Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish writer and satirist who became the Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, and hence his common sobriquet, "Dean Swift." His deadpan, ironic writing style, particularly in A Modest Proposal, has led to such satire being subsequently termed "Swiftian." He is best remembered for his satirical book Gulliver's Travels (1726). Following its remarkable success and recognition as a classic, he came to be regarded as one of the greatest satirists in the history of English literature.
Swift also authored works such as A Tale of a Tub (1704), An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity (1712), and A Modest Proposal (1729). He originally published all of his works under pseudonyms—including Lemuel Gulliver, Isaac Bickerstaff, M. B. Drapier—or anonymously. He was a master of two styles of satire, the Horatian and Juvenalian styles.
