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To most of the readers Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) is known as one of the greatest English Prose Satirists, notably as the author of “Gulliver’s Travels� (1726). His pessimistic, down-to-earth attitude with his straight-forward simple style and skillful irony over shadowed his role as a poet, As a man of literary excellence, action and thought, Swift participated fully in the affairs of the eighteenth century England. Hence it is not out of place to know about his ideas and attitudes in the realm of poetry. The Augustan age (1660-1745) well-known for classic restraint, use of reason and satire, was a favourable ground for growth of prose fiction rather than that of poetic imagination. Even in poems we find the urbane realistic and satirical attitude mixed with humour and irony. The contemporary themes, especially political, found a congenial vehicle of expression through the deft use of heroic rhymed couplet. So Swift, influenced by the poets like Pope and Gay, wrote in the same characteristic vein, of course, adding his own views and ironic approach.

Swift’s poems reflect the religious and political state of affairs and his bold defence of the Irish struggle for liberty. Though he had close relations with ladies (Stella and Vanessa) he did not burst into lyrics of ecstasy like Romantics. Rather like his contemporaries, he satirically ridiculed the vanity and flippant nature of ladies who cared more for their outward appearance than for their innate qualities. Just like his prose writings, Swift’s poetry places, perfect rhyme, smooth cadence and humour. Though Dryden remarked (perhaps in a jocular way) “Cousin Swift, you will never be a poet,� one wishes he could have written a few more poems since satire in poetry becomes more pointed and impressive than in sprawling prose. As Ricardo Quintana said “No one has claimed for Swift the status of a major poet. He is, however, a first-rate minor one, one of the foremost, in an age distinguished beyond most others for the remarkable quality of its minor poetry�. The octosyllabic couplet, previously used by Samuel Butler in “Hudibras� for mock-heroic purpose was skilfully manipulated by swift with a quick light movement for satirical thrusts and witty remarks.

“A DESCRIPTION OF THE MORNING� published in THE TATLER in 1709 brings before our eyes a realistic and faithful picture of the Augustan England without exaggeration - the deep cadenced voice of the coal-man mingled with shrill notes of chimney-sweep, and sweeping sounds of the youth interrupted by those of hackney coach. Under the surface, of realism, satire shows the creeping corruption and dishonesy.

“The turnkey now his flock returning sees
Duly let out a night to steal for fees.�
“Now Betty from her Master’s bed had flown
And softly stole to discompose her own.�

‘THE PROGRESS OF BEAUTY� is “a brutal exposure of what lies concealed behind a false front�. The poem written in Octosyllabic quatrains reveals Swit’s sneering and antiromantic approach towards the artificial, gaudy manners of the 18th century aristocratic ladies who cared more for their skin-deep beauty than for wisdom and virtues. The poem, to some extent, resembles. Pope’s characteristic satire in his well-­known mock-epic “The Rape of the lock� (1714). Of course Swift dwells more on the ugly aspects beneath the veneer of painted beauty. Swift draws a close comparison between the moon and Celia, both of whom are unsteady and changing in their appearance. Celia’s real face with “crackt lips, foul teeth and gummy eyes� with dyed hair “a mingled mass of dirt and sweat� appears quite repelling and unromantic. Like Belinda of Pope’s mock-epic, after four hours of decoration, Celia “with the help of pencil, paint and brush ‘becomes� the wonder of her sex�. The white lead gifted by Venus to female sex repairs “Two brightest, brittlest earthly things/A lady’s face and China ware�. The poet admonishes that artificial beauty like starry Venus is only at night when bright light does not expose their painted faces too much. But artificial beauty like the waning moon falls bit by bit. In the long run artificial embellishments cannot be a substitute for real, natural beauty. Hence the poet implores the powers of love to send new nymphs if they wish since ‘mortal beauties drop so soon�.

In “Helter-skelter� written in octosyllabic couplets in trochaic metre, Swift draws an amusing picture of the dissolute young judges who travel from village to village to settle disputes, Dressed in borrowed immaculate clothes, with powdered wigs and hats, they fleece the innocent folk enjoying everything freely and indulging in riotous pleasures.

“Through Town and through village
All to plunder, all to pillage�.
‘Some to cuckold Farmers spouses
And make merry in their houses
Some to tumble country wenches
On their rushy beds and benches�.

In the poem ‘The day of Judgement� composed in 1731, Swift directs his satirical weapon against the sham religious authorities who encourage actions and mislead the common people. On the judgement day, Jove appears “armed with terrors�. “The world stands trembling at his throne�. The Almighty Lord sneeringly says that the common people went out of the right path due to frailty but did not, fall through pride. So he left who are not worth his punishment. He directs his anger against those blockheads, who fomented trouble and factions. “I damn such fools - go, go you’re bit�.
“Death and Daphne� written in 1730 exposes in a mockheroic way the flirting nature of the ladies by a visionary projection of the matrimonial link between Death and Daphne. The descriptive and narrative powers of the poet enhance the ironical twist and tone of the poem. Pluto, king of the underworld, dissatisfied with the achievements of Death, advises him to marry and multiply his race. The decoration of death sounds mock-heroic suggesting the heroic arming of Achilles before going to the battle.

The lines

            “The owl, the Raven and the Bat
            clubber for a feather to his hat�

remind use of the lines describing the beautification of Belinda in Pope’s “The Rape of the lock�.

            “The tortoise, hare and elephant unite
            Transformed to Combs, the speckled and white�.

Daphne’s enquiries about the underworld sports and love affairs remind one of the fashionable pleasure ­seeking ladies of the Augustan England. As Swift exclaims

            “What pride a female heart enflames
            How endless are Ambition’s aims?

The conclusion is emphatically satirical, almost a crushing blow at the vanities of the ladies. Even Death fled away by the leaden cold touch of Daphne!

‘Epistle to a Lady� was finished by Swift in 1733. The author used dialogue form to express his views on functions of satire, which is better suited than heroic style to deal with common themes of the society. In his reply to a lady, who entreated the poet to speak of her virtues in heroic style, Swift says that the behaviour of ladies - who spend most of their time in gambling and pleasure - ­seeking activities - is ill - suited for treatment in sublime heroic style. The lady ascribes her idle way of life to her upbringing and at this stage is helpless to mend her ways even if the poet attempts to teach her how to be wise. She asks the poet to have pity on her and praise her in sublime style instead of ridiculing her in witty rhyme. She speaks of her polished manners, courteous and kind behaviour, though her preoccupation with cards is only an excuse to idle away time just as men pass their time by drinking. The poet answers that this natural way of thinking is satirical to laugh at the vices of the court

“All their madness makes me merry
Like the watermen of Thames
I row by and call them names
Like the ever-laughing sage
In a jest I spend my rage�.

As Horace said, ridicule has greater power to reform the world than bitter abuse. Satire gives scope for imagination and brings in reason and invention to make the society realise its follies. His method is like the movement of a rocket which soars harmless and breaks into sparkles over the heads of people just not enough to singe (burn) their hair and make them active. Thus the author concludes with the advice.

“Learn to relish truth and reason�,
“I to laugh and you grow wise�.

This epistle, is one of the finest epistles expressing the views of Swift about satire. and its reforming power. The style is clear, compact and conversational.

“On the death of Dr. Swift� is one of the most remarkable poems comprising self-characterization as well as self-mockery. It portrays ironically the views of the so-called friends after the death of Swift. The poet begins on a satirical note, revealing the self-centred, jealous nature of friends.

“In all distresses of our friends
We first consult our private ends�.

A poet world wish “his rivals all in hell�. The poet says that all his friends turned his rivals due to envy and self-­interest. His gift for irony and writing good prose made others look at him with jealousy. The poet visualises what would happen before his death. Friends talk about his failing faculties, sinking health and fussy nature of his outdated jokes.

“For poetry he’s past his prime
He takes an hour to find a rime�.
“His fire is out, his wit decayed
His fancy sunk, his muse a jade�.

In this exaggerating vein, they predict his death much earlier instead of wishing him a speedy recovery. So Swift hits the nail in one line “No enemy can match a friend�. The poet suggests that men find secret pleasures in others sufferings. After the poet’s death, people inquire to whom he bequeathed his property. When they came to know that he gave away all his wealth to public, they would complain whether he had no worthy friend or relation in the whole world and what the public had done for him.

The newspapers would be full of elegies and curses, written by poets of rival groups. The doctors, to save their reputation, accuse the dead poet of not following their advice which would have given him a lease of life for twenty years more. The poet ironically refers to the pleasure felt by Mrs. Howard, countess of Suffolk, and the queen who forgot their promises given to Swift.

“He’s dead you say: Why let him rot
I’m glad the medals were forgot�.

After hearing the death of Swift, Walpole would say that he would be happier if Boling broke or William pultney (Who opposed Walpole’s measure) were dead instead of this wretch. Mr. Curl, the most infamous publisher of spurious books and forged letters, would bring out three volumes of Swift revised by the notorious writers such as Tibald, Jemmy Moore and Cibber, all ridiculed by Pope in his “Dunciad�. Friends would regret over the poet’s death for a few days.

Card-playing women would say

“His time was come, he ran his race
we hope he’s in a better place.�

After one year, the poet will be no more remembered and his books will become outdated. On enquiry from anybody, Bernard Lintat, a book seller in London, would say

“His way of writing now is past
The tow hath got a better taste.�

The book-seller would give a list of modern writers such as Colley cibber, Stephen Duck and clergymen like Henley and Wolston who opposed the established church.

Lastly the poet gives the portrait of his real character through another friend. The poet was given due respect at the court. He wrote to reform the society.

His satirical writings were fruits of his own mind, but not borrowed from any other person.

“His vein, ironically grave
Exposed the fool and lashed the Knave.�
“To steal a hind was never known
But what he writ was all his own.

He never aspired to move with men of high cadre. He did not behave with pride or arrogance. He sought the company of the wise and the good. He behaved with decorum before royal authorities., and followed David’s advice “In princes never put thy trust.� He championed the cause of liberty and criticised the Irish Senate. The letters written anonymously (The Drapier’s letters) made even the royal power set a price (600 pounds) for discovering the real author. But none betrayed him. He was not after power and pelf. He wrote letters exhorting the Irish to wear clothes made in Ireland only, Whitshed, Chief Justice tried his best to heap vengeance but swift came out unscathed, due to God’s grace and support extended by his friends. Swift spent his last years in Ireland far from the company of spiritual and temporal lords.

Lastly Swift expresses his views about the use and aim of satire in his writings. Though “he lashed the vice, but spared the name.� “malice never was his aim.�

He led a peace fill life and behaved with Charity towards the poor.

“He gave the little wealth he had
To build a house for fools and mad.�

In 1742, Swift who suffered from recurrent attacks of mental depression was declared to be mentally unsound. He passed away on October 19, 1745.

Thus the poem seems to be a poetic autobiography in a nutshell, portraying his ownself and the responses of his friends and enemies. This poem also shows Swift’s mastery of the octosyllabic couplet with perfect rhyme, conversational ease and lucid style. After reading these poems we feel Swift was not only a master of satirical prose but also of satirical verse too, with characteristic Augustan features of realism, restraint, clarity and reason. We do also have a direct glimpse into his heart and know about the tender sentiments hidden behind the hard exterior of the satirist.

BIBILIOGRAPHY

1. “Gulliver’s� Travels and other writings� by Jonathan Swift; Ed: by Ricardo Quintana (The Modern Library, New York), 1958.

2. “An Outline History of English Literature� by William Henry Hudson, (B.I. Publications, Bombay), 1971

3. “A History of English Literature� by William Moody Vaughn and Robert Morss Lovett: 8th edition. ed. by Fred B. Millet (Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi), 1986.