A Tale Of A Tub

The narrator uses this section to thank his readers, including the king, Parliament, and ideological societies. He is excited that he lives in an age where booksellers make it so easy for authors to succeed. He suggests that there are three types of readers: “superficial,” “arrogant,” and “learned” (143). The superficial one will laugh easily. The arrogant reader will just stare at the text, while the learned reader “will here find sufficient matter to employ his speculations for the rest of his life” (143). This is the reader for whom the narrator writes.

In the story concerning the brothers, Jack begins to think that the will gives more than direction for wearing the coats. It is much more mysterious than that. In fact, it can be considered “the philosopher’s stone” (149). The will can also be used as a nightcap and a bandage. 

Jack also begins to change his habits by swallowing the ash of a burning candle so that he produces an inner light, which can illuminate his way home. When he runs into a post, he views it as predestination or fate. It was written before creation that he should run into that obstruction. He goes as far as to produce a new God called Babel or Chaos, which has an “ancient” temple on Salisbury Plain, otherwise known as Stonehenge. Perhaps Swift is suggesting that Jack has gone back to Pagan times and is worshipping a God (or Gods) other than God or Jesus Christ. He also wears very little in winter and many clothes in summer (another way to dissent). He hates music, especially bagpipe music (just like a Puritan might). He dislikes all colors and pelts paintings as he walks by them. Jack goes into the water like he is being baptized “but came out dirtier […] than when he went in” (154). He also takes abuse for the sake of others.

Jack’s new philosophies caused Peter to try to avoid him. They live on opposite sides of town and try to travel at opposing times. However, the brothers are often mistaken for each other. Meanwhile, Jack’s coat is in tatters. He tries to rub the lace off it, but to no avail. 

The narrator than goes on another tangent, this time about ears. Ears have been declining in quality since “the last age” (160). Ears were getting bigger until “a cruel king,” Charles II, persecuted those with large ears. People fled, succumbed to violence, or sliced their own ears off themselves. This refers to Charles II’s Act of Uniformity, which made the Book of Common Prayer required reading at religious services. Two thousand ministers were driven out of England in one day. 

Although we are commonly known to have five senses, the narrator refers to six, which includes curiosity. In fact, books intend to imprison readers with curiosity. With this in mind, the narrator may have used his many tangents to keep readers engaged. Ironically, his own tangents have made him forget much of the rest of the story. He does remember that Peter got protection from the king and reconciled with Jack. Both then turned against Martin, who fled. Then there was a warrant out for Peter’s arrest, and Jack left him, stole Peter’s protection, and used it for himself. Jack’s coat came into fashion, and “he got upon a great horse and ate custard” (161). This is an allusion to James II’s illegal protection of Roman Catholics and Dissenters (of the Church of England). Custard refers to men who took sacrament at the Church of England to get jobs, but “blasphemed it through the nose” (191), as in metaphorically spit it out.