Jonathan Swift

1、Jonathan Swift (1667 1745) Jonathan Swift (November 30, 1667 October 19, 1745) was an Anglo-Irish writer who is famous for works like Gullivers Travels, A Modest Proposal, and A Tale of a Tub(木桶) . Swift is probably the foremost prose satirist in the English language, although he is also well known

2、for his poetry and essays. He also used the name Isaac Bickerstaff among other pseudonyms. Introduction of Swift Swift, Jonathan (1667- 1745), Anglo-Irish satirist and political pamphleteer, considered one of the greatest masters of English prose and one of the most impassioned（热情洋溢的）（热情洋溢的） satiris

3、ts of human folly and pretension（自负）（自负）. His many pamphlets, prose, letters, and poetry were all marked by highly effective and economical language. Swift was a man of affairs（事务） who became a writer because literature was a way of getting affairs directed. His method was to expose a sham or evil b

4、y setting up a more outrageous（ 可恶的） evil against it, and defending the latter with serious irony. Personal information: Birth and family: Born of poor English parents in Dublin, Ireland (father died before his birth). Education: attended to Kilkenny school and TrinityCollege （三一学院） with the support

5、 from his uncle. Occupation: secretary, pastor（牧师） Types of works: satiric prose, novel, and poem 作者简介作者简介 乔纳森乔纳森斯威夫特斯威夫特(1667-1745)(1667-1745)出生于都柏林，是个遗腹子，出生于都柏林，是个遗腹子， 在其伯父的抚养下长大。在其伯父的抚养下长大。16821682年入都柏林的三一学院求学，年入都柏林的三一学院求学， 获得学士学位；获得学士学位；16921692年获牛津大学硕士学位，年获牛津大学硕士学位，17011701年在三一年在三一 学院获神学博士学位。离开

6、三一学院后，斯威夫特曾给贵族学院获神学博士学位。离开三一学院后，斯威夫特曾给贵族 当私人秘书，后来回到故乡做牧师，介入政治，为托利党的当私人秘书，后来回到故乡做牧师，介入政治，为托利党的 考察报考察报( (The Examiner)The Examiner)撰稿，写下了大量的政论文和小撰稿，写下了大量的政论文和小 册子。斯威夫特的文笔以讽刺见长，是讽刺文学的一代宗师。册子。斯威夫特的文笔以讽刺见长，是讽刺文学的一代宗师。 斯威夫特的讽刺性散文很多，较为著名的有斯威夫特的讽刺性散文很多，较为著名的有一只桶的故事一只桶的故事 ( (“A Tale of a Tub”, 1697) )、书籍之战书籍

7、之战( (“The Battle of the Books”, 1698) )以及以及布商来信布商来信(“The Drapiers Letter”, 1724)和和一个温和的建议一个温和的建议(“A Modest Proposal”, 1729)等。斯威夫特一生不得志，他的社会经历等。斯威夫特一生不得志，他的社会经历 使他看透了一切，于是他写下了不朽名著使他看透了一切，于是他写下了不朽名著格列佛游记格列佛游记 (Gullivers Travels, 1726)。此外，后人根据斯威夫特给其此外，后人根据斯威夫特给其 女友写的信编成的女友写的信编成的给斯黛拉的日记给斯黛拉的日记( (Journal

8、 to Stella, 1766)也是英语日记文学中很重要的一部作品。也是英语日记文学中很重要的一部作品。 Major works Masterpiece: 1726格列佛游记 Became famous: A Tale of a Tub 1696木桶的故 事 The Battle of the Books1697书战 Bickerstaff Almanac 比克斯塔福历书 1708 : The Drapiers Letters 布商的书信1724- 1725 A Modest Proposal 1729 一个小小的建议 A Tale of a Tub( the one made him be

9、come famous) Written: the year 1696 Published: year 1704 Form :a parable(寓言) Appearance: three sons violate(违背) his father will Substance: false and shamelessness of all religious sects Aim: Roman Catholics Anglicans Puritans The Battle of the Books Written : year 1697 Published: year 1704 (the same

10、 year as A tale of a Tub) Form: story of the Bee and the Spider Symbols: the Bee: ancient writers , go through every corner of nature ,produce honey and wax the Spider: modern authors , produce nothing but wrangling and satire. Aim: pedantry (假学者)in literary world of that time. Result : no end (unfi

11、nished) “being in several places imperfect, we can not learn to which side the victory fell” Bickerstaff Almanac Year: 1708 Background: a certain famous astrologer(占星家) named Partridge cheated the London public by predicting future events in the form of an almanac(历书). Form :an almanac Pen name: Isa

12、ac Bickerstaff. Content: Predictions for the year 1708 (Partridge will die on a fixed day) Vindication of Isaac Bickerstaff (prove that Partridge really died) Humor: advice for Partridge to settle his affairs in time . The Drapiers Letters Background: the acute want of small change in the coinage of

13、 Ireland ,then in 1722 English government granted an English merchant -William Wood the patent for supplying copper(铜镀) coins. His high profit would make a great loss to Ireland . Content : 4 pamphlets ,urging that the people should refuse to take the coin . Aim :Wood at first ,then the English gove

14、rnment Watchword(口号): “It was not dishonorable to submit to the lion ,but who with the figure of a man can think with patient of being devoured alive by a rat?” “Am I a free man in England and do I become a slave in six hours by crossing the Channel? ” Result :Swift succeeded A Modest Proposal Backg

15、round: Irish people suffered from poverty and vice due to the exploitation(剥削) of the English government ,which took whatever it could get from Ireland and prohibited exportation of cattle and wool to foreign countries. Irish peasants hardly any could afford to provide shoes or stockings for their c

16、hildren. Proposal :Irish people should relieved by the sale of their children: at one year old” as food for the rich. Achievement: reached the climax of the Irish series with bitter irony. I am assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in Landon ,that a young healthy child well nursed ,i

17、s ,at a year old ,a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food ,whatever stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled ;and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee(大杂烩) I grant this food will be somewhat dear ,and therefore very proper for landlords, who ,as they have already devoured most o

18、f the parents, seem to have the best title to the children. v“the mother will have 8 shillings neat profit ,and to be fit for work till she produces another child .I have no children by which I can propose to get a single penny ,the youngest being 9 years old ,and my wife past childbearing.” Gullive

19、rs Travels Plot overview The story: describes the peculiar traveling experience to several fantastic countries of a English surgeon, Lemuel Gulliver. The structure: consists of four voyages (parts): (1) to Lilliput (小人国小人国) (2) to Brobdingnag (巨人国巨人国) (3) to Laputa (flying island,飞岛飞岛) (4) to the co

20、untry of the Houyhnhnms (慧马国慧马国) Part 1: to Lilliput (小人国小人国 ) 第一部小人国游记 I lay down on the grass, which was very short and soft, where I slept sounder than ever I remember to have done in my life, and as I reckoned, above nine hours; for when I awaked, it was just daylight. I attempted to rise, but w

21、as not able to stir: for as I happened to lie on my back, I found my arms and legs were strongly fastened on each side to the ground; and my hair, which was long and thick, tied down in the same manner. .I likewise felt several slender figures across my body, from my armpits to my thighs. I could on

22、ly look upwards; the sun began to grow hot, and the light offended my eyes. I heard a confused noise about me, but in the posture I lay, could see nothing except the sky. The themes Satirized the contention (争夺争夺) for power and profits among the English political parties and the religious groups thr

23、ough the description of the dispute concerning the issues of wearers of high/low heels and breaking of big/small end of an egg. 小人国的情景乃是大英帝国的缩影。英国国内托 利党和辉格党常年不息的斗争和对外的战争，实 质上只是政客们在一些与国计民生毫不相干的小 节上勾心斗角 。 Conflicts Conflict :Should eggs be broken at the big end or the little end? The High-Heels and th

24、e Low-Heels The Whigs and Tories of English politics. Lilliput and Blefuscu England and France. The violent conflict between Big-Endians and Little-Endians the Protestant Reformation and the centuries of warfare between Catholics and Protestants. 第二部大人国游记 Part 2: to Brobdingnag (大人国大人国) 第三部飞岛纪行 Part

25、 3: to Laputa (flying island飞岛飞岛) 第四部是慧马国纪行 格列佛在率船出海时，船员叛乱，他被遗弃格列佛在率船出海时，船员叛乱，他被遗弃 在陌生的陆地上，统治这片土地的是具有高在陌生的陆地上，统治这片土地的是具有高 度理性和美德的慧马度理性和美德的慧马(Houyhnhnms)，受统，受统 治的是一群长的极像人的动物，叫作野胡治的是一群长的极像人的动物，叫作野胡 (yahoo)。野胡卑鄙龌龊，贪婪好斗，肮脏淫。野胡卑鄙龌龊，贪婪好斗，肮脏淫 荡，毫无理性。格列佛向慧马介绍了英国的荡，毫无理性。格列佛向慧马介绍了英国的 生活、政治、司法等情况。格列佛很留恋慧生活、政治、司法等情况。格列佛很留恋慧 马国，但终遭驱逐，因为慧马认为他终究是马国，但终遭驱逐，因为慧马认为他终究是 个野胡。个野胡。 Part 4: to the country of the Houyhn hnms (慧马国马国) The theme: What on earth is human being? Swifts Style 1) A great master of English prose: simple, direct and precise 2) Language: simple, clear and vigorous 3) A master satirist, d