The differences in the style and judgement of the three writers are exemplified in this examination of their satires
A detailed analysis of the major satires of three English writers is presented in an unusual and thought-provoking discussion. Special emphasis is placed on Waugh’s metaphorical use of architecture and landscape; Orwell’s two most famous works are analyzed, as well as some of the infrequently discussed satirical essays, with emphasis on the works as literature, not as documentaries, propaganda, or prophecy; and Huxley’s portrayal of the progressive alienation of man and nature and the growth of hedonism is examined. Mr. Greenblatt extracts the basic characteristics of all satire, and shows that, despite their different backgrounds, Waugh, Orwell, and Huxley demonstrate that a “demonic spiral” or circle is central to almost all satire, for it is the form on which are disposed the details of each work. A 1964 graduate of Yale, Mr. Greenblatt is a Fulbright scholar at Cambridge University. Yale College Series, 3.
Copyright 1965 by Yale University, Fourth Printing, October 1966.
“His chapters on Waugh, Orwell, and Huxley are distinguished by a clear style and a fresh look at certain characteristic patterns. But even more impressive than these individual studies in Greenblatt’s conclusions on the nature of satire.”
“A lively introduction to modern satire.”
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