Jonathan Swift wrote A Tale of a Tub in 1704 as a satire on religious excess and modern scholarship. The tale centers around three brothers - Peter, Martin, and Jack - who each represent a branch of Christianity. They inherit three coats from their father representing religious practice, but they alter the coats despite instructions not to in the father's will, representing divisions within Christianity. Through this allegory and additional "digressions," Swift satirizes abuses and misinterpretations within religion and overeager consumption of new knowledge without skepticism. The title refers to distracting critics of the church and state from its weak points.