Jonathan Swift

1667 – 1745

Jonathan Swift was an Anglo-Irish writer, essayist, and Anglican cleric who is regarded as the foremost prose satirist in the English language. His 1726 Gulliver's Travels combined fantastic voyages with biting political satire, and his 1729 essay A Modest Proposal—suggesting the Irish poor sell their children as food to English landlords—remains a defining model of ironic political polemic. As Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin he became a fierce public defender of Irish economic and political interests against English exploitation.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM