The Downfall And Vice As A Tale Of A Tub And The Battle Of The World Essay
2058 Words9 Pages
The prominence of Jonathon Swift and his work is undeniable in the Eighteenth Century. Swift’s emergence into the literary world was spurned on by writing about politics and religion with his strong opinions and wit. Other famous works by Swift include A Tale of a Tub and The Battle of the Books based on the corruptions in religion and learning at the time. Swift’s works in literature were often written to further a cause or reaction. The idea of the antagonising satirist is reiterated in a conversation between Pope and Swift, with Swift stating “The chief end I propose in all my labours is to vex the world rather than divert it’. Swift aims to educate readers on what is actually going on at the forefront of culture at the time through his works, with the embodiment of human downfall and vice being satirised through the characters of Gulliver’s Travels.
Swift began working on book by 1721, with the parts being written in sequence to begin with. Parts I and II were finished by late 1723 with Part IV being completed by January 1724. This lead to Part III being finished and the entire works being under revision in early 1725. Swift sent the manuscript to Benjamin Motte, a bookseller at that time. Before publishing Gulliver’s Travels Motte edited the text fearing the crown and court prosecution. The first edition was published on the 28th October 1726, with the first print selling out within a week. The novel was published two more times before 1727, before being translated