Jonathan Swift (1667—1745)

Jonathan Swift (1667—1745) Life Works Style and artistic features Gulliver’s Travels “A modest Proposal”

During 1682 and 1689, studied at Dublin University born in Dublin in 1667 as a posthumous child (遗腹子) worked as a private secretary of Willian Temple after graduation died of severe illness in 1745 in Dublin Life story gave up his church to enter the strife of party politics settled in the little church of Laracor and finished The Tale of a Tub there

He soon became one of the most important figures in London from 1710 to 1713. The Tories offered him the place of dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin when they went out of power, which was galling to him. He returned to Ireland and wrote his best known work in 1726—Gulliver’s Travels.

Major Works Gulliver‘s Travels ( 1726 ). 《格列佛游记》 novels: Gulliver‘s Travels ( 1726 ). 《格列佛游记》 A Tale of a Tub ( 1697). 《一个木桶的故事》 Battle of the Books ( 1697 ). 《书籍之战》 The Drapier's Letters ( 1724 ).《布商的信》 essays: “A Modest Proposal” ( 1729 ) 《一个温和的建议》 “Journal to Stella” ( 1710-13 ). 《给斯黛拉的日记》

Introduction Swift’s greatest satire work, Gulliver's Travels, is written in 1726, the book has not lost its significance to the present day and can be justly ranked among the best novel of world literature.

Plot and Major Characters Written in the form of a travel journal, Gulliver's Travels is the fictional account of four extraordinary voyages made by Lemuel Gulliver, a physician who signs on to serve as a ship's surgeon when he is unable to provide his family with a sufficient income in London.

which are described in the four parts of the book. Gulliver makes our deep-sea voyages, which are described in the four parts of the book. Houyhnhnms慧马国 Laputa（飞岛国） Lilliput 利立浦特(小人国） Brobdingnag 布罗丁奈格（大人国）

First voyage---Lilliput（利立普特） On the very first voyage, Gulliver is shipwrecked. Of all the ship’s crew, he survives alone. He swims to the shore of a strange land, inhabited by Lilliputians, the tallest of whom is six inches high.

"When bending my eyes downward as much as I could, I perceived a human not six inches high!"

The king of lilliput

Little by little he gets used to their life and even takes part in the war with the neighbouring state of Blefuseu. Treason叛国罪

Major themes The first voyage has been interpreted as an allegorical(讽喻的) satire of the political events of the early eighteenth century, a commentary on the moral state of England. The war with the tiny neighboring island represents England’s rivalry（对抗） between Whigs and Tories.

Second voyage---Brobdingnag（布罗丁奈格） Gulliver finally escapes Lilliput and returns briefly to England before a second voyage takes him to Brobdingnag. While on shore, Gulliver is captured by giants, each of whom is the size of a water-tower. water-tower

On the whole, the Brobdingnagians are good-natured creatures, and they treat Gulliver kindly, though they are amused by his tiny size and looked upon him as a plaything.

Gulliver

Compared with Lilliput, the Brobdingnagians have an enlightened monarch (开明的君主). She often interrogates (询问) Gulliver on European affairs.

Gulliver abruptly departs Brobdingnag when a giant eagle flies off with him and drops him in the ocean. （2 years）

Third voyage---Laputa （勒普它岛） He soon embarks on his third voyage to the flying island of Laputa.

Laputa is a mysterious land inhabited by scientists, magicians, and sorcerers（男巫） who engage in ridiculous experiment.

Major themes The intellectuals of Laputa were far too busy having great thoughts to be burdening with the chores of farming. So theywere just flying over lands, collecting Brain Taxes（人头税） from the villages below. Then buckets would be lowered to be filled with food and drink and whatever else they want .

Final voyage---Houyhnhnm慧马国 Once again Gulliver returns to England before a final journey, to the land of the Houyhnhnm.

In the country of Houyhnhnm Horse Yahoo Veritable replicas of human race, debased humanity Rational and virtuous

In Houyhnhnm’s language There is no evil, no lie, no illness, no power, no war, no government, no law, no punishment and thousands of other things that exists in the society. Houyhnhnms are a superior race of intelligent horses.

Anything is bad about Yahoos Yahoos, are vile(极坏的) and depraved（堕落的） race of ape-like creatures.

Gulliver is eventually exiled from Houyhnhnm society when the horses gently insist that Gulliver must return to live among his own kind. After this fourth and final voyage, he returns to England, where he has great difficulty adjusting to everyday life. All people everywhere remind him of the Yahoos.

Major themes The final voyage reveals Swift‘s ultimate satiric object—man’s inability to come to terms with his true nature. The Yahoos as a satiric representation of debased(品质恶劣的) humanity, while taking the Houyhnhnms as representatives of Swift‘s ideals of rationality and order.

In Gulliver‘s Travels Swift satirizes the petty卑鄙, envious妒嫉, selfish, foolish, and cruel traits of humanity and its corrupt institutions, especially government. In most cases we can by means of Gulliver’s descriptions pinpoint查明 the flaw瑕疵 that Swift wants to expose. At times, though, Swift‘s purpose is more obscure不明确. For example, most of Lilliputian society appears ridiculous and irrational, but their system of education seems quite reasonable.

The Brobdingnagians are for the most part benevolent慈善的 and sensible通情达理的, but they can also be cruel, gross粗野迟钝, and insensitive. Because of such ambiguities（模棱两可）, gaining a complete understanding of Swift's intentions is difficult, if not impossible. He did, however, want to improve humanity and society and hoped to change people's attitudes and behaviors by holding them up for ridicule.

"A Modest Proposal" His proposal is to fatten up the undernourished children and feed them to Ireland's rich land-owners. Theme: a model satire the most devastating protest against  the inhuman exploitation and oppression  of the Irish people by the English ruling  class  the apparent eagerness, sincerity and detachment of the author adds to  the bitter irony and biting sarcasm

Swift’s Style simple, clear, vigorous language; simple, direct and precise prose; deadly(非常有效的) irony; powerful satire.

Swift’s Artistic Features Satire His satire is usually masked by an outward gravity and an apparent earnestness which renders his satire more powerful. Simplicity and Directness Swift is always most unsurpassed in the writing. He defined a good style as “proper words in proper places makes the true definition of a style”.

Literary Position and Influence Swift is one of the greatest masters of English prose. Swift is a master satirist. Swift is a man of great moral integrity and social charm.

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