Theme of “A Tale of Tub” by Jonathan Swift | Summary

 

“A tale of a tub” was the first major work written by Jonathan Swift. It is argnably his most difficult satire and perhaps his most difficult satire, and perhaps his most masterly. "The tale of a tub" is a prose parody which is divided into sections of "digression and a "tale" of three brothers each representing one of the main branches of western Christianity . The "tale" or narrative is an allegory that concerns the adventures of three brothers ,peter, martin and jack, as they attempt to make their way in the world. Each of the brothers represents one of the primary branches of Christianity in the west. Peter (named for St. Peter) stands in for the Roman Catholic church. Jack (named john calvin) represents the various Dissenting protestant the various Dissenting protestant churches such as , Baptists Presbyterian, Quakers, congregation list or Anabaptists.

The third brother is middle born and middle standing is martin(named for martin luther), whom swift uses to represent the 'via media' of the church of England. The brothers have inherited three wonderfully satisfactory coats ( representing religious practice) by their father (representing god), and they have his will( representing the bible) to guide them. Although they will says that the brothers are forbidden from making any changes to their coats, they do nearly nothing but after their coats from the start. In as much as the will represents the bible and the coat represents the practice of Christianity.  The allegory of the narrative is supposed to be an apology for the Anglican church's refusal to alter its practice in accordance with puritan demands and its continued resistance to alliance with the Roman church.

As the story goes in the beginning the brother live in harmony  together and travel into various countries destroying monsters and giants representing the heathen religious. But then they came into town and find their coats out of fashion, they will not allow them to embellish the original material. They make many changes in the coats and takes to e irreligious ways. They run after loose women Pride, wealth, Ambition and there by they bedizen the  pain coats given by their father. Peter, Martin and jack are not so much living character as figure heads  but the tale goes wonderful swing. The incidents are narrated with an infections  vigour.

One of the great themes that swift explore In “A Tale of a tub” is the madness of pride involved in believing once on age to be supreme. One of the attacks in the tale was one those who believe that being readers of walks makes the equal of the creator of works.