Swift’s Famous Statement to Alexander Pope (1725)

While working on Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift wrote a letter to his close friend, the poet Alexander Pope, in 1725. In it, he openly declared the true purpose of his writing. Swift explained that his intention was not simply to entertain or amuse his readers, but rather to:

• Provoke them into self-reflection.

• Challenge their deeply held assumptions.

• Irritate them so that they could recognize the follies, corruption, and vices of humanity.

This confession highlights Swift’s misanthropic and satirical outlook. Instead of offering comfort or pleasure, he wanted his readers to feel uneasy, even attacked, so that they would be forced to confront uncomfortable truths about politics, society, and human nature.

Thus, the quote perfectly captures the tone of Gulliver’s Travels: sharp, biting, critical, and deeply moral in its purpose, showing that satire can sting more than it entertains.