Jonathan Swift: 1667-1745

1
Jonathan Swift 1667-1745

• Born in Dublin, Ireland.
• At 19, he was employed by Sir William Temple, a
  powerful English statesman.
• Tutored 8-year-old Esther Stella Johnson.
• Developed Ménières Syndrome, a disturbance of
  the inner ear.
• 1694 Became Deacon and later Priest in Dublin

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Biography contd.

• 1696 Returned to Temples service. Temple died
  in1699. Swift held series of clerical jobs in
  Ireland.
• 1704 Wrote Tale of the Tub satire on
  corruptions in religion and learning. Also Battle
  of the Books, a mock-epic on the debate between
  Ancients and Moderns.

3
Biography contd.

• 1707 Involved with The Tatler. Uses pseudonym
  Issac Bickerstaff.
• 1720 Involved with Irish causes.
• 1729 Wrote A Modest Proposal.
• 1726 Wrote Gullivers Travels.
• 1742 Established site for insane asylum (St.
  Patricks Hospital).
• Never married, despite lifelong affair w/
  Stella.

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Literary Style

• Was considered Britains greatest satirist
• Famous as Irish poet, pamphleteer, satirist and
  wit
• Educated at Trinity College
• Achieved literary fame and high standing in the
  Church
• Wanted a political career but never achieved it
• Was Dean of St. Patricks Cathedral in Dublin
  for 30yrs
• Considered master of Horatian Juvenalian
  satire
• Favorite literary weapon was IRONY
• Considered a master of clear and simple writing
• Buried in Ireland as an Irish patriot

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Background A Modest Proposal

• Published in 1729 as a pamphlet (popular
  literary form at time)
• At the time, Ireland (not an independent
  country) was far poorer than England.
• Most people born there were Roman Catholic
  and employed as tenant farmers.
• The landowners (landlords) were paid from
  produce of the land at rates which workers could
  rarely afford.
• The ruling class were usually Protestants, many
  of them not born in Ireland nor did they live
  there permanently.

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Background contd.

• If the laborers lost their work, there would
  always be other poor people to take up the job.
  
• There was no social security system and
  starvation was as common as it is in Third World
  countries today.
• It had been known that some Irish people had
  been driven to cannibalism.
• Swift was deeply angered and disappointed at
  the lack of response and indifference of the
  Irish people to change/improve their lives.

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Themes A Modest Proposal

• Irish Complacency/Inaction
• Swift condemned the Irish for not acting on their
  own behalf to change their situation
• Past Politics (Prejudice against the Irish)
• England enacted laws preventing Irish from buying
  real estate preventing Irish from holding
  government office
• Exploitation of the Irish (Greed)
• Over-taxation of Irish by English/rich Irish
  landowners