Jonathan Swift born 30th November 1667 was a Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer (he first worked for the Whigs then the Tories), poet and cleric. He also became Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. Swift is mainly remembered for his literature works such as Gulliver’s Travels, A Modest Proposal, Drapier’s Letters, An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity, The Battle Of The Books and A Tale of a Tub. Swift is also probably the foremost prose satirist in the English language, and sadly is less known for his poetry. Swift published all of his works under pseudonyms such as Issac Bickerstaff, MB Drapier, Lemuel Gulliver or even with no name at all. Swift is also known for being one of the masters of two styles of satire: the Horatian and Juvenalian.
Born in Dublin, Ireland he was the second child and the only son of Jonathan Swift (1640-1667) and his wife Abigail of Frisby-on-the-Wreake. Swift’s father who was a native of Goodrich, Herefordshire accompanied his brothers to Ireland to seek their fortunes in the subject Law after their Royalist father’s estate was brought to ruin during the time of the English Civil War. Swift’s father died in Dublin before he was born, and his mother returned to England leaving Swift (the son) in the influential care of his uncle Godwin, who was a close friend and confidante of Sir John Temple whose son later employed a young Swift as his secretary.
Jonathan's family had several interesting connections in the literary world. His grandmother Elizabeth (Dryden) Swift who was the niece of Sir Erasmus Dryden, who was the grandfather of the poet John Dryden. Elizabeth's aunt Katherine (Throckmorton) Dryden was an first cousin of the wife of Sir Walter Raleigh, and his great-great grandmother Margaret (Godwin) Swift was the sister of Francis Godwin, who was the author of The Man in the Moone. This book influenced parts of Swifts Gulliver's Travels. Jonathan's uncle Thomas Swift married the daughter of a poet and playwright Sir William Davenant, who was a godson of the famous writer William Shakespeare.
Jonathan's uncle Godwin Swift (1628-1695) who was a benefactor took primary responsibility for the young Jonathan, sending him to Kilkenny College with one of his cousins. The college was also attended by the philosopher George Berkeley). In the year 1682 Jonathan attended Dublin University (Trinity which was financed by Godwin's son, Willoughby, from where Jonathan recieved his B.A. in 1686, and developed his friendship with William Congreve. Swift was studying for a Master's degree when political troubles in Ireland, which surrounded the Glorious Revolution forced him to leave England in 1688. His mother helped him get a job as a secretary and personal assistant of Sir William Temple at Moor Park, Farnham. Temple was an English diplomat , who had arranged the Triple Alliance of 1688, retired from public service to service his country estate to tend his gardens and write his memoirs. Jonathan gained the confidence of his employer, and "was often trusted with matters of great importance". Within a amount of time spanning three years of their acquaintance, Temple had introduced his secretary to William III, and sent him to London to urge the King to consent to a bill for triennial Parliments.
When Swift took up his residence at Moor Park, he met Esther Johnson, then eight years old, the fatherless daughter of one of the household servants. Swift acted as her tutor and mentor, giving her the nickname "Stella", and the two maintained a close but ambiguous relationship for the rest of Esther's life.
Jonathan left Temple in 1690 for the country of Ireland because of his health, but returned to Moor Park the next year. The illness Jonathan suffered, which were fits of vertigo or giddiness which was known as Ménière's disease, one of which would continue to plague Jonathan throughout his life. During this second stay with Temple, Jonathan recieved his M.A. from Hart Hall, Oxford in 1692. Then apparently despairing of gaining an even better position through Temple's patronage, Jonathan left Moor Park to become a ordained priest in the Established and beautiful Church of Ireland. In 1694 Jonathan was appointed to the prebend of Kilroot in the Diocese of Connor with his parish located in Kilroot near Carrickfergus, in County Antrim.
Jonathan appears to have become miserable in his new position, because he was isolated in a small, remote community far from the centres of power and influence. While located in Kilroot Swift may have taken up a romantic relationship with a woman named Jane Waring. A written letter by Swift survives, which offers to remain should she marry him and promises to leave and never return if she refused, travelling to Ireland. It is presumed she refused his proposal of marriage, due to the fact Swift left his post and returned to England and Temple's service at Moor Park in 1696. Swift remained in England until Temple's death on 27th January 1699. While in England he was employed in helping to prepare Temple's memoirs and correspondence in preparation for publication. During this time Swift wrote The Battle of the Books, a satire which responded to the critics of Temple's Essay upon Ancient and Modern Learning (1690). Battle however was not published until the year 1704.
Born in Dublin, Ireland he was the second child and the only son of Jonathan Swift (1640-1667) and his wife Abigail of Frisby-on-the-Wreake. Swift’s father who was a native of Goodrich, Herefordshire accompanied his brothers to Ireland to seek their fortunes in the subject Law after their Royalist father’s estate was brought to ruin during the time of the English Civil War. Swift’s father died in Dublin before he was born, and his mother returned to England leaving Swift (the son) in the influential care of his uncle Godwin, who was a close friend and confidante of Sir John Temple whose son later employed a young Swift as his secretary.
Jonathan's family had several interesting connections in the literary world. His grandmother Elizabeth (Dryden) Swift who was the niece of Sir Erasmus Dryden, who was the grandfather of the poet John Dryden. Elizabeth's aunt Katherine (Throckmorton) Dryden was an first cousin of the wife of Sir Walter Raleigh, and his great-great grandmother Margaret (Godwin) Swift was the sister of Francis Godwin, who was the author of The Man in the Moone. This book influenced parts of Swifts Gulliver's Travels. Jonathan's uncle Thomas Swift married the daughter of a poet and playwright Sir William Davenant, who was a godson of the famous writer William Shakespeare.
Jonathan's uncle Godwin Swift (1628-1695) who was a benefactor took primary responsibility for the young Jonathan, sending him to Kilkenny College with one of his cousins. The college was also attended by the philosopher George Berkeley). In the year 1682 Jonathan attended Dublin University (Trinity which was financed by Godwin's son, Willoughby, from where Jonathan recieved his B.A. in 1686, and developed his friendship with William Congreve. Swift was studying for a Master's degree when political troubles in Ireland, which surrounded the Glorious Revolution forced him to leave England in 1688. His mother helped him get a job as a secretary and personal assistant of Sir William Temple at Moor Park, Farnham. Temple was an English diplomat , who had arranged the Triple Alliance of 1688, retired from public service to service his country estate to tend his gardens and write his memoirs. Jonathan gained the confidence of his employer, and "was often trusted with matters of great importance". Within a amount of time spanning three years of their acquaintance, Temple had introduced his secretary to William III, and sent him to London to urge the King to consent to a bill for triennial Parliments.
When Swift took up his residence at Moor Park, he met Esther Johnson, then eight years old, the fatherless daughter of one of the household servants. Swift acted as her tutor and mentor, giving her the nickname "Stella", and the two maintained a close but ambiguous relationship for the rest of Esther's life.
Jonathan left Temple in 1690 for the country of Ireland because of his health, but returned to Moor Park the next year. The illness Jonathan suffered, which were fits of vertigo or giddiness which was known as Ménière's disease, one of which would continue to plague Jonathan throughout his life. During this second stay with Temple, Jonathan recieved his M.A. from Hart Hall, Oxford in 1692. Then apparently despairing of gaining an even better position through Temple's patronage, Jonathan left Moor Park to become a ordained priest in the Established and beautiful Church of Ireland. In 1694 Jonathan was appointed to the prebend of Kilroot in the Diocese of Connor with his parish located in Kilroot near Carrickfergus, in County Antrim.
Jonathan appears to have become miserable in his new position, because he was isolated in a small, remote community far from the centres of power and influence. While located in Kilroot Swift may have taken up a romantic relationship with a woman named Jane Waring. A written letter by Swift survives, which offers to remain should she marry him and promises to leave and never return if she refused, travelling to Ireland. It is presumed she refused his proposal of marriage, due to the fact Swift left his post and returned to England and Temple's service at Moor Park in 1696. Swift remained in England until Temple's death on 27th January 1699. While in England he was employed in helping to prepare Temple's memoirs and correspondence in preparation for publication. During this time Swift wrote The Battle of the Books, a satire which responded to the critics of Temple's Essay upon Ancient and Modern Learning (1690). Battle however was not published until the year 1704.