Summary of “Tales of the Barrel”
“The Tale of the Barrel” is one of the first pamphlets written by Jonathan Swift, however, unlike the “Battle of Books” that was created around the same time, where it was mainly about subjects of literary character, “Tale of the Barrel”, with its relatively small volume, contains, as it seems, practically all conceivable aspects and manifestations of human life. Although, of course, its main focus is anti-religious, or rather anti-church. It’s not for nothing that the book, published seven years after its creation (and published anonymously!), Was included by the Pope in the Index prohibitorum. Swift came, though in fact, from the servants of the Anglican church (and deservedly, I must admit, their sarcastic pen also did not spare).
Retelling the “plot” of the book, belonging to the pamphlet genre, is obviously ungrateful and meaningless. It is noteworthy, although in general, that in the absence of a “plot” in
The construction of a pamphlet at first glance may seem rather chaotic, confusing, the author deliberately misleads his reader (hence the name itself: the expression “barrel tale” in English means – chatter, mishmash, confusion). The construction of a pamphlet at first glance can seem quite chaotic, confusing, the author deliberately misleads his reader (hence the name itself: the expression “the barrel tale” in English means – chatter, mishmash, confusion). The structure of the pamphlet
So, in the first section, called “Introduction”, the addressees of his sarcasm become judges and orators, actors and spectators, in short, all those who either utter something (from the podium or, if you will, from the barrel), and also Others, listening to them, opening their mouths with admiration. In many sections of his pamphlet, Swift creates a murderous parody of modern science, pseudo-learning (when verily “a word in simplicity will not be said”), while masterfully owning the gift of perverted verbiage (of course, parodic, but perfectly reproducing the style of those numerous ” scientific treatises “, which in abundance came from the pen of the learned men – his contemporaries). Brilliantly at the same time he knows how to show that behind this stringing of words are hidden the emptiness and poverty of thought – a motif that is modern at all times, like all the other thoughts and motifs of the Swift pamphlet, which has by no means become the four centuries that separate us from the moment of creation, into a “museum exhibit”. No, Swift’s pamphlet is alive – because all the human weaknesses and vices against which he is directed are alive.
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