The Battle of the Books

Name: The Battle of the Books
Author: Jonathan Swift

The Battle of the Books is a satirical essay written by Jonathan Swift in 1704. It is a mock-heroic battle between books in the King's Library, representing the ancients and the moderns. The ancients are represented by the works of Homer, Virgil, and Horace, while the moderns are represented by the works of Shakespeare, Milton, and Dryden. The battle is fought between two armies of books, with the librarian of the King's Library as the referee. The ancients are victorious, and the moderns are forced to retreat. The essay is a humorous and satirical look at the debate between the ancients and the moderns, and the importance of literature in society.

By Jonathan Swift · First published 1704 · Genre: Satire, Classical Literature, Fiction · 21 chapters · 41,624 words

First lines

Whoever examines, with due circumspection, into the annual records of time, will find it remarked that War is the child of Pride, and Pride the daughter of Riches:the former of which assertions may be soon granted, but one cannot so easily subscribe to the latter; for Pride is nearly related to Beggary and Want, either by father or mother, and sometimes by both: and, to speak naturally, it very seldom happens among men to fall out when all have enough; invasions usually travelling from north to south, that is to say, from poverty to plenty.

What this Textopian page supports

The Battle of the Books is listed on Textopian as a novel by Jonathan Swift, dated 1704 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Jonathan Swift
Date: 1704 CE
Language: English
Genres: Satire, Classical Literature, Fiction, Philosophical Literature, Historical Fiction
Length: 41,624 words
Structure: 21 chapters, 890 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Battle of the Books by Jonathan Swift
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Battle of the Books?
How does this novel by Jonathan Swift fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Satire first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Satire — The Battle of the Books is a satirical work by Jonathan Swift, which uses humor and irony to criticize the literary tastes of the time.
Classical Literature — The Battle of the Books is a classic work of literature by Jonathan Swift, which is still widely read and studied today.
Fiction — The Battle of the Books is a work of fiction by Jonathan Swift, which tells the story of a battle between books from the ancient and modern worlds.
Philosophical Literature — The Battle of the Books is a philosophical work by Jonathan Swift, which explores the nature of knowledge and truth.