Course
23 September — 28 October 2026
In honour of the 300th anniversary of Gulliver’s Travels, the James Joyce Centre is proud to present a six-week course on Jonathan Swift starting on 23 September.
Gulliver’s Travels holds the distinction of being one of the best works of satire ever written and the most read work of Irish literature. The novel has entertained, shocked and fascinated readers for centuries with its uproarious antics and insight into human nature. Along with A Modest Proposal, Gulliver’s Travels was published at the height of Swift’s fame as a wit and man of letters in the early 18th century.
This course will examine the man behind Gulliver and the great body of work he produced before and after his magna opera. From The Battle of the Books to his own epitaph, Swift’s work demonstrates a nearly limitless contempt for human folly — if not, as some would argue, for humans themselves. And yet, Swift showed deep care for the powerless and dispossessed, fighting for social justice and the Irish people during a time of brutal British imposition. His genius has lasted over the years, with his words, phrases and idioms having entered the English lexicon: yahoo, lilliputian, Vanessa, a modest proposal, a confederacy of dunces, etc.
The course will include his famous and lesser-known works: essays, pamphlets, letters, poems, sermons, vignettes. We will discuss his career as a writer, his high-level engagements in Stuart and Georgian politics and the fact he was able to do all of this as a clergyman, including as Dean of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral for 32 years. The course will examine Swift’s legacy and influence of writers and works as disparate as Voltaire and George Orwell to The Boys and South Park.
In an age of post truth, fake news and headlines that seem more satirical than real, Swift’s legacy is as relevant as ever. Led by Dr. Josh Q. Newman, the course will consist of readings, group discussions, presentations, supplementary materials and guest lectures by historians Liz Gillis and Dr. Brendan Twomey*, illustrator Conor McHale and more.
Course Details:
-Location: Zoom & The James Joyce Centre (35 North Great George’s Street)
-Dates: 23 September – 28 October 2026
-Time: Every Wednesday, 6-8pm Irish Standard Time
-Registration: €100
Each session will be livestreamed on Zoom, recorded and made available for view on Moodle. Recordings are done with the consent of the attendee in accordance with GDRP. If you do not wish to be recorded, you may still enjoy the class but your video and microphone will be disabled. Please email [email protected] for more information.
Spaces are limited so to be sure to register soon. We look forward to seeing you in class!
*Dr. Brendan Twomey is the General Editor of the Anniversary Subscriber edition of Gulliver’s Travels by Lilliput Press. The book will be published in October 2026. Pre-order here: Gulliver’s Travels Anniversary Subscriber Edition (Lilliput Press)
The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.