Jonathan Swift

Irish, 1667–1745

Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) was an Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, and clergyman best known for Gulliver's Travels, a biting satire disguised as a fantastical travel narrative. Swift's savage wit targeted politics, science, and human nature itself, and his essay A Modest Proposal remains one of the most famous examples of satirical writing in any language. He was also Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.