LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 21:6 June 2021
ISSN 1930-2940

Editors:
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

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Jonathan Swift’s Satirical Approach Towards Social, Political and
Religious Evils

Gopal Chauta

Abstract

The present research paper is analysing Jonathan Swift’s Approach towards Social, Political and Religious Evils, the issues prevalent in the contemporary European Society. Jonathan Swift has tried to scrutinize the corrupt practices of the Eighteen Century English rulers’ governments, religious society, and people. He has successfully depicted the eighteen century England where the religion was dominating over the society in toto. Through Gulliver’s Travel, Swift has brought forth the maladies and follies of the contemporary European society. One can say that Swift’s use of Gulliver to present the parody of the social circumstances of England is apt and it reveals a true picture of the contemporary English society. Through the satirical works, Swift has succeeded incorporating numerous instances of satire. In fact, his works are a reflection which unfolds the reality of the world.

Keywords: Jonathan Swift, Satirical Approach, Social, Political, Religious, Evils, Government

Introduction

Jonathan Swift, the much debated and discussed satirist of Seventeenth and Eighteenth centuries Europe. He was born in the year 1667 in Dublin. He was born an orphan as his father had passed away well before his birth. His mother and only sister had to take help of their relatives as to keep their body and soul together. Nevertheless, Swift was provided education at the prestigious Kilkenny Grammar School. Later, he went to Trinity College Dublin. At Dublin, Swift had to face charges of disciplinary matters but could manage to secure his college degree by ‘special grace’. After the Revolution of 1688, Swift sought asylum in England.

Although people know Jonathan Swift for his ferocity to alienate people around him, I believe that this was partly true as he had been associating with many luminaries such as Bolingbroke and Pope. He also joined as the Secretary to Sir William Temple and remained associated with the latter until his demise in the year 1699. It was around this time that Swift had started writing verses. However, his poetry could never earn him fame and fortune. A Tale of Tub was his first satirical work. It was published simultaneously with two other works –The Battle of Books and A Discourse concerning the Mechanical Operation of the Spirit.

With the publication of these three books, people of England at once recognized them to be the masterpiece creation by the literary genius Jonathan Swift. Now Swift became a sensation in the field of British literary society and began to be recognized as an established political satirist. In1695 while in Ireland Swift got ordained and conferred with a prebend at St. Patrick’s Dublin. Later, he was accorded with the honour of dean St. Patrick. Since his early age Jonathan Swift was very much a pacifist. He was strongly opposed to cruelty against human beings, war, and imperialism. He had written innumerable articles and pamphlets on the issue of religion and war. He frequently travelled to London to convince the political stalwarts to bring normalcy in the disturbed Ireland provenance.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Gopal Chauta
Research Scholar
Department of English
Patna University
humanegopalmunger@gmail.com
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