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영어

This essay purports to read Ben Jonson's “To Sir Robert Wroth” as a satire. The poem has a norm and objects of attack as satire. The poet idealizes the virtuous life of Robert Wroth in the country, which is seen to be the norm. In his country retirement, Wroth avoids the vices of court and city. Wroth is seen to live peacefully at his country house and reject the values of court and city such as ambition and greed. Wroth’s society is regarded as the ideal society where “Freedom doth with degree dispense.” Wroth’s estate is contrasted with the twin corruptions of city and court. The vices of city and court are the poet’s objects of attack. Jonson attacks the vices of court and city from the viewpoint of the norm. First of all, Jonson attacks masquing, which is popular with the nobility. And then the poet goes on to attack city life. He attacks soldiers’ ambition. They are seen to commit sins to win their position. Next he moves to lawyers’ vices. The misers are also attacked for being obsessed with accumulating wealth. The poet moves on to criticize the court. The courtiers are criticized for making a goal of getting a place or honour. Against these twin corruptions of city and court, the poet presents Worth’s virtuous life as an alternative. In his country retirement, Wroth lives carefree and has the functions of providing jobs and hospitality to the tenants and ensuring the peace and welfare of his community. In conclusion, Jonson attacks the twin corruptions of court and city from the norm of Wroth’s virtuous life. But it seems that Wroth’s ideal society cannot stop social corruption. We can say in this poem that though Jonson celebrates Wroth’s virtuous life, ambition and greed become the norm in his society.