quick Summary
A Letter from Artemisia in the Town, to Chloë in the Country is a satirical work by John Wilmot, the 2nd earl of Rochester, written around 1675. It is considered one of his most brilliant satires on contemporary society.1
The poem uses a "Chinese box" structure, a narrative technique where a story is embedded within another story, to mask the author's own opinions. This work is noted for its shrewd ear for fashionable idioms and is seen as anticipating Jonathan Swift's use of irony. Rochester was a prominent figure among the "court wits" of the Restoration period, known for his poetry and sharp satire.12
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
