A Tale of a Tub
Tale of a Tub, A,a satire in prose by Swift , written, according to his own statement, about 1696 , but not published until 1704 .
The author explains in a preface that it is the practice of seamen when they meet a whale to throw out an empty tub to divert it from attacking the ship. Hence the title of the satire, which is intended to divert Hobbes's Leviathan and the wits of the age from picking holes in the weak sides of religion and government. The author proceeds to tell the story of a father who leaves as a legacy to his three sons Peter, Martin, and Jack a coat apiece, with directions that on no account are the coats to be altered. Peter symbolizes the Roman Church, Martin (from Martin Luther ) the Anglican, Jack (from John Calvin ) the Dissenters. The sons gradually disobey the injunction, finding excuses for adding shoulder-knots or gold lace according to the prevailing fashion. Finally Martin and Jack...
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