Jonathan Swift

Botteri Giulia - Cassola Laura Cavalli Martina - Manduco Aurora

Jonathan Swift

He died on 19th October 1745.

In 1695 he became an Anglican minister, and he began to write.

He moved to England, where he found employment as a secreary for Sir William Temple.

He studied at Trinity College in Dublin.

He was born in Dublin in 1667.

Life

1729

Gulliver's Travels

A Modest Proposal

1726

An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity

1712

1704

Swift's works

A tale of a Tub; The Battle of the Books

1726

Gulliver's travels

• first voyage: Gulliver arrives in the Land of Liliputian

• second voyage: Gulliver travels to the Land of Brobdingnag

• third voyage: Gullivers goes to the Island of Laputa

• fourth voyage: Gulliver is abandoned in the land of Houyhnhms

The story is divided in four voyages, in which he makes fun of mankind and criticizes England and English politics.

Plot

• satrical view of European governments and religion;

• a restatement of the older ancient versus modern controversies

• an inquiry into the people who are inherently corrupted or who become corrupted;

Main themes

Meanings

• a book for children;

• a philosophical tale;

• a satire of western-centrism

• a universal warning.

• Gulliver's travels is written in first person;

• the narrator is Gulliver;

• it's divided into four parts, each about a different voyage.

Structure

The laputans

The yahoos

the houyhnhmns

the king

the liliputians

Gulliver

Characters

Part 3, Chapter 5

A non-sustainable scientific community

The academy of Lagado

• Written in 1729;

• a highly satirical work of polemics;

• In this, Swift tries to find a solution to the starvation of children all across Ireland.

A modest proposal

I profess, in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavoring to promote this necessary work, having no other motive than the public good of my country, by advancing our trade, providing for infants, relieving the poor, and giving some pleasure to the rich. I have no children, by which I can propose to get a single penny; the youngest being nine years old, and my wife past child-bearing.

Thank you