A TALE OF A TUB BY JONATHAN SWIFT
Q: EXPLAIN THE SYMBOLS LIKE COATS, WILL, THREE BROTHERS ETC. WITH THE REFERENCE TO THE TALE IN "A TALE OF A TUB".
This blog is in response to the blog task based on the ' A TALE OF A TUB' by Jonathan swift.
A TALE OF A TUB was the first major work written by Jonathan swift, arguably his most difficult satire and perhaps his most masterly. Composed between 1694 and 1697, it was eventually published in 1704.
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 brothers sole inheritance from their father, who promises that they will last for a lifetime it cared for properly. In this will, he warns them against altering the coats in any way. These coats represent the practices of Christianity as originally revealed and commanded by God and as stipulated in the Bible. The brothers initially do a good job of sticking to the rules laid down by the will.
The individual alterations represent the different ways in which Christianity, in swift's view, devoted from the practices and beliefs given in the Bible. The "flame - colored satin" that makes up the coats ' lining, for instance, represent 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. The "Indian figures " embroidered on the coats are the statues and stained -glass images present in many catholic churches, which swift saw as incompatible with the Bible's warning against graven images.
Midway through the main narrative, however, Martin and Jack undergo a change of heart when a breach erupts between them and Peter. By showing how the brothers react to this disagreement, swift praises or criticized the England of his day. Peter, who represents catholicism, sticks to those extravagance and even multiplies them; he deliberately avoids consulting the will to see whether he is going astray. Martin, named after Martin Luther, represent the moderate protestant tradition.
Jack, in contrast, rips away every shred of embroidery and fringe, tearing up the original underlying fabric in the process. His brand of reform, which swift identifies with the dissenters, is aggressive , destructive, and haphazard. He is a reactionary anti - catholic rather than a Christian in his own right.
THE FATHER'S WILL
The father's will represents the Bible, which swift regards as Christianity's fundamental instruction manual. Swift paramount claim in A TALE OF A TUB is that the Bible should be consulted for basic, immutable guidance on all church matters. In their youth, the three brothers exemplify this kind of Christianity. The more closely the brothers adhere to the prescription of the will, the happier they seem to be and the more peaceful their conscience are.
All three brothers start off faithfully following the will, but they are gradually corrupted by outside influence. Peter, the most scholarly of the brothers, undergoes great intellectual contortions to avoid the documents clear restrictions. In addition to the "toilet liters " episode above, he declares that certain premises must be added to the will or else "multiple absurdity sequerentur."
Swift 's stance seems to be that the Bible is the ultimate authority on church doctrine and discipline but that it is fish to see it as a substitute for all earthly wisdom.
VAPOR /WIND
In the story, vapor represent the true essence of a person. It is what the Aeolist priests belch out into the air in order to share their ideas with each other. This is how the philosopher teach their students. They look on their bodies as vessels, and swift notes that in this case, that is true, as they are the vessels for this vapor that they emit as knowledge. Everybody has this vapor, which might be cared the core of a person - their soul. Using satire, swift turns this concept on its head by depicting the religious figures as expelling flatulence in to the months of their followers, ththereb"passing" their essence.
THE TUB
The tub represent the diversion that sailors would throw out so that whales would not overturn their ships. Here, swift suggests that the whale is representative of "Hobbes's leviathan, which tosses and plays with all other schemes of religion and government." In thid case, the whale is trying to destroy the steady ship of government and religion, and those in power are throwing out a diversion, but the whale keeps coming. Although "A TALE OF A TUB " within the text would seem to be a diversion , it is designed as a commentary on the state of religion and government in England.
"Book ... have no more than one way of coming into the world, but there are ten thousand to go out ... and return no more."
- Narrator
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