Gulliver’s Travels Jonathan_Swift: Biography

Born in Dublin in 1667, Jonathan Swift, writer of Gulliver’s Travels, was an attendee of Trinity College. He served as a country pastor, an educator, a secretary to a politician, and a satirical writer. These varied experiences brought him in close contact with Ireland’s political and religious landscape. He was part of the Scriblerus Club along with Alexander Pope and other famous figures, all of whom swore to write satires about the modern world. Swift was an outspoken supporter of Irish liberty from England.

He wrote The Battle of the Books during his stint as a chaplain. Notably, the book pits works of ancient literature against modern texts. He anthropomorphizes the books to debate their cases, and the novel’s open ended style calls for active interpretation on the readers’ part. His talent for the satirical is evident in all his works. Having retired a recluse and misanthrope, Swift suffered a stroke that led to his demise in 1745.