Triumph Of Bigotry

By Thomas Moore

            College.--We announced, in our last that Lefroy and Shaw were returned. They were chaired yesterday; the Students of the College determined, it would seem, to imitate the mob in all things, harnessing themselves to the car, and the Masters of Arts bearing Orange flags and bludgeons before, beside, and behind the car."             Dublin Evening Post, Dec. 20, 1832.     Ay, yoke ye to the bigots' car,         Ye chosen of Alma Mater's scions;-     Fleet chargers drew the God of War,         Great Cybele was drawn by lions,     And Sylvan Pan, as Poet's dream,     Drove four young panthers in his team.     Thus classical Lefroy, for once, is,         Thus, studious of a like turn-out,     He harnesses young sucking dunces,         To draw him as their Chief about,     And let the world a picture see     Of Dulness yoked to Bigotry:     Showing us how young College hacks     Can pace with bigots at their backs,     As tho' the cubs were born to draw     Such luggage as Lefroy and Shaw,     Oh! shade of Goldsmith, shade of Swift,         Bright spirits whom, in days of yore,     This Queen of Dulness sent adrift,         As aliens to her foggy shore;---     Shade of our glorious Grattan, too,         Whose very name her shame recalls;     Whose effigy her bigot crew         Reversed upon their monkish walls,[1]--     Bear witness (lest the world should doubt)         To your mute Mother's dull renown,     Then famous but for Wit turned out,         And Eloquence turned upside down;     But now ordained new wreaths to win,         Beyond all fame of former days,     By breaking thus young donkies in         To draw M.P.s amid the brays         Alike of donkies and M.A.s;--         Defying Oxford to surpass 'em         In this new "Gradus ad Parnassum."

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Analysis & Notes:
This unnamed poem offers a biting critique of the academic and political culture of its time, using satire and imagery to communicate its commentary. The poet employs the allegory of a carriage drawn by unqualified or unworthy individuals ("young sucking dunces") to underscore perceived failings in leadership ("Lefroy and Shaw") and to criticize the institution ("Alma Mater's scions") that supports them. The theme of misguided authority, symbolized by the carriage, is a recurring motif throughout.

Vividly rendered classical references, such as the God of War's “Fleet chargers” and “Great Cybele” being drawn by lions, serve to mock the contrast between these esteemed figures and the subject of the poem, thus intensifying the satire. The poet's tone is scornful, underscored by the strategic use of ironic or disparaging terms like "bigots", "dunces", and "Dulness yoked to Bigotry". This satirical approach is further emphasized by the structure of the verses, which often lead to a punchline or pointed commentary. Noteworthy literary devices include the use of internal rhyme and metonymy, with "M.P.s" and "M.A.s" representing the wider political and academic systems. Additionally, the poem's closing lines offer a clear denouncement, asserting that this flawed system could not be surpassed even by the renowned Oxford, illustrating the depth of the poet's disdain.

Understanding Satirical Poetry

Satirical poems use wit, irony, exaggeration, and ridicule to expose folly—personal, social, or political. The aim isn’t just laughter: it’s critique that nudges readers toward insight or change.


Common characteristics of satirical poetry:

  • Targeted Critique: Focuses on specific behaviors, institutions, or ideas—often timely, sometimes timeless.
  • Tools of Irony: Uses sarcasm, parody, understatement, and hyperbole to sharpen the point.
  • Voice & Persona: Speakers may be unreliable or exaggerated to reveal contradictions and hypocrisy.
  • Form Flexibility: Appears in couplets, tercets, quatrains, blank verse, or free verse—music serves the mockery.
  • Moral Pressure: Beneath the humor lies ethical pressure—satire seeks reform, not merely amusement.
  • Public & Personal: Can lampoon public figures and trends or needle private vanities and everyday pretenses.

The best satire balances bite with craft: memorable lines that entertain while revealing the gap between how things are and how they ought to be.