Many fans are aware of Taylor Swift’s distant relation to poet Emily Dickinson, but few know the deeper, more ironic truth. Swift, the global pop sensation, is actually a direct descendant of the legendary Irish satirist Jonathan Swift. And, in the most delicious twist of literary fate, her entire career is, in fact, an elaborate work of satire.
Yes, you read that correctly. Taylor Swift, the master of breakup ballads and sparkly stadium tours, is a modern-day satirical genius, following in the footsteps of her great-great-great (add a few more greats)-Grandfather Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels and A Modest Proposal. While the public devours her pop hits, they’ve missed the genius beneath the surface—the irony that Jonathan Swift himself would surely applaud. Let’s draw some comparisons from some of their creations.
“Blank Space” vs. A Modest Proposal
Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal suggested, with biting irony, that the solution to Ireland’s famine was to eat babies. Taylor’s “Blank Space” suggests that her solution to failed relationships is to collect a revolving door of ex-boyfriends—and possibly their souls—while maintaining her perfect, untouchable image.
With the line, “Got a long list of ex-lovers, they’ll tell you I’m insane,” Taylor’s A Modest Proposal for love is equally dark and satirical. She flips the societal obsession with her romantic life into an exaggerated, over-the-top narrative where she’s a villain—when in reality, she’s satirizing the very idea of this villain persona that’s been foisted upon her.
“The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” and Gulliver’s Travels
It’s a little-known fact that Taylor Swift’s hit song “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” is a direct homage to her great-great-great (many greats) grandfather, Jonathan Swift, and his satirical masterpiece Gulliver’s Travels. Just as Jonathan Swift explored the absurdity of power dynamics in the land of the Lilliputians, Taylor Swift’s lyrics tackle the same theme—but with a pop twist.
In Gulliver’s Travels, Gulliver finds himself tied down by the minuscule Lilliputians, who, despite their size, manage to manipulate and control him. Taylor’s “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” continues this satirical tradition, reflecting on how modern-day Lilliputians—small in spirit, if not in stature—try to restrict her with their trivial gossip, criticisms, and shallow judgments. The song is a biting commentary on how the smallest figures in her life (whether critics, exes, or trolls) attempt to exert outsized influence on her world.
But like Gulliver, who eventually rises above his tiny captors, Taylor refuses to be bound by these trivial forces. The line “He thought he could tie me down, but I grew too tall” is a direct reference to her ancestor’s work, using the imagery of size as a metaphor for personal power. Just as Jonathan Swift used Gulliver to mock political and social pettiness, Taylor’s song skewers the “small” individuals who try to pull her down.
“The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” has become a modern-day anthem of defiance, with Taylor channeling her Swiftian legacy to reveal that sometimes the most insignificant people wield the most ridiculous forms of power. In true Swift family tradition, she exposes the absurdity of it all—showing, much like Gulliver did centuries ago, that true strength lies in rising above the small-minded forces that try to keep you grounded.
The Irony of Swift’s Persona
The biggest joke of all? Taylor Swift herself is an invention. Her entire image—America’s sweetheart, serial dater, girl-next-door—is a brilliant satirical commentary on celebrity culture. She’s crafted a hyperbolic, almost parodic version of the “perfect pop star,” complete with public feuds, fairytale love stories, and viral meme moments. Beneath the glitter and guitars, Jonathan Swift’s blood runs thick—every wink, every lyric, every carefully crafted Instagram post is an exercise in modern-day satire.