Jonathan Swift乔纳森 斯威夫特

• The new science raised serious doubts in the minds of those moralists who did not share the optimistic assumptions of the new natural scientists, because they thought it threatened the important concept of virtue. This reaction is linked to many of the greatest writers in English literature. A few of the most famous were Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, Roman Catholic, and Samuel Johnson,Swift, among others, was largely against the modern trends. His favorite method of attack was satire and his mood was largely pessimistic or cynical.
He was the second child and only son of Jonathan Swift (1640–67). His father, a native of Goodrich, Herefordshire(赫里福郡 ), accompanied his brothers to Ireland to seek their fortunes in law after their Royalist father's estate was brought to ruin during the English Civil War. Swift's father died at Dublin before he was born, and his mother returned to England. He was left in the care of his influential uncle, Godwin, a close friend and confidante of Sir John Temple, whose son(Sir William Temple) later
the Age of Enlightenment or the Age of Reason
启蒙时代或理性时代
The 18th century England is known as the Age of Enlightenment or the Age of Reason. The Enlightenment Movement was a progressive intellectual movement which purpose was to enlighten the whole world with the light of modern philosophical and artistic ideas. The enlighteners celebrated reason or rationality, equality and science. They held that rationality or reason should be the only, the final cause of any human thought and activities. They called for a reference to order, reason and rules. They believed that when reason served as the yardstick for the measurement of all human activities and relations, every superstition, injustice and oppression was to yield place to ―eternal truth,‖ ―eternal justice‖ and ―natural equality‖.
Swift’s masterpiece
• The Battle of the Books (written in 1697 but punished in b (punished in 1704) • Gulliver’s Travel (written in 1726)
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Swift is a realist writer. The plot of his satires is from imagination. The feature of his satire is outward gravity and an apparent earnestness, which make his satire all the more powerful. The democratic ideas are shown in his works, which sets a good example for the later writers, such as Fielding, Sheridan, Byron and Bernard Shaw. His language is simple, clear and vigorous. Just as what he says, ―proper words in proper place, makes the true definition of a style‖. There are few ornaments in his writing, but it comes home to the reader. He seems to have no difficulty in finding words to express exactly the impression he wishes to convey. In simple, direct and precise prose, Swift is almost unsurpassed in English literature.
Swift’s Satires
What is satire
A common form of the 18th Century, basically the ridiculing of any objects through laughter which will soften the blow • Different types and degrees: light or harsh • 讽刺是一种文学手法，用于暴露对象的缺点和可笑之处， 常采用夸张或反讽（irony）等方式，从而产生幽默的效果。 当然也可以用拙劣模仿,作戏, 并列,对比,类似, 类推等也经 常用于讽刺手法种。 • 如果说反话（反讽）就是讽刺的话，是一个很大的错误。 严格来说，讽刺（satire）是一种俗称类型；而反讽 （irony）则是一种比较具体的修饰手法
Swift's first major prose work, A Tale of a Tub, demonstrates many of the themes and stylistic techniques he would employ in his later work. It is at once wildly playful and funny while being pointed and harshly critical of its targets. In its main thread, the Tale recounts the exploits of three sons, representing the main threads of Christianity, who receive a bequest from their father of a coat each, with the added instructions to make no alterations whatsoever. However, the sons soon find that their coats have fallen out of current fashion, and begin to look for loopholes in their father's will that will let them make the needed alterations. As each finds his own means of getting around their father's admonition, they struggle with each other for power and dominance. Inserted into this story, in alternating chapters, the narrator includes a series of whimsical "digressions" on
a slump in her career
In 1714, although he was famous for his writings, Swift fell out favor. The Tory government was out of power. Returning to Dublin, he became the dean of St.Patrick’s. Swift had become friends with writers such as Alexander Pope in England. After his return to Ireland, Swift became a staunch supporter of the Irish against English attempts to weaken their economic and political power, writing pamphlets such as the satirical A Modest Proposal.