Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was an Anglo-Irish writer, satirist, and clergyman, one of the greatest masters of satire in the English language. His savage wit and biting irony exposed the follies and cruelties of his age, and his best-known work has been read as both a children's adventure and a ferocious attack on human nature.
His masterpiece, Gulliver's Travels, sends its hero to fantastical lands — the tiny Lilliputians, the giant Brobdingnagians, and the horse-ruled Houyhnhnms — in a brilliant satire of politics, science, and humanity itself. His essay 'A Modest Proposal,' which ironically suggests the poor sell their children as food, is one of the most famous works of satire ever written.
Swift served as Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin and championed the Irish against English exploitation. Behind his comedy lay deep moral anger at injustice and folly.
His prose is sharp and clear. Our editions present it cleanly for modern readers. Read the opening free, and read or listen with a membership.
Jonathan Swift in the library · 3 works
A Modest Proposal
Gulliver's Travels
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Audiobooks by Jonathan Swift
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Frequently asked questions about Jonathan Swift
What did Jonathan Swift write?
Swift's most famous work is Gulliver's Travels. He also wrote the savage satirical essay 'A Modest Proposal,' the mock-epic 'The Battle of the Books,' 'A Tale of a Tub,' and a large body of poetry, pamphlets, and letters. Gulliver's Travels and 'A Modest Proposal' are his best-known works.
What is Gulliver's Travels about?
It follows Lemuel Gulliver on four voyages to strange lands: Lilliput, home of tiny people; Brobdingnag, land of giants; a flying island of impractical scientists; and a country ruled by rational horses. Beneath the fantastical adventure lies a brilliant, biting satire of politics, science, pride, and human nature. It works both as a thrilling story and as one of literature's great works of satire.
What is 'A Modest Proposal'?
'A Modest Proposal' is Swift's most famous satirical essay, in which he coolly and rationally 'proposes' that impoverished Irish families sell their babies as food for the wealthy. The horrifying suggestion is entirely ironic — a savage attack on English indifference to Irish suffering and on cold economic thinking. It is a masterpiece of satire, still studied as a model of the form.
Where should I start with Swift?
Gulliver's Travels is the essential work and a great starting point — especially the famous first two voyages to Lilliput and Brobdingnag. 'A Modest Proposal' is short and stunning if you want to sample his satire quickly. Both show off his wit and moral force.
Is Gulliver's Travels a children's book?
It is often adapted and enjoyed as a children's adventure, especially the voyages to the land of tiny people and the land of giants. But Swift wrote it as a savage satire for adults, full of political and philosophical criticism that children miss. Reading the full original reveals a far darker and sharper work than the storybook versions.
When did Jonathan Swift live?
Swift lived from 1667 to 1745, an Anglo-Irish writer and clergyman. He published Gulliver's Travels in 1726 and 'A Modest Proposal' in 1729, while serving as Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. He was a prominent defender of Irish interests against English rule.
Where can I read Jonathan Swift for free?
Swift's works are in the public domain and freely available. His original 18th-century prose is formal. Here you can read the opening free in clear modern English, and read or listen with a membership.
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