The Feast of the Fishes: Satire, Slavery and Romantic-Period Children’s Literature

The pseudonymously authored The Feast of the Fishes (1808) is one of several ‘papillonades’ published for children in the early nineteenth century. Like other papillonades, this short poem depicts anthropomorphic animals in order to offer a satirical perspective on the conventions of polite society. The poem’s playful mock-heroic tone is, however, undermined by its depiction of a shark in pursuit of a slave ship. The image of sharks following slave ships was a potent symbol in abolitionist discourse, but its appearance within this comedic context makes its intended impact difficult to discern. In what spirit is this disturbing image offered? How are readers to make sense of the scarcely veiled horror of what is being depicted both verbally and visually? Addressing these questions, this article reassesses the generic identity of children’s literature and its relationship to the satirical and political discourse of the Romantic period.