The biography of Jonathan Swift is the story of an Irish writer who worked in a satirical genre, ridiculing the vices of society. “The Adventures of Gulliver” is the book most beloved by many readers, in which both the adult and the child will find an opportunity for a philosophical discovery.
The birth of a writer
The biography of Jonathan Swift begins in Ireland, in the city of Dublin, on November 30, 1667. The father died before the birth of his son, a petty official did not leave the family a livelihood. The boy was brought up by Uncle Godwin. Sister stayed with her mother, Jonathan almost did not see his relatives.
In 1682 he entered Trinity College, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree. During the overthrow of King James II, a civil war broke out in Ireland. Swift went to England to a distant relative of his mother, William Temple, and served with him as secretary for two years. Temple, a wealthy diplomat, is taking an active part in Jonathan's fate. It is he who reveals the literary abilities of a young writer and helps to find a good job.
Publications
The biography of Jonathan Swift as an author is born with the publication in 1704 of two works: “The Tale of the Barrel” and the parable “The Battle of Books”, as well as poems and poems. Since 1705, he served for several years in the parish of Laracor (Ireland), and in 1713 Swift received the position of dean in St. Patrick's Cathedral. This position provides a good income and the possibility of writing and social activities.
In 1724, under the pseudonym, he released "Letters of the Cloaker". In 1726, Gulliver's Travels was published in 2 volumes. In 1742, Swift suffers a severe stroke, as a result of which it loses speech and partially mental abilities. In anticipation of his death, he writes an epitaph to the grave, which, at the request of the will, was stamped on it: “Severe indignation has subsided already in his chest. Go, traveler, and imitate the one who always fought for freedom. ”
Swift's creativity
Jonathan Swift, whose works were written at the turn of the literary style, managed to capture not only the mood of revolutionary Ireland, but also the discontent of compatriots with English political tyranny. Allegory has already gone, but stiffness and sleazy have not become fashionable. It was in this era that the author’s satirical language, his denunciation of vices and stupidity in the name of good and justice, common sense, found a way to the hearts of readers. Humor and satire are the shortest paths to success at all times.
Jonathan Swift's ideas expressed in Gulliver's Travels are still relevant today. Political feuds and intrigues look ridiculous in the Land of Lilliputians, where miniature people fight for power. From the height of his growth, Gulliver sees how shallow passions and desire for profit. In the Land of Giants, on the contrary, the glory and grandeur of his country look ridiculous. On the flying island of Laputo, a traveler meets with learned minds who have achieved immortality by rewriting the history of the world each for themselves. The last country where Gulliver meets the race of intelligent horses and the people of the servants of Yehu. The ugly image of beast-like people is a proof of Swift's idea that if passions and vices dominate a person more than reason, then he can turn into an animal.
Jonathan Swift's personal life
On the estate of his patron Temple, Jonathan met a charming girl Esther Johnson, who at that time was 8 years old. The daughter of a servant, she was brought up without a father, and the great writer becomes a friend, as well as a direct teacher and interlocutor. In his letters, he calls her Stella. Esther Stella, after the death of her mother, settled as a pupil on the estate of Jonathan. Friends of the writer’s contemporaries claim that they secretly got married, but direct evidence of this and the documents could not be found.
In 1707, he meets 19-year-old Esther Vanomani, whom he calls Vanessa in extensive correspondence. She, too, grew up without her father’s attention and recklessly fell in love with the author who had already taken place. They wrote to each other until the death of Esther Vanessa, she died of tuberculosis. The news of her death shocked Jonathan deeply.
Political activity
Ireland, where Jonathan Swift was born, forever remained for him both his homeland and the place of struggle for justice. Sincerely worrying about his compatriots mired in civil war and vice, the author published articles, read sermons and published pamphlets. He fiercely advocated social justice, exposed the arrogance of class and religious fanaticism, and fought against the oppression of the Irish.
The reputation of the Dean of Swift was so high that in the memory of one of his friends you can read the story of the eclipse. One day, a crowd of people gathered in front of the cathedral to see a solar eclipse. The noise of idle onlookers prevented Jonathan from working, he went to the square and announced that the eclipse was canceled. The crowd listened respectfully to the dean and dispersed.
Interesting Facts
The biography of Jonathan Swift reveals several facts about his life that characterize the writer as a person extremely witty and bold.
- Struggling with the neglect of the graves of his cathedral, the dean sent messages to relatives demanding that they take care of the memory of their ancestors or send money to improve the graves. In case of refusal and indifference, he promised to add words about the ingratitude of relatives to the inscriptions. One of these messages was delivered to George the Second personally. But since no action was taken by the king, an inscription about the avarice of the monarch appeared on the stove.
- Travel enthusiast Jonathan loved to tell a joke about an inn. There, he got only half the bed, the second he had to share with the farmer. But the writer casually mentioned that he works as an executioner, and slept alone.
- One day, going for a walk, he asked the servant to submit his boots. The young man, having not had time to clean them, brought Swift dirty shoes with the words: "You will mess them all the same." Jonathan ordered that the “resourceful” poor man not be fed breakfast, as he would be hungry anyway.
Wisdom in every word
Jonathan Swift was far from being a stupid person. His quotes and sayings from life have survived to the present day:
- Anger is revenge on oneself for another.
- The best doctors in the world are peace, diet and a cheerful disposition.
- Slander is a blow to worthy people, as worms love only healthy fruits.
- If you joked with someone, then get ready to take reciprocal sharpness with patience.
- You can hate the author, but read his book with pleasure.
- You cannot sew a golden wallet from pigskin.
- The sage least of all feels loneliness, being alone.
- Happiness in marriage is due to every word that is not spoken but understood by the wife.
Jonathan Swift's words about justice and slavery are a sharp satirical hairpin in the direction of the politics of his country and rotten clergy:
- If the government decided to rule without the consent of the people, this is a slave system.
- There is no gold in heaven, therefore it is given to the villains on earth.
- Religion is a terrible disease of a pure soul.
Swift's Legacy
Jonathan Swift left works that, even with tough editing, do not lose their satirical mood in politics and human imperfection. This is the true legacy of a great writer. During his lifetime, his famous "Gulliver" was published in several languages. Adapted children's publications were so processed by censors that they became like a funny fairy tale in the fantasy genre. But even in such a shortened version, his books teach that we are all different, but still people.
The compatriots are proud of the talent and mind of the great author. Jonathan Swift (country of birth and creativity - Ireland) left after his death a belief in a bright and fair future.