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Swift's 'A Tale of a Tub.'.(satire by Jonathan Swift)

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From: The Explicator
Date: 19990101
Author:Cole, Kevin L.

Jonathan Swift's 'A Tale of A Tub' alluded to the myth on the labors of Hercules in his satirical treatment of modern literary critics. Roman mythology relates Hercules' penitence for murdering his children and nephew by submitting to the counsel of the Pythoness of Delphi to become the slave of the King of Tiryn for 12 years. Swift described the critics' job as that of the anti-thesis of Hercules' achievements, inspiring ridicule rather than awe.

Whereas many scholars of Jonathan Swift have commented on the following passage from "A Digression concerning Criticks" in A Tale of A Tub, ...

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