Jonathan Swift Nov. 30, 1667- Oct. 19, 1745

1. Jonathan SwiftNov. 30, 1667- Oct. 19, 1745 EARLY LIFE Born in Dublin to English parents (Anglo-Irish) Frequently moved between Ireland & England Graduated from Trinity college (Ireland) First job in Surrey, England Worked as secretary, Anglican priest, author Secretary for Sir William Temple (retired diplomat) persuaded him to start writing Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin Formed the MartinusScriblerus Club – coffee house grp.

2. Jonathan Swift SATIRE & POLITICS Clergyman & political writer for Whig party, wrote satires first two satires were published anonymously Conservative, strict moralist – politically & scientifically Believed in traditional scientific findings & lampooned “modern” thinkers (Locke, Newton) Satires focused on justice, order, moral rectitude, rational thought & against arrogance, shallowness Became part of Tories when Whigs lost power (1710) Left England in 1714 when Whigs returned to power

3. Jonathan Swift IRISH PATRIOT Returned to Ireland in 1714; appointed dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral by Queen Anne (of England) Angered by tyranny of England Ireland dependent on England b/c of repressive politics, poverty, famine; barred from trading w/ American colonies Catholic majority in Ireland couldn’t vote, hold public office, buy land, receive an education The Drapier’s Letters (1724) – series of publications published anonymously, but easily recognized as Swift’s Rhetoric never before raised by Anglo-Irish voice vs. English became hero to Irish Catholics & Protestants

4. Gulliver’s Travels1726 Had reputation for “fierce satire” as result of The Drapier’s letters in both Ireland & England Published anonymously in London Fictional voyage, increasingly pessimistic Allowed Swift to vent about political corruption, annoyance with humans’ worthlessness Goal: vent anger and rally others to get angry Result: people entertained by novel

5. Jonathan Swift THE SATIRIST Misanthropy – hatred of humankind Swift hid deep rage with humor & sarcasm in satire Probably grew from religious conviction Humans = fallen victims of original sin Opposed ideas of most Enlightenment thinkers (humans = rational creatures) “A Modest Proposal” (1729) Last major work about Ireland Outrageous attack on those who mistreated Ireland’s poor Died in 1731 – epitaph shows satire, religiosity, misanthropy Left remaining fortune to go toward building a mental hospital Buried in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, next to friend Esther (Stella) Johnson

6. Neoclassical Period 1660-1798 • emphasis on reason, logic, order, balance • Locke: social contract exists btwngov’t and people • “natural rights” of life, liberty, property • logical justification for Glorious Revolution • Restoration • emphasis on individual • belief that man is basically evil • Industrial Revolution begins • Impoverished masses begin to grow (decline of farming, demise of traditional village life) • Ireland declared inseparable from England (1719)

7. Neoclassical Period 1660-1798 • Enlightenment = Age of Reason • Tory & Whig parties • English Bill of Rights – limited royal authority • Glorious Revolution • Catholics excluded from serving in Parliament • James II overthrown; William & Mary (Protestants) become monarchs in 1689 • lots of unrest in Ireland as result of Glorious Revolution  corruption  Swift’s satire

8. Neoclassical Period 1660-1798 • satire, poetry (heroic couplets, iambic pentameter), novels, letters/diaries • many writers modeled works on ancient Rome, “new classicism” • focus on grammar, spelling (Samuel Johnson – 1st dictionary) • dramatic rise in functional literacy among men (up to 50% of population)

9. coffee houses • center of cultural, political life in London (1650-1860) • where educated men spent evenings dining & talking w/ literary friends, political associates • newspapers could be read there for no charge • Scriblerus Club – met in England (1714) • Assn. of writers, including Swift, Alexander Pope, John Gay, John Arbuthnot, who met to “satirise all the false tastes in learning”