Matthew Prior, The Viceroy, A Ballad

Pat Rogers (University of South Florida)

Ed. by Nicholas Seager, University of Keele
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.05: English Writing and Culture from the Glorious Revolution to the French Revolution, 1689-1789.
Vol. editors: Paul Baines (University of Liverpool), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Pat Rogers (University of South Florida), Nicholas Seager (University of Keele)

Dates

First circulation or publication c. 1715 - c. 1716

Places

England (Country of Origin; Publication/ performance)

Genres and Modes

Ballad
Poem

Resources

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Recommended Reading

Editors have remarked of

The Viceroy

that, ‘Of all his ballads, this is closest to the street-ballads in style’ (Wright and Spears, 2: 941). Since there are a number of poems in that category showing Prior’s mastery of the form, this is high praise. He claimed to tell the story ‘In low, but faithful rimes’ (24), a phrase that expresses the colloquial ease, use of homebred puns and proverbs, and comic archaisms that are strategically placed throughout the text. Equally, this is the most savage and uncompromising of all his poetic works, which number over three hundred (disregarding items in Latin). Even in age of plainspoken satire,

The Viceroy

stands out for its vicious particularity and unremitting hostility to its target, the almost maniacal Whig grandee, Thomas, first Earl…

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1290 words

Citation: Rogers, Pat. "The Viceroy, A Ballad". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 14 October 2020 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=39386, accessed 25 April 2024.]

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