Impact of Jonathan Swift's work on American Literature

Impact of Jonathan Swift's work on American Literature

Thesis Statement

A devoted champion of justice and an untiring enemy of pride, Swift was a remarkable satirist ever to walk on the face of the earth in part because he was a thoroughgoing humanist.

Introduction

Jonathan Swift was an Anglo-Irish who was born in the seventeenth century in the year 1667. It was that difficult time in the history of Ireland when undue influence was exercised by England upon Irishmen so as to colonize Ireland. With the passage of time, Irish were losing hope and Irish Catholics realized that they are losing their freedom to the Britons. It was this time, when significant force was needed to raise the voice; Jonathan Swift came into the limelight by taking the helm. He witnessed the British rule; their cruelty along with their increasing unjust behavior towards the Irish and with the passage of time, his fortitude against them grew. He was positioned as Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin and with that special authority; he exercised upon his fellow people positive impact. He was so placed that he could discern the cruelty of the rulers more appropriately than common people and he took it upon himself to not remain silent and to let his people know about their agenda and injustices.

Discussion

Although, he was disappointed for not being placed at a higher position in the Church of England but rather being placed at St. Patrick's, he seen realized that there was a higher calling. Belonging to a family with extensive literary connections, Jonathan Swift is widely known as satirist; more specifically prose satirist. He used satire in his works for the communication to the mass about the true face of the political system and the politicians themselves. It was not until 1720 that he actively started writing for the purpose of educating the people and to influence change and to bring in revolution.

The first element of the British rule that caught his attention was Penal Laws and how they were modified and changed to not accommodate Irish Catholics. He himself was Protestant but even then he was shocked by the way laws were so enforced to ensure against the Catholics practicing their religion, buying land or preaching their children and others about the specifics of their religion. When the Declaratory Act of 1720 was passed, the threshold was crossed for Swift. The act dictated that the right to rule Ireland has been rested upon the British Parliament with the consent of neither Irish Lords nor Irish Commons being necessary.

His Satires

The events greatly shaped his political satire. He led Protestant Patriotism movement to protest by publishing a proposal anonymously in which he responded by utterly denouncing and rejecting to buy clothing that would be imported from England. It also criticized the Britons for putting an export ban on their woolen manufacturing. In addition to this proposal, 'Drapier's Letters' was published by Swift under the pseudonym of ...