Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was a noted poet and satirist of Irish ancestry. "Cadenus" was one of Dean Swift's many pseudonyms, and it is an anagram of the word "decanus," which is Latin for "dean." The poem "Cadenus and Vanessa" is one of Swift's best poetic works. It was written in 1713 and published in 1726. The poem provides an account of Swift's relationship with Esther Vanhomrigh, and it was intended to discourage her passion for him. The delay in publication was because Esther asked that the poem not be published until after her death (Jaffe 291).
"Cadenus and Vanessa" is Swift's longest poem. It is addressed to one of the two most important women in his life and is central to Swift's beliefs:
It uses his narrative powers to present a moral fable, with the perfection of Vanessa being set off against the imperfections of contemporary women, and through the, the imperfections of society (Speck 64).
When Swift wrote the poem, Cadenus (himself) was in his middle forties, and Vanessa ("Esther") was in her early twenties. Their relationship in the real world was complicated when Vanessa stated that her happiness required the newly appointed Dean of St. Patrick's (Swift) to shift roles from mentor and family friend to lover. Swift was probably flattered by this attention, as Samuel Johnson believed that he was, but in any case Swift was not very skillful in the way he handled the young lady (Hunting 68-69). The finest product of this situation was this poem.
Critical response to the poem has been interesting and has reflected the concerns of different ages. Feminist critics have recently focused their attention on the way the poem describes and flatters the young woman, noting her many excellent features, but they seem to forget that the poem itself is in essence a case of a man brushing off a woman whose attentions he does not want:
Vanessa was more desirable than desired. The poem attempts to persuade ...