Tag Archives: Jonathan Swift

In Praise of Literary Biography

By Robin Bates | Published: November 29, 2018

I share a discussion I had with John Stubbs, author of riveting biographies on Swift, Donne, and the cavalier poets.

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Imagining the Poor as Breeders

By Robin Bates | Published: June 27, 2018

Donald Trump has been using words like “infest” and “breeding” to dehumanize people of color. Swift’s Modest Proposer does the same.

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The GOP and Trump’s Modest Proposals

By Robin Bates | Published: June 12, 2018

The practice of separating immigrant children from their asylum-seeking parents is reminiscent of the Modest Proposer’s solution.

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Reflections on Internet Trolling

By Robin Bates | Published: May 30, 2018

Internet trolling is not contributing to discourse but poisoning it.

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Swift Predicted Trump’s Lies

By Robin Bates | Published: February 13, 2018

Swift anticipated Donald Trump in his essay on “Political Lying.”

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A Birthday Poem by the Numbers

By Robin Bates | Published: June 12, 2017

My wedding anniversary and birthday this year all work together as a numerical quirk, giving me a rationale to share one of Jonathan Swift’s “Stella birthday poems” in which the poet also plays around with numbers.

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Swift’s Popularity with Today’s Students

By Robin Bates | Published: May 3, 2017

Students crowded into the gym to listen to the publisher of “The Onion.” It is therefore not surprising that they are also responding enthusiastically to Jonathan Swift. I share some of their thoughts on the satirist in today’s post.

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Swift’s April Fools Broomstick Joke

By Robin Bates | Published: April 1, 2017

The all time master of the April Fools joke was Jonathan Swift. Here’s one of his lesser ones where he draws deep philosophical by meditating on a broomstick.

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Gulliver, Recommended for Scientists

By Robin Bates | Published: March 31, 2017

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson’s favorite book to recommend is not a book of science but Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels.” This shows him to be a very wise man.

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