Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was 21 years old when the Glorious Revolution brought William III and Mary II to the throne and Britain became a Protestant country. The author was raised in the Anglican Church of Ireland and his family were royalists. He was ordained but devoted a great deal of his time to writing. Gulliver’s Travels is a political satire written in a period of great change. It is often thought to be a book for young people but this work touches on very adult themes including an ideal society; the limitations of human understanding; the individual versus society, amongst other ideas. The book was an instant success and is appropriate for us to read today.

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