A Tale of a Tube

 Jonathan Swift 

Jonathan Swift was born 30 November 1667 died 19 October 1745 was an Anglo Irish satirist ,essayist ,political, pamphleter  poet and Anglican cleric who became Dean of st Patrick's cathedral Dublin hence his common sobriquet Dean swift. A Tele of a Tub was the first major work written by Jonathan Swift arguably his most difficult Satire and perhaps his most masterly . The tale is a prose parody divided into sections each delving into the morals and ethics of the English composed between 1694 and 1697 it was eventually published in 1704 . 

A Tale of a Tub : 

A Tale of a Tub written for the universal improvement of mankind was the first major work written by Jonathan Swift arguably his most difficult Satire and perhaps his most masterly. 

The tale was enormously popular presenting both a satire of religious excess and a parody of contemporary theology biblical exegesis and medicine through its comically excessive front matter and series of digressious throughout . A tale of a Tub comprises the tale reformation in the story of brother Peter Martin and Jack as they attempt to make their way in the world along with various digressious interspersed throughout each brother represent one of the primary branches of Christianity in the West . This part of the book is a pub on Tub which Alexander Pope was a common term for a dissenters pulpit and a reference to swifts own position as a clergyman.

Symbols : 

The Three Coats : 

The three brothers coats are the central symbol of a Tale of a Tub outwardly plain and simple the coats are the their father who promises that they will last for a lifetime if cared for properly . In his will he wars them against altering the coats in any way . These costs represent the practices of Christianity as originally revealed and commanded by God and us stipulated in the Bible . Charch written about in the New Testament the brothers initially do a good job of sticking to the rules laid down by the will. It isn't long however before they are finding ways to excuse themselves from following the will too scrupulously when it conflict with their immediate desires . This behaviour is dramatized as a gradual altering of the coast in spite of the father's express wish to the contrary.

The individual alterations represent the different ways in which Christianity in Swift view devlated from the practices and beliefs given in the Bible . The flame colored satin that makes up the coats lining for instance represents the concept of purgatory  regarded in the catholic tradition as a place of purification for souls not yet worthy of heaven but not condemned to hell . By the time the brothers finally realizes the error of their ways their coats have become barely recognisable.

Metaphysical Poetry

 Metaphysical poetry has played a fundamental role in contrasting written works of art which attempt to explain but more importantly capture the human experience and intangible concept for example the universal theme of : love metaphysical Poetry distinguishes itself from  other forms of written word through the conceit which is an extended methapheor that attempts to capture the essence of the poem in question. 

What is a Metaphysical Poem? 

Metaphysical poetry is concerned with the whole experience of man but the intelligence learning and seriousness of the poets means that the Poetry is about the profound areas of experience especially about love romantic and sensual about God - the eternal perspective and to a less extent about pleasure learning and art.

John Donne : 

 John Donne was born in London in 1571 or 1572  into a recusant romant Roman Catholic family when practice of that religion was illegal in England Donne was the third of six children . His father also named John Donne married to Elizabeth Heywood was of Welsh descent and a warden of the ironmongers company in the city of London . However he avoided unwelcome government attention out of fear of persecution . 

He was an English poet , scolar soldier and secretary born recusant family who late became a cleric in the Church of England . He is considered the preeminent  representative of metaphysical poets his Poetical Works are noted for their metaphorical and sensual style and include Sonnets love poems religious poems latin translation epigrams elegies songs and Satire . He is also known for his sermons. 

Metaphysical Poetry : 

Michael  Donkor explain what makes  John Donne a Metaphysical poet and looks at the creative and distinctive ways in which Donne used Metaphysical techniques. 

When we begin exploring John Donnes verse the description of him as a metaphysical poet is inescapable and so it's worth considering in detail  importantly Donne and the other 16 th and 17th century poet's gathered under the Metaphysical banner Carew Vaughan and Marvell to name some of the most renowned didn't form a cohesive movement in their stylistic similarities in particular a kind of showy or iginality and linguistic immediacy have meant that they have been clustered together for centuries some critics such as the 18th century essayist Samuel Johnson have criticised metaphysical poets for what they saw as their self conscious cleverness others such as the post T. S Eliot have celebrated their inventiveness . 

Characteristics : 

1) Dramatic manner And Direct tone of speech is one of the main characteristics of Metaphysical poetry in the starting line of the poem . The cononization there is given a dramatic starting 

" For Gods sake hold your tongue and let me love " 

2) Concentration : 

Is an important quality of Metaphysical poetry in general and Donne's poetry is particular . In his all poems the reader is held to one idea or line of argument . Donne's poems are brief and closely woven. 

" As twixt two equal armies fate suspends uncertain victories, 

Our soul hung twixt her and me." 

3) Usage of Satire and irony 

Another characteristics of Metaphysical poetry. Donne also uses this in his poems for example in the cononization there is subtle irony as he speaks of the favoured pursuits of people the Lust for wealth and favours.

" Take you a course get you a place observe his honour or his Grace." 

Absalom and Achitophel

Political Satire : 

Absalom and Achitophel is a landmark political Satire by John Dryden . Dryden marks his satire with a concentrated and convincing poetic style . His satire verse is majestic what Pope calls " The long majestic March and nergy divine "

Critics have unanimously remarked on Drydens capacity to transform the trivial into to the political personal envy into the fury of imaginative creation . The obscure and the complicated is made clear and simple . All this transforming power is to be seen at the very beginning of Absalom and Achitophel. The state of Israel is easy to understand and yet  Dryden shows himself a master both of the Horation and Juvenalian styles of Satire. He is urbance witty davadtating and vigorous , but very seldom petty.

Basically a Political Satire : 

   Dryden called Absalom and Achitophel a poem and not a satire implaying thereby that it head elements other that purely satirical one cannot for instance ignore the obvious epie or heroic touches in it All the samebthe poem originated in the political situation of England at the time and one cannot fail to note that several political personalities are Satirized in it published in November 1681 the theme was suggested by the king to Dryden . At this time the question of succession to king Charles had assumed great importance .The Earl of Shaftesbury had been thrown into prison to face a charge of high treason .There were two contenders for the succession .Firstly Charles brother James Duke of York a known  Roman Catholic the second contenders was Charles illegitimate son , the protestant Duke of Monmouth. The Whigs supported Monmouth while the Tories supported the cause of James in order to ensure stability in the country . There was great public unrest on account of the uncertainty of succession. King 👑 Charles 2 saw to in that the Exclusion bill brought before parliament to exclude the succession of his brother James could not be pushed through.

Conclusion : 

 Dryden is correctly regarded as the most vigorous and polished of English satirists combining refinement with fervour . Dryden is unequalled at debating in rhyme and Absalom and has no rival in the field of political satire . Apart from the contemporary interest of the poem and it's historical value it appeal to the morden readers lines in its observation on English .

   Character and on the weakness of man in general . His generalisation on human nature have a perennial interest . Dryden triumphed over the peculiar difficulties of his chosen theme. He had to criticise a son whom the father still likes he had to make Shaftesbury denounce the king but he had to see to it that the king's susceptibilities were not wounded  he had to praise without sounding servile and he had to criticise artistically Dryden achieves all this cleverly and skilfully.

Post Truth

 Post Truth is a periodizing concept referring to transnational historically specific empirically observable public truth claims and authority to be a legitimate public truth- teller it also refers to the theories about the historically specific converging causes that have produced it's communication forms and effects . The term garnered widespread popularity in the form of post truth politics in the period around the 2016 United States presidential election and the Brexit referendum .  It was named word of the year in 2016 by the Oxford Dictionary where it is defined as relating to or denoting cricumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief post truth is often used as an adjective for a distinctive kind of politics post truth politics. 

Politics Post Truth : 

Political post truth is a political culture in which debate is framed largely by appeals to emotion disconnected from the details of policy and by the repeated assertion of talking points to which factual rebuttals are ignored. 

 Post - truth politics is a subset of the broader term post truth which has historical roots prior to the recent focus on political events post truth differs from traditional contesting and falsifying of facts by relegating facts and expert opinions to be of to appeal to emotion. While this has been described as a contemporary problem some observers have described it as a long standing part of political life that was less notable before the advent of the internet and related social changes.

History : 

According to Oxford Dictionaries the Serbian American playwright Steve Tesich first' used the term post truth in a 1992 essay in the nation . Tesich write that following the shameful truth of Watergate more assuaging coverage of the Iran contra scandal and Persian gulf war demonstrates that we as a free people have freely decided that' we want to live in some post truth' world.

Examples : 

Post truth politics has been applied as a political buzzword to a wide range of political cultures one articale in the economist identified post truth politics in Germany, North Korea , Poland , Russia , Turkey , the United Kingdom and United States.

India : 

 Amulya Gopalakrishnan columnist for the Times of India identified similarities between the Trump and Brexit compaigns  on the one hand and hot button issues in india such as the Ishrat Jahan case and the ongoing case against Teesta Setalvad on the other where accusation of forged evidence and historical revisionism have resulted in an ideological impasse.

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