"The Tale of a Barrel" was written by Jonathan Swift mainly in 1696-1697, that is, when he was thirty years old, this is his first major attempt in the field of satire. The book is a satire on everything that Swift considered outdated, obsolete or harmful in literature, science and religion. This is, in essence, a broad parody and satirical overview of the spiritual life of England, and indeed all of Europe in the 17th century, in which the author defines his position and place. This is a book that is irreverent to recognized opinions and authorities, bold to the point of insolence; youthful enthusiasm is combined in it with skill that is surprising for a novice writer; here you truly recognize a young lion by its claws. But in order to fully appreciate this satire, you must either have some understanding of the objects and books that are parodied, or constantly look into the comments. This is not an easy read, and perhaps that is why “The Tale of a Barrel” is less known and not fully appreciated by the general reader.