Jonathan Swift: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 11:13, 12 December 2018

30 November 1667 - 19 October 1745. Dublin. Author, Dean and satirist.

Childhood and Education

Jonathan Swift was born in Dublin in 1667 as the son of Jonathan Swift, the elder, an Englishman who left England and went to Ireland after the Restoration, and his wife Abigail. His childhood was a bit different from that of other children. The father had died in spring-time 1667, about half a year before Jonathan, the younger, was born. So his mother Abigail had to turn to the brothers of Jonathan, the elder, for help in bringing up Jonathan, the younger, and his sister. Even though the Swift family was in such a situation it took care of Jonathan's education. From 1673 to 1681 he went to Kilkenny Grammar School, which was at that time seen as the best Irish school available. Later (1682-1686) he studied classics at Trinity College in Dublin. In 1692 he went to Oxford to achieve the Master of Arts as a precondition for a career in the church.

Career

Working as a secretary first and later in ecclesiastical positions, Jonathan Swift was throughout his life deeply interested in literary writing. His first poems he is known to have written as early as 1691 and only one year later in 1692 his first work "Ode to the Athenian Society" was published. Apart from literature Swift showed also an immense interest in politics, first supporting the Whigs, later when his ideas and beliefs did no longer conform which their principles he changed sides and allied with the Tories. In this political context Swift is today especially known for writing "The Drapier's Letters" in 1724 and "A Modest Proposal" taking the side of Ireland against the English government, often in a very satirical manner. In his time, however, Swift's authorship of the letters was not officially known, although the government put up the reward of 300 pounds to find him, Swift stayed anonymous.

Works

1692 "Ode to the Athenian Society"
1696-99 A Tale of a Tub
1701 "A Discourse of the Contests and Dissensions Between the Nobles and Commons in Athens and Rome"
1726 Gulliver's Travels

Last years

There are rumours that in his last years Swift developed a bad temper. Sometimes this is attributed to Meniere's disease, which he had in his youth. Some time in the 1730s or early 1740s Swift had a stroke, which led in 1742 with the argument that he could no longer care for himself to his incapacitation. Swift died in 1745 and is buried in St. Patrick's Cathedral.

References

Biography.com Editors. "Jonathan Swift Biography." The Biography.com website, A&E Television Networks, last updated 8 Dec 2014, https://www.biography.com/people/jonathan-swift-9500342. Accessed 7 Dec 2009.
Real, Hermann J./ Vienken, Heinz J. Jonathan Swift: Gulliver's Travels. München: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, 1984.
Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver's Travels. Ed. Claude Rawson and Ian Higgins. Oxford: OUP, 2005.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
--1745.
+November 1667 - 19 October 1745. Dublin. Author, Dean and satirist.
-Famous author, who wrote ''Gulliver's Travels''.
-He was born in November 1667 in Dublin. His childhood was rather normal (for someone from the Anglo-Protestant ascendancy). He lived in England an stayed there for most of his life. He loved to write and became more and more successful with it. His interest in politics was very high (he was supporter of the Whigs and later of the Tories) and after writing "The Drapier´s Letters" against the political situation in Ireland and England he became more (in-)famous. The British Government announced 300 pounds for the one who finds the writer of the letters (Swift stayed anonymous).
-Jonathan Swift died in Oktober 1745 as a sick man. He was mentally ill and died after not speaking a word for a long time.
+== Childhood and Education ==
+Jonathan Swift was born in Dublin in 1667 as the son of Jonathan Swift, the elder, an Englishman who left England and went to Ireland after the [[Restoration]], and his wife Abigail. His childhood was a bit different from that of other children. The father had died in spring-time 1667, about half a year before Jonathan, the younger, was born. So his mother Abigail had to turn to the brothers of Jonathan, the elder, for help in bringing up Jonathan, the younger, and his sister. Even though the Swift family was in such a situation it took care of Jonathan's education. From 1673 to 1681 he went to Kilkenny Grammar School, which was at that time seen as the best Irish school available. Later (1682-1686) he studied classics at Trinity College in Dublin. In 1692 he went to Oxford to achieve the Master of Arts as a precondition for a career in the church.
+== Career ==
+Working as a secretary first and later in ecclesiastical positions, Jonathan Swift was throughout his life deeply interested in literary writing. His first poems he is known to have written as early as 1691 and only one year later in 1692 his first work "Ode to the Athenian Society" was published. Apart from literature Swift showed also an immense interest in politics, first supporting the [[Whigs]], later when his ideas and beliefs did no longer conform which their principles he changed sides and allied with the [[Tories]]. In this political context Swift is today especially known for writing "The Drapier's Letters" in 1724 and "A Modest Proposal" taking the side of Ireland against the English government, often in a very satirical manner. In his time, however, Swift's authorship of the letters was not officially known, although the government put up the reward of 300 pounds to find him, Swift stayed anonymous.
+== Works ==
+* 1692      "Ode to the Athenian Society"
+* 1696-99   ''A Tale of a Tub''
+* 1701      "A Discourse of the Contests and Dissensions Between the Nobles and Commons in Athens and Rome"
+* 1726      ''[[Gulliver's Travels]]''
+== Last years ==
+There are rumours that in his last years Swift developed a bad temper. Sometimes this is attributed to Meniere's disease, which he had in his youth. Some time in the 1730s or early 1740s Swift had a stroke, which led in 1742 with the argument that he could no longer care for himself to his incapacitation. Swift died in 1745 and is buried in St. Patrick's Cathedral.
+== References ==
+* Biography.com Editors. "Jonathan Swift Biography." ''The Biography.com website'', A&E Television Networks, last updated 8 Dec 2014, https://www.biography.com/people/jonathan-swift-9500342. Accessed 7 Dec 2009.
+* Real, Hermann J./ Vienken, Heinz J. Jonathan Swift: ''Gulliver's Travels''. München: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, 1984.
+* Swift, Jonathan. ''Gulliver's Travels''. Ed. Claude Rawson and Ian Higgins. Oxford: OUP, 2005.