Swift Wikipedia Biography

The most famous as the author of the fantastic tetralogy “Traveling of Gulliver”, in which he was wittily ridiculed human and social vices. He lived in Dublin Ireland, where he served the dean of the rector of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Despite his English origin, Swift energetically defended the rights of ordinary Irish and earned sincere respect on their part.

Biography: The main source of information about the Swift family and its early years is the “Autobiographical Fragment”, which was written by Swift in the year and covers events up to a year. It says that during the Civil War the family of Swift's grandfather moved from Canterbury to Ireland. Swift was born in the Irish city of Dublin in a poor Protestant family. Father, a small judge official, died when the son was not yet born, leaving his family, daughter and son in a distress.

Therefore, Uncle Godwin was engaged in the upbringing of the boy, Jonathan almost did not meet with his mother. After school, he entered the Trinity College of Dublin University, which he graduated from the year. As a result of training, Swift received a bachelor's degree and a lifelong skeptical attitude to scientific wisdom. In connection with the civil war, which began in Ireland after the overthrow of King Jacob II, Swift left for England, where he stayed for 2 years.

In England, he served as a secretary with his son's friend of the acquaintance of other information, her distant relative, a wealthy retired diplomat William Templas English. Sir William Temple. In the estate of Temple, Swift was first met by Esther Johnson - the daughter of a maid who lost his father early. Esther was then only 8 years old; Swift became her friend and teacher.

In the year, he returned to Ireland, although he later repeatedly visited the Temple. To search for a position, Temple presented him with a characteristic-recommendation, which noted good knowledge of Latin and Greek, acquaintance with French and excellent literary abilities.

Temple, the famous essayist himself, managed to evaluate the outstanding literary talent of his secretary, provided him with his library and friendly assistance in everyday affairs; In return, Swift helped the pace in the preparation of its vast memoirs. It was in these years that Swift begins literary work, first as a poet. It should be noted that numerous eminent guests, including King Wilhelm, visited the influential punes, and observation of their conversations gave invaluable material to the future great satirist.

In the year, Swift received the title of master in Oxford, and in the year he accepted the spiritual sang of the Anglican church. He was appointed priest in the Irish village of Kilut English. However, soon Swift, in his own words, “tired of his duties in a few months,” returned to the service of the pace. In the years, the satirical novels of the Tale of the Barrel and the Battle of Books writes in the year, as well as several poems.

In January, the patron, William Temple, died. He was one of those few familiar Swift, about whom even this caustic satirist wrote only kind words. Swift is engaged in the search for a new position, addresses London nobles. For a long time, these searches had no success, but Swift met the court mores closely. Finally, in the year he was appointed minister of the Council of St. Patrick Cathedral in Dublin.

During this period, he publishes several anonymous pamphlets. Contemporaries immediately noted the features of the satirical style of swift: brightness, uncompromising, lack of direct sermon - the author ironically describes events, leaving conclusions at the discretion of the reader. In the year, Swift received the degree of Doctor of Theology at the Trinity College.

The opposition party of the Wigs is approaching. The authority of Swift as a writer and thinker is growing. During these years, Swift often visits England, makes acquaintances in literary circles. Publishes anonymously, under one cover, “The Tale of Barrels” and “Battle of Books”; The first of them is equipped with a meaningful subtitle, which can be attributed to the whole work of Swift: "It is written for the sake of general improvement of the human race." The book immediately becomes popular and in the first year is released in three publications.

It should be noted that almost all the works of Swift went out under various pseudonyms or generally anonymously, although its authorship usually did not constitute a secret. In the year, Vigi won the majority in parliament for several years, but there were no improvements to the morals. Swift returned to Ireland, where he was given a parish in the village of Larakor and lived there until the end of the year.

In one of the letters, he compared the ranges of the Vigs and Tori with cat concerts on the roofs. For about a year, Swift met another girl, summer Esther Vanimuri English. Esther Vanhomrigh, which Swift called Vanessa in his letters. She, like Esther Johnson, grew up without the father of the Callman merchant.Part of Vanessa’s letters to Swift has been preserved - “sad, gentle and delighted”: “If you find that I am writing too often to you, then you should inform me about it or even write me again so that I know that you have not completely forgotten about me ...” At the same time, Esther Johnson was named her swift for almost daily; Later, these letters made up his book “Diary for Stella”, published posthumously.

Esther-Stella, remaining an orphan, settled in the Irish estate of Swift with her companion, as a pupil. Some of the biographers, relying on the testimonies of Swift's friends, suggests that he and Stella were secretly married for about a year, but no documentary evidence was found. In the year of Tori, led by Henry St. June, subsequently Viscount Bolingbro, they came to power in England, and Swift, which was disappointed in the policies of the Wigs, came out in support of the government.

In some areas, their interests really coincided: Tori turned the war with Louis XIV the Utrecht world, condemned corruption and Puritan fanaticism. It was to this that Swift previously called. In addition, they made friends with a Bolingbro, a talented and witty writer. In gratitude to Swift, the pages of the conservative weekly English were provided. The Examiner, where Swift pamphlets were published for several years.

This place, in addition to financial independence, gives it a strong political rostrum for an open struggle, but moves away from a large London policy. Nevertheless, Swift from Ireland continues to actively participate in the public life of the country, publishing articles and pamphlets on pressing problems. Angrily opens against social injustice, estate, inhibition, religious fanaticism, etc.

In the year, Vigi again returned to power. The Bolingbrock, accused of relations with the Jacobites, emigrated to France. Swift sent a letter to the exile, where he asked to arrange them, Swift, at his discretion. He added that this is the first time he addresses Bolingbroke with a personal request. In the same year, the mother of Vanessa died. Remaining an orphan, she moves to Ireland, closer to Swift.

In the year of the House of Lords of the Irish Parliament, formed from the English proteges, she conveyed all the legislative functions against Ireland to the British crown. London immediately used new rights to create privileges in English goods. From this moment, Swift joined the struggle for the autonomy of Ireland, ruined in the interests of the English metropolis.

In the same years, Swift has begun work on Gulliver's Travels. She was infected with tuberculosis, caring for her younger sister. Its correspondence with Swift over the past year was destroyed for some reason. The resonance from the “letters” was deafening and widespread, so London had to urgently appoint a new governor, a crankcase, to calm the Irish.

The prize appointed by the Carterite to the one who indicates the name of the author remained neutral. It was possible to find and put on trial of the printer “letters”, but the jury unanimously justified him. Prime Minister Lord Walpol proposed the arrest of the “instigator”, but Carterite explained that this would need a whole army. Ultimately, England considered the best to go to some economic concessions, and from that moment the Anglican Dean Swift became a national hero and unofficial leader of Catholic Ireland.

A contemporary notes: "His portraits were exhibited on all the streets of Dublin ... Greetings and blessings accompanied him everywhere wherever he passed." According to the memoirs of friends, Swift said: “As for Ireland, only my old friends love me - black, and I reciprocate their love, because I do not know anyone else who would deserve it.” In response to the ongoing economic pressure of the metropolis, Swift from its own funds established the Fund for Assistance to Dublin Citizens who threatened the ruin, and did not distinguish between Catholics and Englishmen.

The stormy scandal throughout England and Ireland caused the famous “modest proposal” pamphlet, in which he mockingly advised: if we are not able to feed the children of Irish poor, doizing them to poverty and hunger, let's better sell them to meat, and make gloves out of the skin. In the year, “Gulliver’s travels”, without specifying the name of the real author, were published.

The book, somewhat spoiled by censorship, enjoys unprecedented success, and its authorship is no secret to anyone. For a few months, “Gulliver’s travels” were reprinted three times, soon transfers to German, Dutch, Italian and other languages ​​appeared, as well as extensive comments with the decoding of Sviftov’s hints and allegories. Stella died in the year.

Swift’s physical and mental state worsens. Its popularity continues to grow: in the year, Swift is assigned the title of Honorary Citizen Dublin, his collected works come out: the first in the year, the second - in the year.In recent years, Swift suffered from serious mental disorder; In one of the letters, he mentioned the “deadly grief” that kills his body and soul.

In the year, after a stroke, Swift lost speech and partially mental abilities, after which he was declared incompetent. Three years later, Swift died. He was buried in the central nave of his cathedral next to the grave Esther Johnson, an epitaph on the tombstone he himself composed in advance, back in the text of the will: “Here the body of Jonathan Swift, the dean of this cathedral, and the harsh indignation no longer tearing his heart.

Go, traveler, and imitate, if you can, to the one who courageously fought for the work of freedom. Creativity: At one time, Swift was characterized as "masters of a political pamphlet." A considerable part of Swift journalism occupies all kinds of hoaxes. For example, in the year Swift attacked astrologers, whom he considered notorious scammers. He published, under the name “Isaac Bickerstaff”, almanacs with predictions of future events.

Swift almanac conscientiously parodied similar popular publications, which was published in England by a certain John Partridge, a former shoemaker; He contained, in addition to the usual foggy statements, “this month, death or illness will threaten a significant person,” as well as very specific predictions, including the imminent of the death of the aforementioned partridge.

When this day came, Swift distributed a message from the name of the acquaintance of the party of the party about his death "in full accordance with the prediction." The ill -fated astrologer was worth a lot of work to prove that he was alive and recover in the list of publishers, from where he was hastened to delete. Over time, his works lost momentary political severity, but became a model of ironic satire.

His books during his lifetime were extremely popular both in Ireland and in England, where they came out in large circulations. Some of his works, regardless of political circumstances that gave rise to them, healed their own literary and artistic life. First of all, this applies to the fantastic tetralogy of Gulliver's Travel, which has become one of the classic and most frequently read books in many countries of the world, and also filmed dozens of times.