Una humilde propuesta. La batalla de los libros

Por Jonathan Swift

Entre las reflexiones sociales de Jonathan Swift, que pueden incluso descubrirse insertadas en sus escritos de ficción, Una humilde propuesta destaca por ser una muy indignada defensa de los irlandeses católicos menesterosos a quienes tanto lastimaron los ingleses y las clases altas aliadas de su pueblo aliadas con los ingleses.
En La batalla de los libros existen dos formas de ver el mundo: la tradición de las humanidades frente a una racionalidad que se expresa en términos exclusivamente económicos. Swift se encarga de plantearlas y definirlas a partir de la literatura, pero esas cosmovisiones se expanden a los campos de la ciencia, la filología, la religión, la filosofía, la historia, la política, las artes.

• Idioma: Español
• Editorial: UNAM, Dirección General de Publicaciones y Fomento Editorial
• Fecha de lanzamiento: 14 nov 2018
• ISBN: 9786070268953

Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was an Irish poet and satirical writer. When the spread of Catholicism in Ireland became prevalent, Swift moved to England, where he lived and worked as a writer. Due to the controversial nature of his work, Swift often wrote under pseudonyms. In addition to his poetry and satirical prose, Swift also wrote for political pamphlets and since many of his works provided political commentary this was a fitting career stop for Swift. When he returned to Ireland, he was ordained as a priest in the Anglican church. Despite this, his writings stirred controversy about religion and prevented him from advancing in the clergy.

Vista previa del libro

Editorial

Mirar el fondo del espejo

La sátira es una especie de espejo en el cual, quien mira, generalmente descubre el rostro de los demás, pero no el suyo, razón fundamental de la gran aceptación que encuentra en el mundo y de que muy pocos se ofendan con ella.

Jonathan Swift,

La batalla de los libros, prefacio

Es la sátira un texto-espejo. Un látigo que, al tiempo que truena y fustiga, nos hace esbozar una ardiente sonrisa, nos lleva de la diversión cómplice a la conciencia de una realidad que preferimos ignorar porque puede tornarse dolorosa. Es una extraña combinación y son pocos los escritores capaces de configurar un espejo semejante sin caer en la moralina o en el dedo flamígero, en la marrullería política; es difícil conseguir el equilibrio entre un penetrante sentido del humor, el propósito objetivo de denuncia y un cuidadoso y elegante estilo literario; tampoco es fácil superar la evidente tentación de superficialidad, del mero artificio del ingenio. La sátira busca tomar al lector y trasladarlo de la ligereza recreativa a la sana reflexión; conduce a la inteligencia de una valiente acusación bien construida, llena de destellos y guiños, al espejo frente al cual, a solas, recordamos la urgencia de una crítica profunda en torno de los problemas contemporáneos. Sin duda, este linaje del ensayo sólo es efectivo cuando existe la dosis necesaria de inteligencia; para Swift, el ingenio sin conocimiento, el aguijón de lo ridículo carente de la ponderación intelectual, de nada sirve, salvo para ser arrojado a los cerdos. La sátira de Swift quizá no es platillo para la sociedad humorística de los medios masivos: supone un lector informado, pero sobre todo formado, capaz de emitir juicios propios sobre lo que lee, porque conoce, al menos a grandes rasgos, la complejidad de su mundo y de su tiempo, y porque le interesan. Esta disposición implica, a su vez, cierta calidad del pensamiento, tanto en el aspecto formal -un conjunto de saberes adquiridos de manera sistemática y significativa como en la amplitud del mismo, es decir, una concepción del mundo y del ser humano en ese mundo, en ese tiempo. Swift cuenta con ello. Espera afectar el ánimo y las ideas de sus lectores mediante la dosis justa de sutileza mordaz aplicada hasta rozar los límites, para que muy pocos se ofendan con ella. La idea no es herir, sino reflexionar, valorar, inquirir dentro del espejo, en donde tal vez encontremos al otro, y además, a partir de un ejercicio de autoconciencia, también a nosotros mismos. Al fondo del espejo estamos todos: nuestro tiempo, nuestra cultura, nuestros rostros.

Jonathan Swift nació en la ciudad de Dublín en 1667; fue huérfano de padre desde antes de nacer y desde entonces fue sumamente pobre. Sin embargo, un tío suyo se ocupó de su educación y Swift consiguió terminar sus estudios en el Trinity College de su ciudad natal. Viajó a Leicester para reunirse con su madre y allí vivió hasta que una ocasión singular se presentó en forma de invitación para trabajar como secretario del político inglés william temple y fungir como tutor de su pupila, Esther (Stella) Johnson, que siguió siendo amiga de Swift toda la vida. Vivió y trabajó durante una década bajo el techo de temple, en Moor Park, Surrey, y dispuso de tiempo libre suficiente para trabajar sus propias ideas, ya que su meritoria dedicación le ganó la confianza del caballero temple, quien le encargó labores delicadas e incluso lo llevó ante el rey Guillermo III. Por otro lado, la relación que lo unía con su patrón fue siempre cuando menos ambigua, pues se daba cuenta de que Temple, si bien era un hombre culto -el primer escritor inglés en imprimir cadencia a la prosa, según Samuel Johnson-, no era ni la mitad de brillante que Swift quien, además, era irlandés. No hay que olvidar la rebelión de los señores irlandeses en contra del gobierno inglés en 1641, ni la ferocidad de la represión de Cromwell; tampoco, la supuesta restauración de Carlos II, ni la guerra civil (1688-1691) que no consiguió volver más justo el sistema de organización político de Irlanda, particularmente duro contra los católicos, que habían sido despojados de sus tierras.

Por herencia y cultura, Swift era uno de los ingleses de Irlanda, con la carga derivada de preocupaciones específicas y con un papel social e histórico particular debido a su pertenencia a una cultura dividida; así, sufría una especie de doble identidad en la cual su parte inglesa se mofa de la irlandesa y ésta, quizás aun más irlandesa que la de sus contemporáneos, no consigue soportar las injusticias de aquélla, como se desprende con claridad de Una humilde propuesta, incluso cuando él mismo no era católico.¹ De esta manera experimentaba el conflicto de pertenecer a la periferia, aunque esto mismo le otorgaba una visión del centro siempre crítica y, en cierto modo, subversiva. Buscó por ello expresar con vehemencia sus opiniones en diversos tipos de textos; sus primeras armas literarias en ese campo comenzaron, precisamente, con La batalla de los libros, de 1697, aunque otros textos, como Disputas y diferencias entre nobles y comunes en Atenas y Roma y Cuento en una barrica, atrajeron de inmediato al público y le ganaron la atención de los políticos. A la vuelta del siglo y por la muerte de Temple, de quien editó sus Miscellanea en tres volúmenes -ensayos, cartas, memorias-, regresó a Irlanda, acompañado de Stella. Allí apoyó al gobierno tory (conservador) en La conducta de los Aliados y en 1713 se convirtió en el deán de la Catedral de San Patricio. Más adelante su influencia política disminuiría considerablemente a causa de la hostilidad de la reina Ana de Inglaterra, a cuya muerte surgió de nuevo el patriota con textos como Las cartas Drapier y Una humilde propuesta, de 1729. Su obra maestra, Los viajes de Gulliver, fue publicada en Londres en 1726, ahíta de profunda misantropía, quizá debido a su vulnerable idealismo y a su apasionada honestidad. Equivocadamente, se ha llegado a considerar esta obra un libro para niños; sin embargo, es tal vez el texto que, desde el desengaño más diáfano, lleva a cabo la más honda de las críticas, no sólo de las estructuras sociales ni de la injusticia sistemática, sino más bien del género humano en su conjunto.

Swift fue un escritor político sumamente completo que, con un estilo profundamente irónico y depurado, muestra un carácter que se resiste con fuerza a las convenciones literarias de su tiempo, si bien al mismo tiempo confía en el poder didáctico de su pluma y en su posible influjo. Además fue un poeta consumado, rara avis de la ironía para la imaginación antipoética. En 1714 se estableció definitivamente en Dublín, en donde vivió con Esther Vanhomrigh (para quien inventó el nombre de Vanessa). Su querida amiga Stella muere en 1728: Swift cae preso de la tristeza. Moriría una década y media más tarde, en 1745, legando su fortuna a los pobres; a nosotros nos dejó las mejores sátiras del siglo XVIII, además de los Viajes. En su epitafio, escrito por él mismo, se puede leer: "Aquí yace el cuerpo de Jonathan Swift [...] en donde la indignación furiosa ya no puede lacerar su corazón. Sigue, caminante, y si puedes, imita a un hombre que se esforzó al máximo en defender

Comentarios para Una humilde propuesta. La batalla de los libros

[hockeycrew_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

A satirical essay examining what could be done about the population to available food ratio in Ireland at the time. If you believed it was a serious essay you might have found yourself a little shocked.Doctor Swift explains the advantages to his proposal as far as to claim that it would be an advantage to have a new dish on the table.Shocking, short and entertaining.

[dreesie-1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

"A Modest Proposal" is definitely the strongest work here. And given how it is written, I can believe that people reading it today might not understand that it is satire--though how they can miss it being announced as satire on the cover of every volume it is in, in the intro, in every short summary, etc etc, is beyond me.

"An Argument..." and "A Discourse..." both have some good bits. "A Meditation" is clever and very short. "The Battle" requires a background in Swift's contemporaries that I simply do not have (even with the brief notes saying who they were). Also, there are parts of it missing, and there is no way to know how long or important those parts might have been to the story itself. I can see this piece being funny to those who know the many authors mentioned.

[booksfordinner · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I don't get it. What's so funny? I think this us a fine proposal, and easily instituted here in the USA. Eat 'em up, yum.

[thedivineoomba · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Ah yes. Jonathan Swift, best known for Gulliver’s Travels (a story based on the corruption he saw around him, in modern times turned into a children's story). And Possibly A Modest Proposal (which I assume is assigned to students as an example of satire). I picked this book up for "A Modest Proposal", which I haven't read since high-school. This Dover Thrift Edition contains a number of other satirical stories - some more known than others. Unfortunately, satire works best when the reader understand the history and politics behind the story - and for me, the stories made logical sense, but I really didn't understand them.A Modest Proposal, on the other hand - is still a masterpiece in satire. It is worth reading - Jonathan Swift is clearly a talented author - he can make Eating Babies sound both reasonable, and terrifying, at the same time. Basically, if you aren't going to help the poor in any meaningful manner, lets think out of the box to solve this problem...

[wendyrey · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Brilliant.An exercise in extended irony, aimed at the English politicians who were willfully ignoring the Irish people devastated by the potato famine.

[bragan_8 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This 59-page volume includes five of Swift's satirical writings. The well-known "A Modest Proposal" presents a clever plan to cure both poverty and overpopulation in Ireland and supply the rich with some tasty new treats in the process. "A Discourse Concerning the Mechanical Operation of the Spirit" and "An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity in England" deal with various religious topics. "The Battle of the Books" takes aim at the writers and thinkers of Swift's time who would disparage the ancient, classic authors, claiming to have done so much better themselves. There's also the tiny "A Meditation Upon a Broomstick," a deadpan parody that he inserted into a book containing a collection of mini-sermons as a practical joke. (The person he played the prank on, we're told, could not actually tell the difference.)The continued fame of "A Modest Proposal" is unquestionably well-deserved. It's extremely readable, darkly funny, sharply incisive, and still sadly relevant. The other pieces in this collection were somewhat more difficult going, though, partly because Swift's old-fashioned writing style is rather wordy and convoluted, but mostly because the modern reader (or at least this modern reader) lacks a lot of the cultural context with which to properly appreciate them. This edition did include a number of helpful footnotes, but that's not nearly the same thing as watching a contemporary writer jumping into a debate you're familiar with and skewering people you know. Still, despite all that, Swift's famous scathing wit does shine through. That's particularly true of "The Battle of the Books" in which he pulls no punches, utterly lambasting his targets with a jaw-droppingly impressive combination of highbrow erudition and low-down trash talk. There's no doubt about it: when Jonathan Swift disses you, you are dissed for the ages.Rating: This one's hard to rate. It's abundantly clear that Swift was a five-star satirist in his time, but most of these pieces haven't aged all that well, and some of the points he's making honestly seem rather wrong-headed and quaint to me at this late date. Let's call it 4/5.

[jmoncton_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Humorous - great satire! Although I admit that I read this one to increase my % to goal on 1001 books to read before you die...

[csweder · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

So..I didn't read the WHOLE book. Only the essay, but I couldn't find just the essay (couldn't find it on the goodreads...)

From reading just that essay, I would like to read the rest though, he's hilarious.

[macleod73-292574 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Biting social commentary by way of satire.

[alcracka · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

I knew what this was about, but I didn't realize how savage it would be. Incredible stuff.

[jorgecarvajal-1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

A most notable work of art whose only sin is that of brevity. An admirable solution in times of trouble which transcends space and time and should be seriously pondered by all great and not-so-great minds alike in order to solve the concerns of our modern society.

[brakketh-1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

A novel suggestion as to how to manage an overabundance of children.

[bcteagirl_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This was a short, satirical, dark, humorous, bitter proposal on how to deal with the Irish poor. It leads you slowly in by discussing how concerned they are with the poor and their suffering, and how they need a way to have honest work to support themselves, and how the suffering of children is especially problematic. Then it offers a solution to the problem: If people are largely property of their landlords, and if they are going to be allowed to do nothing but suffer anyway, why not sell the babies as foodstuffs? The first allusion to 'renewable resources' I have come across. Funny, but at the same time sad and occasionally hard to read, at least for me.

[mlbelize · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

With the high costs of living, the expenses of educating, clothing, feeding and generally raising children to majority, the solution, as presented in Jonathan Swift's satire, A Modest Proposal, should perhaps be revisited again and given consideration. And please, before you get out the rope to lynch me, realize this is said very tongue-in-cheek. A good read. Hmm, could use a little more salt.

[lydia1879 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Short, concise and biting in its wit and humour. Satire should be a vehicle through which we examine the uglier, more painful parts of life so I feel like Swift did this really well.

I did feel like, because of the time and context, some of the finer points of the satire went over my head but his tone was almost perfect for this type of writing, because it was a little bit antiquated.

A neat and tidy example of satire.

[sasham-1 · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

This is interesting but I feel this one could have really benefited from explanatory notes as I really don't know much about the history of Ireland and England during this time in history

[thecrow2 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Short satirical writings of Swift. The eponymous is simply great but I found the other two a bit boring. Or maybe I'm just not Irish enough for them....

[readingrat_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Seriously twisted satire.

[charlottejones952 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

This is a surprising satirical essay which is about quite a disturbing subject but is really well-written and reads like a classic. I enjoyed this but I think I could get more out of it by reading it again so think if I ever reread it, the star rating might increase, but for now it's a 3 star read :)

[steadfastreader · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This is a fabulous little essay. There's no excuse that anyone shouldn't have read it. It's Swift's thoughts on the Irish Potato Famine. Masterful and dark satire.

[xleptodactylous · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Satirical musings upon the state of Ireland in the 18th Century, wherein the author of Gulliver's Travels tries to provide ways in which the country could provide for itself in an unusual manner...

A mixture of satirical and semi-realistic essays with some poetry thrown in, A Modest Proposal illuminates the writings of Swift quite well. He is obviously very concerned about the state of his country, Ireland, and deals out various ways in which the country can regain its footing again. Mostly concerning the ways in which children can become very helpful towards their state, it combines right-wing thinking with left-wing humour. There is one surprise you could not fail to notice, which is quite ridiculous considering how well written it was at first. I very nearly believed him.

[martinbodek · Calificación: 1 de 5 estrellas]

His proposal is WHAT? This is satire? Satire of what? I don't get it. Is the whole thing a setup for the final sentence? If so, still not funny. Whatevs, moving on to the next book in the 1,001 Books...

[kristelh_15 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

A satire on poverty in Ireland. The author proposes that the poor be assisted to fatten up the children which would then be sold for food to the rich. The pamphlet includes recipes for preparing the new meat. The author states that this will stop voluntary abortions and murder of bastard children.

[britt84 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

That was weird... I really had no expectations about this book and had sort of expected it to be a novel, but it was more like a pamphlet, an argumentative essay. And at first I thought it was serious and was quite appaled, until I came to the idea of eating babies and realised it had to be satirical. Not surprising I guess, given the fact that it was written by Swift. I think I should probably re-read it sometime now that I do have an idea what it is about; I didn't like it much, but part of that is because it was so different from what I expected, and that I really thought it was terrible at first, before realising it wasn't serious.Then again, it is really well done, seeing as it did fool me at first...