A Tale Of A Tub

At the time that Swift was writing A Tale of a Tub, scholars were discussing whether ancient philosophy could still measure up to modern ideas. Swift thought that the work of the ancients was still valuable and went to lengths to defend it. He uses satire to show that Homer, despite not having invented gunpowder or the compass, still has solid teachings to pass on. He also suggests that the critic was not invented by modern intellectuals, but by ancient writers who also received criticisms. In fact, critique is a part of human nature. Ancient ideas should be kept around so that modernists know where their influences came from. 

The book is called A Tale of a Tub and purports to be about this story. However, Swift goes on just as many digressions as he does tell the tale. He even goes on a digression about digressions. Although this plays into the satire of the work, he is also saying that these digressions could support or have parallel meanings to the central story. For example, “A Digression Concerning Critics” discusses types of critics and the ideas of critique. Swift will be critiquing his whole world in this book, and he is giving the reader a guide into how he will do that.

Critique itself is also a theme. Swift highlights that critics “[discover] and [collect] writers’ faults” (66). He also underscores that critique itself is ancient, and that in the modern sense critique should act as mirror for writers to observe and perhaps to follow. It is a critic’s job to discover the true sense of a work. As they are supposed to discover the core of things, Swift can then set the example and dig into the society around him using his allegory of “A Tale of a Tub” and Peter, Martin, and Jack.

Religion is at the crux of Swift’s critique of early 18th century English society. The brothers in the “A Tale of a Tub” sections represent the three religions that are at war with each other in 1704 era England. Peter is Catholicism, Martin is Protestantism, and Jack is Puritanism. Swift follows them as they ignore their father’s will, a document much like scripture, and add decorations to the coats that he gave them and advised them never to alter. He shows them gaining followers and constantly going to war with each other, each getting a revolving door of patronage from sympathetic monarchs. He turns a satirical eye to priests, as well, suggesting that they puff themselves up with hot air and then belch out their teachings so that everyone can experience their wisdom. He refers to Jack’s Aeolist Priests when he writes this, but the idea of passing ideas from the body into the air like vapor applies to all clergy.