This paper explains how satire was one of the most common tools used by writers and poets in the 17th and 18th centuries
to either attack the
political regime of the time or to highlight the ridiculous traditions of the society. It compares and contrasts three
literary works which used this form of expression for political and social purposes. From the paper: "It was a tradition in the English Literature during the seventeenth and early 18th centuries that poets and writers would often use the technique of satire either for political purposes or simply to highlight the idiosyncrasies of the society. In this regard many major English literary figures used satire in their work but while some of them used it to create a light humorous situation, others would give it a very harsh tone, which resulted in some serious problems with those who were targeted in the work."