A Tale of a Tub

by Jonathan Swift, Mint Editions (Contribution by)

Overview

Published anonymously in 1704, this prose satire by the author of Gulliver's Travels presents a story of three brothers, each symbolizing a Christian sect, and an unrelated series of digressions. The "tale" portion centers on Peter, Martin, and Jack, who respectively represent Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, and other dissenting Protestant sects. Charged with maintaining their coats — the Christian faith — exactly as issued, the brothers immediately proceed to make alterations. Jonathan Swift's historical allegory ridicules the conflicts between religious factions, and his digressions offer ironic views of contemporary trends in literature, politics, and theology.
Swift's assault on the corruption of the ancient church and the fanaticism of reformers was widely misunderstood at the time of its publication, when England's religion and government were closely linked, causing the author endless problems with churchmen and politicians alike. Acerbic in style and exuberantly witty, A Tale of a Tub remains a powerful parody that ranks among the English language's best satires.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781513275277
Publisher:	Mint Editions
Publication date:	01/19/2021
Series:	Mint Editions (Poetry and Verse)
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	116
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Born in Dublin, Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) studied at Trinity College and was eventually ordained as a priest. Most of his books were first published anonymously or under a pseudonym, including Gulliver's Travels, his most famous work.

Editorial Reviews

Contents The Tale of a Tub: Advert To the Right Honourable John Lord Somers The Bookseller to The Reader The Epistle Dedicatory The Preface Section I.--The Introduction Section II. Section III.--A Digression Concerning Critics Section IV.--A Tale Of A Tub Section V.--A Digression In The Modern Kind Section VI.--A Tale Of A Tub Section VII--A Digression In Praise Of Digressions Section VIII.--A Tale Of A Tub Section IX.--A Digression Concerning The Original . . . Section X.--A Farther Digression Section XI.--A Tale Of A Tub The Conclusion The History Of Martin The History of Martin A Digression On The Nature . . . The History Of Martin--Continued A Project For The Universal Benefit Of Mankind

From the Publisher