John Gay's poetry is a rich tapestry that weaves together the cultural and intellectual threads of the Augustan Age. His mastery of satire, along with his ability to don different personas, sets him apart as a distinctive voice among his contemporaries. From his early works to his later fables, Gay's versatility and keen observational skills provide a window into the world of 18th-century England.

The Role of the Augustan Satirist

To comprehend John Gay’s poetry, it is essential to explore the persona of the Augustan satirist—a figure embodied by Swift, among others, with meticulous intensity. Gay's ability to craft and manipulate his persona allowed him to navigate the satirical landscape with unparalleled dexterity. In his early poetry, such as Wine, The Fan, Rural Sports, and The Shepherd’s Week, he adopted the guise of a sophisticated, world-weary observer, blending classical influences with a sharp eye for the rustic and the mundane. As his career progressed, particularly in works like the 1727 Fables and To a Lady on Her Passion for Old China, Gay took on an air of quiet but piercing morality. In his later works, he attempted a more direct approach, aiming to reconcile the intellectual and artistic tastes of his audience with his own moral imperatives.

Early Works and Imitation

Gay’s initial foray into poetry with Wine demonstrated his familiarity with the mock-heroic form and his budding command of humorous exaggeration. Written in blank verse, the poem reflects both the influence of John Philips’s Cyder and Gay's penchant for depicting the seedier aspects of London life. Although Wine never rose above the level of an academic exercise, it hinted at the potential for more substantial work to come.

In The Shepherd’s Week, Gay continued to grapple with the challenges of imitation. Tasked by Alexander Pope to satirize Ambrose Philips’s pastoral poems, Gay managed to forge a personal connection with rural England while simultaneously paying homage to Edmund Spenser’s The Shepheardes Calender. The result was a mix of influences, a self-aware blend of satire and sincerity that Gay prefaced with an apologetic "Proem to the Courteous Reader."

The Power of Fables

Gay's fables, composed for the young Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, represent some of his most celebrated work. These fifty-one poems, rich with wit and lively verse, resonate with both young and old. Although Gay drew inspiration from predecessors like Jean de La Fontaine, he successfully captured a sense of worldly wisdom unique to his style. Through these fables, Gay envisioned a moral world that aimed to transcend the superficiality of his age, offering stories like "The Elephant and the Bookseller" and "The Hare and Many Friends" that continue to captivate audiences.

Trivia and Legacy

Despite the enduring charm of his poetry, Gay's reputation has often been overshadowed by the perception of his work as trivial. His poem Trivia, alongside his fables, cemented his reputation as a poet of the minor and the whimsical. Literary figures like Samuel Johnson and Joseph Warton critiqued Gay for lacking depth, yet they perhaps missed the subtle satirical reshaping of contemporary values and scenes. In poems like To a Lady on Her Passion for Old China, Gay employed a gentle mockery towards pretentious intellectualism, maintaining a detached civility that set him apart from his peers.

Moral and Religious Themes

While Gay was not overtly religious, his poetry often explored moral and philosophical themes. In works like "A Thought on Eternity" and "A Contemplation on Night," he contrasted the fleeting nature of earthly life with the infinite expanse of eternity. He admired the Newtonian sky...