Biography of Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift was one of the most famous satirists in English literature. He was born on November 30, 1667. His mother returned to her relatives in England, leaving him in the care of an uncle when he was three years old. He was sent to Trinity College in Dublin at the age of four and he did not do well in his studies here. 

In 1688, Swift’s uncle died and then Swift was left to live on his own effort. Next year he worked as a literary assistant of Sir William Temple, a retired diplomat. He wrote his early verses between 1691-94 and these were received (favourably. He wrote “A Tale of a Tub” during 1696-99 and it was published in 1704. He became secretary to the Earl of Berkeley in 1699. His famous book “Gulliver’s Travels” which brought an instant success was published in 1726. The last days of Swift’s life was full of miseries. He will mostly ill but was active most of the 1730. It was only after his stroke in 1739 he retired and the end of his life came six years after his stroke. He was buried in St. Patrick Cathedral by the side of Stella Johnson who had died in 1728.