Samuel Butler (poet), Hudibras ( Quotes

A collection of quotes by Samuel Butler (poet), Hudibras (.

Samuel Butler was an English poet and satirist, best known for his famous mock-heroic poem, Hudibras. Butler was born in February 1612 in Strensham, Worcestershire, England. Despite his considerable literary contributions, not much is known about his early life and upbringing.

Butler's masterpiece, Hudibras, was published in three parts between 1663 and 1678. The poem, written in a highly witty and satirical style, aimed to mock and criticize the Puritans and the Roundheads, who were prominent political and religious factions during the English Civil War. Hudibras satirizes the hypocrisy and absurdity of these groups through the adventures of its eponymous anti-hero.

During his lifetime, Butler worked in various capacities as a secretary, clerk, and steward for several notable individuals, including the Countess of Kent and Sir Samuel Luke. Although he was widely respected for his intelligence and wit, Butler faced financial difficulties throughout his life. He struggled to gain recognition and financial stability as a poet, leading to his death in poverty in London in September 1680.

Samuel Butler's Hudibras became immensely popular and influential in the 17th and 18th centuries, earning him a place among the greatest satirists in English literature. His work laid the foundation for subsequent poets and satirists, including Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift. Butler's clever and biting critique of societal and political absurdities continues to entertain and enlighten readers to this day.