Tag Archives: Jonathan Swift

Poet Hart Crane on Forgetting

By Robin Bates | Published: February 13, 2024

Crane’s poem “Forgetfulness” captures the ambiguity of this mental state.

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Lit Heals By Keeping Us Off Balance

By Robin Bates | Published: January 8, 2024

Different literary techniques have been used over the centuries to keep us on our toes.

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Swift Understood Trumpian Fascism

By Robin Bates | Published: November 14, 2023

Trump’s use of “vermin” to characterize his enemies is fascist talk. “Gulliver’s Travels” shows where such talk can lead.

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When News Resembles an Onion Headline

By Robin Bates | Published: October 4, 2022

A recent case of an American man arrested for parodying a police department elicited a supportive brief from “The Onion.”

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O’Connor and Swift on the Death of Others

By Robin Bates | Published: July 28, 2022

Friday While losing my mother at 96 is definitely not like Julian losing his mother in Flannery O’Connor’s “All That Rises Must Converge,” I can relate somewhat to his feelings of being adrift once she is gone. In his case, he is entirely dependent upon her, and embarrassed by her, and resentful of his inability […]

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Swift on How to Ignore 115,000 Deaths

By Robin Bates | Published: June 11, 2020

Trump and others appear to be shrugging off the 115,000 (and counting) Covid-19 deaths in America. Gulliver in Book IV shows similar insensitivity.

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Trump’s Modest Proposal

By Robin Bates | Published: March 31, 2020

It may be April Fools’ Day, but there are Republicans who are advocating a version of Jonathan Swift’s “Modest Proposal.” For real.

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It’s a Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall

By Robin Bates | Published: March 22, 2020

For those of us living in the lull before the COVID-19 storm, Swift’s “Description of a City Shower” captures what we’re experiencing–and about to experience.

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Jigsaw Order Out of Chaos

By Robin Bates | Published: January 15, 2020

As one who specializes in 18th century British lit, I’m fascinated with how jigsaw puzzles represent order arising from chaos.

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