98Jonathan Swift

JonathanSwift(1667-1745)Lectureoutline1.JonathanSwift’slife2.Swift’smainworks3.Gulliver’sTravels4.Proseappreciation:AModestProposal5.SummaryofSwift’sstyle6.Appendix:developmentofprose-writinginthe18thcenturyJonathanSwiftOneofthegreatestwitsofthe18thcenturyDream:wantedtocuresociety’sillswithhumorDualidentities:born1667inIrelandtoEnglishparents,died1745inIrelandSpentmostofhislifeinIreland,devotedtoIrishaffairs,butalwaysconsideredhimselfEnglishandaTorySwift’sreputationinIrelandSwiftasdepictedontheIrish£10banknote,issued1976–1993BustinSt.Patrick'sCathedral,IrelandSt.PatrickHospital,Swift’smadhouseISwift’slifeandhiscareerLifestoryposthumouschild(遗腹子)aidgrudgingly(unwillingly)atwarwithauthoritiesTemple’shousehelpforthetalentedyoungmanbrainDiseaseinsane“specialfavor”特许学位证书Swift’sloveaffairEstherJohnson,(Stella)educatingher,forminghercharacter,andlatercomingtoloveherLovelettersJournaltoStellaSwift’sEpitaphSwifthassailedintohisrest.Savageindignationtherecannotlacerate(割裂)hisbreast.Imitatehimifyoudare,world-besotted(痴迷的)traveller.Heservedhumanliberty.---translatedbyW.B.YeatsfromLatinEpitaphinSt.Patrick'sCathedral,Dublinnearhisburialsite.IISwift’sWorks(1)ATaleofaTub(2)TheBattleofBooks17041704intheformofaparable(寓言故事)asatireuponallreligioussectsanattackonChristianityitselfanattackonpedantry(买弄学问)BickerstaffAlmanac(比克斯塔夫先生的历书)1708(3)PredictionsfortheYear1708《对1708的预言》(4)VindicationofIsaacBickerstaff《比克斯塔夫先生第一个预言的应验》(5)Gulliver’sTravels(1706)Gulliver’sTravelsPartI:toLilliputsatirizedthecontention(争夺)forpowerandprofitsamongtheEnglishpoliticalpartiesandthereligiousgroupsthroughthedescriptionofthedisputeconcerningtheissuesof‘wearersofhigh/lowheels’and‘breakingofbig/smallendofanegg’.Quotes“Shouldeggsbebrokenatthebigendorthelittleend?““This,however,isthoughttobeamerestrainuponthetext,forthewordsarethese,thatalltruebelieversshallbreaktheireggsattheconvenientend.Andwhichistheconvenientendseems,inmyhumbleopinion,tobelefttoeveryman’sconscience,oratleastinthepoweroftheChiefMagistrate(法官)todetermine”.ParliamentaryPartiesTories:forastrongking,tendedtobeAnglicans&landlessnobles(whogottheirtitlesfromtheking)Whigs:forastrongParliament,tendedtobeAnglicanswhosupportedreligiousfreedom,aswellasmerchantsandlawyers;alsoincludedPuritansPartoneisasatireontheToriesandtheWhigsMorepicturesinLilliputPart2:toBrobdingnag(大人国)accusedtheEnglishcorruptpoliticsandjingoism(侵略主义)throughthekings’wordsinBrobdingnag(大人国).asatireonEnglishlordsandladiesMorepicturesinBrobdingnagPart3:toLaputa(FlyingIsland)satirizedtheivory-towered(脱离实际的)researchworkofEnglishphilosophersandprojectorsthroughdescriptionoftheprojects(e.g.extractingsunbeamoutofcucumbers,turningiceintogunpowder,andmakingclothfromcobweb蜘蛛网)intheflyingisland.GulliverandheadstrongscientistPart4:tothecountryoftheHouyhnhnms‘Yahoo’–theappellationofhumanbeingasatireontheconflictsofEnglishsociety“Tomendtheworld”SummaryofGulliver’sTravelsThefirsttwobooksarechildren’sfavorite.Airofauthenticityandrealism:contemporariesbelievedthemtobetruePamphletsonIreland:IrishSeries(6)TheDrapier’sLetters《一个麻布商的书信》（1724）(7)AModestProposal《一个小小的建议》（1729）DenouncethecruelandunjusttreatmentofIrelandbytheEnglishgovernmentandstiruptheIrishpeopletofight.PamphletsonIrelandearnedhimthestatusofanIrish.Quote:“AmIafreemaninEnglandanddoIbecomeaslaveinsixhoursbycrossingtheChannel?”“AModestProposal”ProtestedEnglisheconomic&politicaldominationofIrelandWhigsimposedharshconditionstosupportthefewEnglishProtestantswholivedinIrelandCatholicscouldnotbuylandEnglishParliamentclaimedrighttolegislateforIrelandIIIClosereadingoftextAModestProposalWhatistheidentityofthepersona“I”intheessay?What’stheapparentpurposeofhisproposal?aprojector“forpreventingthechildrenofpoorpeopleinIrelandfrombeingaburdentotheirparentsorcountry,andformakingthembeneficialtothepublic”(P.1)Whathasstimulatedthepersonatomakehisproposal?“amelancholyobject”inIreland.beggars,andjoblessmen,(thieves,slaves)(Para.1)“childrenhasbeenaburden”tofindafair,cheapandeasymethod”.(Para.2)Howdoesthepersonaevaluatehisownproposal?1)Itisofamuchgreaterextent:“farfrombeingconfinedtoprovideonlyforthechildrenofprofessedbeggars”(para.3)2)aconsiderateandthoughtfulproposal.“havingturnedmythoughtsformanyyearsuponthisimportantsubject,andmaturelyweightedtheseveralschemesofotherprojectors”(para.4)3)preventionofbloodymurdering:topreventwomen’svoluntaryabortions;(para.5)Whatkindofproposaldoesthepersonamake?Statethecontentoftheproposal.toselltheinfantsattheageofoneyearold,forthefleshatthisageisamostdelicious,nourishing,andwholesomefood,whetherstewed,roasted,baked,orboiled,andImakenodoubtthatitwillequallyserveinafricasseeoraragout.Whydoestheprojectorproposetosellinfantsinsteadofchildrenattheageof12?1)childrenaresoldattheageof12,buttheirparentscanget3pounds,thatistoocheap.Aone-year-oldinfantcanbesoldfor10shillings.Theirparentsget8shillingsasnetprofit---enoughtogivebirthtoasecondbaby---intermsoftheparents.2)infantfoodisprecioussuitabletoentertainfriendsforthepersonsofqualityandf