1. Jonathan Swift ( )

2. JONATHAN SWIFT
Jonathan Swift was born in Dublin, Ireland, of an English family, which had important connections, but little wealth.
Through the generosity of an uncle, he was educated at Kilkenny Grammar School and then Trinity College in Dublin.
Between 1689 and 1699, he worked as a private secretary to a distant relative named Sir William Temple, a retired diplomat.
There he also received a first-rate education in politics through contact with Temple and many other well-known politicians, learning much about hypocrisy, deception, and corruption in the political world.

3. Swift’s Literary Position and Works
Swift is considered one of the greatest masters of English prose.
Swift is a master satirist. Even today, he is still regarded as a national hero in Ireland.
Gulliver’s Travels (1726), is known as his greatest satiric work.

4. What Is Satire? Humorous, witty Clever, sarcastic
Criticizes an event, person, or group
To put it plainly, Swift wrote stories that made fun of the bad things that people do and the way they act to make them look ridiculous and silly in order to try to get them to change the way they live and act toward others (whew!)
Modern-day examples of satire: The Onion (satirical news website); Saturday Night Live

5. Why Use Satire?
If an author was not careful with his criticism, he could be jailed, charged with treason, and unable to print his stories for fear of the consequences
Using satire, Jonathan Swift was able to tell stories about make-believe people and places -- when he was really making fun of the English government and its political figures

6. Introduction to Gulliver’s Travels
Published in 1726
Considered fantasy because “the limits of reality are purposely disregarded”
Tells about the travels of the main character, Lemuel Gulliver
While we’ll just be reading excerpts from the novel the next two weeks, the actual book contains four parts, each dealing with one particular voyage during which Gulliver meets with extraordinary adventures

7. Lemuel Gulliver Narrator of novel Middle-aged, middle class, British
Intelligent, well-educated
Naïve
Unaffectionate to wife
A doctor on a Royal Navy ship who washes up on the shores of several fictional countries.
Upon returning to England, he is suddenly painfully aware of his country’s flaws.

8. Mrs. Mary Burton: Mrs. Mary Burton is Gulliver's wife
Mrs. Mary Burton: Mrs. Mary Burton is Gulliver's wife. He only states her name at the beginning of the novel, and thereafter refers to her as his wife. She is mentioned only during his rare time in England.

9. Captain William Pritchard: Captain Pritchard is the head of the ship named Antelope. He controls Gulliver's first voyage in which a storm overtakes the ship, leaving Gulliver stranded on the strange land of Lilliput.

10. A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT
The first part tells about his experience in Lilliput
Gulliver meets an emperor who believes himself to be the delight and terror of the universe, which appears quite absurd to Gulliver (who was twelve times as tall as the tiny emperor)
Gulliver tells of the two parties in the country, distinguished by the use of high and low heels.
Religious disputes were laughed with regard to a problem which divided the Lilliputians: “ Should eggs be broken at the big end or the little end?”

11. Main Characters Lilliputians Emperor Inhabit Lilliput
Only 6 inches tall
Prone to conspiracies and jealousies
Emperor
Ruler of the Lilliputians
Despite small size, loves being in control, exercising his power, and his large palace

12. Gulliver Visits Lilliput & Meets the Lilliputians
He finds that the population is split between 'Big Enders' and 'Little Enders‘
The Emperor is feisty and keen to go to war with the defecting 'Big Enders‘
The Empress, who originally likes Gulliver, is then offended when he urinates on buildings to put out a fire

13. A VOYAGE TO BROBDINGNAG
Second Journey to Brobdingnag
In the second part, Gulliver is left alone in Brobdingnag where people are not only ten times taller and larger than ordinary human beings, but also superior in wisdom. Gulliver now finds himself a dwarf among men sixty feet in height.
Gulliver is sold and used as a slave, mostly for entertainment purposes

14. Main Characters Brobdingnagians The Queen The King
Giants that inhabit Brobdingnag
Reasonable, gentle
The Queen
Sweet, kind
Humorous, witty
The King
Intellectual, rational
Does not know much about politics

15. Pre-Reading Questions
1. What does it mean to be human?
2. What is the relationship between humanity and politics?
3. What are the best parts about traveling to a new place? What are the worst?
4. What importance do you place on first impressions of people?
5. What is the most idiotic/ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard people argue about?
6. Is it better to be physically strong or mentally strong? Explain.
7. If you were asked to write a satire, what issue would you want to tackle in a humorous way, and why?