1

(1725-Amended 1735)
By

Jonathan Swift was born on November 30, 1667 in Dublin, Ireland. He

was the son of Protestant Anglo-Irish parents and his ancestors had been
Royalists, and all his life he would be a High-Churchman. His father, also
Jonathan, died a few months before he was born, upon which his mother,
Abigail, returned to England, leaving her son behind, in the care of relatives.
In 1673, at the age of six, Swift began his education at Kilkenny Grammar
School, which was, at the time, the best in Ireland. Between 1682 and 1686
he attended, and graduated from, Trinity College in Dublin, though he was
not, apparently, an exemplary student.
In 1688 William of Orange invaded England, initiating the Glorious
Revolution: with Dublin in political turmoil, Trinity College was closed, and an
ambitious Swift took the opportunity to go to England, where he hoped to
gain promotion in the Anglican Church. In England, in 1689, he became
secretary to Sir William Temple, a diplomat and man of letters, at Moor Park
in Surrey. There Swift read extensively in his patron's library, and met Esther
Johnson. It was there, too, that he began to suffer from Meniere's Disease, a
disturbance of the inner ear which produces sickness and dizziness, and
which was little understood in Swift's day. In 1690, at the advice of his
doctors, Swift returned to Ireland, but the following year he was back with
Temple in England. He visited Oxford in 1691: in 1692, with Temple's
assistance, he received an M. A. degree from that University, and published

his first poem: on reading it, John Dryden, a distant relation, is said to have
remarked "Cousin Swift, you will never be a poet."
In 1694, still anxious to advance himself within the Church of England,
he left Temple's household and returned to Ireland to take holy orders. In
1695 he was ordained as a priest in the Church of Ireland, the Irish branch of
the Anglican Church, and the following year he returned to Temple and Moor
Park.
Between 1696 and 1699 Swift composed most of his first great work, A
Tale of a Tub, a prose satire on the religious extremes represented by Roman
Catholicism and Calvinism, and in 1697 he wrote The Battle of the Books, a
satire defending Temple's conservative but besieged position in the
contemporary literary controversy as to whether the works of the "Ancients"
the great authors of classical antiquity were to be preferred to those of
the "Moderns." In 1699 Temple died, and Swift traveled to Ireland as
clergyman and secretary to the Earl of Berkeley.
In 1700 he was instituted Vicar of Laracor provided, that is, with
what was known as a "Living" and given a regular payment in St. Patrick's
Cathedral, Dublin. These appointments were a bitter disappointment for a
man who had longed to remain in England. In 1701 Swift published his first
political pamphlet, supporting the Whigs against the Tories. 1704 saw the
anonymous publication of A Tale of a Tub, The Battle of the Books, and The
Mechanical Operation of the Spirit.
In 1707 Swift was sent to London as emissary of Irish clergy seeking
remission of tax on Irish clerical incomes. His requests were rejected,
however, by the Whig government and by Queen Anne, who suspected him
of being irreligious. While in London he met Esther Vanhomrigh, who would
become his "Vanessa." During the next few years he went back and forth
between Ireland and England, where he was involved largely as an
observer rather than a participant in the highest English political circles.
In 1708 Swift met Addison and Steele, and published his Bickerstaff
Papers, satirical attacks upon an astrologer, John Partridge, and a series of
ironical pamphlets on church questions, including An Argument Against
Abolishing Christianity.
In 1710, which saw the publication of "A Description of a City Shower,"
Swift, disgusted with their alliance with the Dissenters, fell out with Whigs,
allied himself with the Tories, and became the editor of the Tory
newspaper The Examiner. Between 1710 and 1713 he also wrote the famous

series of letters to Esther Johnson which would eventually be published as

The Journal to Stella. In 1713 Swift was installed as Dean of St. Patrick's
Cathedral in Dublin a promotion which was, again, a disappointment.
The Scriblerus Club, whose members included Swift, Pope, Congreve,
Gay, and Arbuthnot, was founded in 1714. In the same year, much more
unhappily for Swift, Queen Anne died, and George I took the throne. With his
accession the Tories fell from power, and Swift's hopes for preferment in
England came to an end: he returned to Ireland "to die," as he says, "like a
poisoned rat in a hole." In 1716 Swift may or may not have married Esther
Johnson. A period of literary silence and personal depression ensued, but
beginning in 1718, he broke the silence, and began to publish a series of
powerful tracts on Irish problems.
In 1720 he began work upon Gulliver's Travels, intended, as he says in
a letter to Pope, "to vex the world, not to divert it." 1724-25 saw the
publication of The Drapier Letters, which gained Swift enormous popularity
in Ireland, and the completion of Gulliver's Travels. The progressive darkness
of the latter work is an indication of the extent to which his misanthropic
tendencies became more and more markedly manifest, had taken greater
and greater hold upon his mind. In 1726 he visited England once again, and
stayed with Pope at Twickenham: in the same year Gulliver's Travels was
published.
Swift's final trip to England took place in 1727. Between 1727 and 1736
publication of five volumes of Swift-Pope Miscellanies. "Stella" died in 1728.
In the following year A Modest Proposal was published. 1731 saw the
publication of Swift's ghastly "A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed."
By 1735, when a collected edition of his Works was published in Dublin,
his Meniere's Disease became more acute, resulting in periods of dizziness
and nausea: at the same time, prematurely, his memory was beginning to
deteriorate. During 1738 he slipped gradually into physical and mental
weakness, and finally suffered a paralytic stroke: in 1742 guardians were
officially appointed to care for his affairs.
Swift died on October 19, 1745.

Or

Gullivers Travel is the story of Lemuel Gulliver and his voyage around the
world. This story is divided into four parts or books, each about different place.
It became a children classics soon after it publication. But it is not fair to
declare it only a childs classic as it was read and admired by even adults also.
It is more than just a fairy tale. It is a superb satire on mankind in general and
English politics in particular. Every land which Gulliver visits is a wonderful land.
Actually, every voyage undertook by Gulliver has an allegorical importance
also. As it describe one or another aspect of human nature. Gullivers
experiences at every place are strange, exciting and amazing. A thorough study
of four books is required to feel the full magic of Swifts writings.

At the start of the first voyage it is told that Gulliver gets the job of a
surgeon in the ship called Antelope. Their journey started from Bristol on the
4th of May, 1699. Their ship is overtaken by storm and Gulliver swims and
reaches to the coast in an exhausted condition. When Gulliver gains senses the
book attains all the elements fit for a Child-Classic. He has reached the land
called Lilliput. The very information that the human beings there are six-inches
high, fill us with thrill and wonder. No doubt, Swift here employs imagination
and fiddle with the famous travelogue material written for commercial purpose.
The first part of the book is full of comic elements and shows the light hearted
aspect of the book.
In fact, the very idea that the human beings there are of six inches size
is comic and laughs producing. A dwarf among the common human beings
creates fun and laughter but a human being of six inches create laughter
accompanied by wonder. The way nine hundred Lilliputians pull Gulliver and the
way ladders are used to feed him with buckets are really enthralling. The huge
bulk of Gulliver among the Lilliputians can be imagined by the fact twenty
vehicles with meat hardly make two or three mouthfuls for Gulliver and ten
vessels full of liquor make a single draught for him. One feels amusement to
know that six hundred beds are combined to make a bed for Gulliver. The battle
between Lilliputians and Blefuscu also gives light heartedness to the first part.
It is funny and enjoyable to see a huge man capturing the enemys ship with
one stroke. Our imagination is put to test by telling that the tallest horses and
oxen are between four and five inches in height. Some of the customs of this
land are surprising as well as funny. For example; the burial of dead with their
heads downwards, with a concept that they would rise on their feet and their
particular way of writing, create humour.
The dominating element Book 1 is amusing and comic but to miss out
the serious element would be unjust. Behind every comic incident there is a

satire and serious purpose also. One of such comic event is the activity of
Rope-dancing. This is practiced by those who want high posts in the imperial
court. The person jumping the highest is granted the highest position. There is
also a ceremony of awarding coloured threads to the candidates who can leap
over the sticks. In fact, this is a direct criticism on the ridiculous ways of the
British Government and the way high public and political offices were awarded
to the undeserving people.
Filmnop of Lilliput is often thought as the prime minister of England from
1715 to 1717 and then from 1721 to 1742. The coloured thread is a mocking
reference by Swift of those rewards which were granted to favourities of the
king without any distinction. The account of dispute between Big-Endians and
the Little-Endians is actually a comment on the history of religious controversy
in England. Moreover, the reference to the high heels and low heels is an
allusion to the political parties. We also witness a conspiracy which was a well
organized plan to remove Gulliver from the sight. This is obviously a satire on
the court intrigues. However, in the view of the dangers faced by him, Gulliver
first escapes to Blefuscu and then succeds in returning to England on 13 th April,
1702.

On the 20th June 1702, Gulliver starts his second voyage on adventure. On the
16th of June 1703, they catch sight of an island. Gulliver goes on a small boat to
explore this island. Soon, he witnesses the people of the island. He finds
himself Lilliputians in the land of giants. Here again, Swift employs the
technique of contrast between the littleness of our world and the gigantic
standards of the land called Brobdingnag.
Gulliver is captured by farmer how brought to him to his home. Here
Gulliver is looked after gently and soon the family reconciles with him. Certain
events and situations take place in farmers house, which are everlasting for
their humour. For example, the youngest son of the farmer lifts Gulliver by the
legs and throws him in the air. Here he is saved by farmer. The incident where
two rates (equal to the size of dogs in real world) attacks Gulliver who saves
himself with a sword. When Gulliver is displayed in the public, he is carried on
the horse-back, whose movements are like the tossing of a ship in the storm.
There is also a comic incident when a school boy aims a hazelnut at Gullivers
head and how he escapes it.
Soon the fame of Gulliver reaches to court and the king brings him,
where he immediately becomes favourite of the queen. The dwarf of the queen
becomes jealous of Gulliver and plays many tricks on him. All this adds to the

comic appeal of the book. Once, he succeeds in throwing Gulliver into a large
bowl of cream. The details of the event where Gulliver is fixed in the bone from
which marrow has been taken out are also source of fun and laughter. On
another occasion, the dwarf catches a number of flies and releases them under
Gullivers nose, which causes a lot of uneasiness for him. The events with a
dog, a monkey and his sticking in the cow-dung, all show Swifts ability of
creating visual humour.
The part ll of the book is full of satire on the English system and general
humanity. All the efforts made by Gulliver to prove himself a human being end
in smoke and the king takes him for a disgusting vermin. A mild satire is also
found on belles and beaux of the age and their scandalous activities. Swift
proves a point that the English nation as a whole is suffering from dead
conscious and wants to live a life of spiritual stagnation. However, views of the
king test patience of the upper English class. The kings view is that in England,
ignorance, idleness and vice are the proper qualifications for a candidate to be
elected by the House of Commons. According to him, laws in England are
interpreted by those whose interest lies in corrupting and confusing them.
Similarly, there is irony in Gullivers remark to the king for having
confined education as he did not take any interest in learning the method of
manufacturing gun-powder. Actually, Swift wants to stimulate the dead
conscious of the rulers who do not hesitate to use violence for their superiority.
However, when Gulliver starts to become restless at the beginning of the third
year of his stay at Brobdingnag, he was able to leave the country of the giants
through good luck. He is carried over the sea by an eagle and then by an
incident fell down into a ship and reached England. This part of the book ends
on an interesting note that Gulliver takes some time to adjust to the small
things in England.

Gulliver had stayed for ten days with his family, when the captain of a
ship (Hope-Well) offered him a surgeons job. He wants to set out for East
Indians. They sailed away on 5th August, 1705, after three days of voyaging
Gullivers ship is attacked by the pirates. They deprived of him of his belonging
and after five days his boat touched a new island. Here, he is astonished to see
the giant floating island appearing in the sky. Through a chained seat, he is
lifted on the island (Laputa) and is presented before the king.
The people of this island are fond of music and mathematics. After a brief
introduction of the people and their shapes, Swift introduces comic incidents. At
dinner many dishes were brought before Gulliver who was surprised to see
them cut into geometrical shapes. When Gulliver leaves Laputa and reaches

Lagado, Swift is found here at his mocking best. Some of the comic ideas are; a
project for extracting sun beams from cucumber, efforts for restoring human
excrement to its original food, a method of buklding houses from roofs to the
foundation, a blind man mixing colours for the painters, the research by a
physician resulting in the death of dog, various experiments such as softening
the marble for pillows and breeding sheep with no wool on their body. New
methods for teaching grammar and mathematics are also quite amusing. The
idea that the students have to eat the wafer with the written text, with a fasting
stomach, catches the attention of the modern researchers.
Part lll of the book is also full of some of the very serious criticism. First
of all the general human attitude is criticized by the writer. The men are so
much consumed in thoughts that they have servants who draw their attention
towards anything worth noting. Their too much attention to their professions
has resulted in the degenerates values of the women. The women find lovers
among strangers and freely make love with them. Academy of Lagado is parody
of Londons Royal Society. The projects listed above are the sheer wastage of
time, money and labour. The suggestion by one of the professors that the
favourities of kings should be given suitable medicine to stimulate their
memories so that they may not forget their promises, is bitter pill to swallow for
the politicians of the time. The suggestion, to impose taxes according to the
merit of the people, is again an example where Swifts satire crosses the
boundaries of nations and turns towards the human race similarly, irony is
found in the scheme to teach the ministers that how to judge the candidates
for the certain jobs. In fact, what is ignored in England is ironically listed by
Swift taking the advantage of voyage genre.
This part of the book also contains Gullivers visit to the island of
Glubbdubdrib. Here, he comes to know that the governor had the ability to call
dead people to life. He suggests different names such as; Alexander the Great,
Hannibal, Pompey, Brutus, Aristotle etc. Swift has used this device to ridicule
the blunders and dishonesty committed by historians to get favours and cheap
fame. Similarly, Swift also condemns the greatness of those people whom
historical lies has made great.
In this part of the book, the most touching event, perhaps the sight of the
immortals in Luggnage. Here, he is told about a group of people who are
immortal. Gulliver considers them very fortunate. However, he is soon
disillusioned by the miserable condition of the immortals called Struldbrugs.
They are condemned with the life of weariness, fever and fret. Thus, Swift again
turns universal in his aims and ridicules every human being who ever wishes to
live eternity. Gulliver left Luggnage and reaches Japan, from where, he arrives
his native country on 20th April 1710, after the absence of five and half years.

After a stay of about five months, Gullivers spirit inspired him to

undertake a journey on Adventure on the 7th September, 1710. Again, a
mishap put him on a new island. Here, he is captured by strange creatures but
is saved by the horses. He was really surprised to see the behavior of the
horses with him and also with each other. These horses neigh as if they were
talking. Gulliver is so much surprised that he thinks they are magicians in the
guise of horses. However, Gulliver is able to pick two words from their
conversation; Yahoo and Houyhnhnms. The horses are able to persuade
Gulliver to follow them.
The introductory chapter of the final book contains two surprising
elements. Houyhnhnms, who are horses (physically), behave in a logical way;
Yahoos (outwardly human) behave like brutes. Thus, the final episode of the
Gullivers Travels cut across all the barriers of time, place and races, turning
towards the boasting of man to be crown of all the creations. However, Gulliver
with his abilities is able to convince the Houyhnhnms that he is a better yahoo
and they treat him kindly.
The very word Houyhnhnm means perfection according to the language
of this country. They are shown so perfect logic as well as moral wise that there
is no word in their language for a lie or falsehood. Later in the book, when
Gulliver tries to establish his superiority by telling them the way horses are
treated in his land, he has to face bitter criticism by the master of the
Houyhnhnms. First of all he declines to believe that yahoos (human beings)
have got ability to give logic and think. He also finds fault in Gullivers body. In
fact, this reversal of roles is Swifts method of satire.
Satire is also found in Gullivers own description of the people of his own
country. According to him many people are ruined by the litigation. Many
people spend all their money on drinking, gambling and sexuality. A lot of
people in modern England were guilty of murder, theft, robbery, forgery, rape,
sodomy and so on. This follows Gullivers description of the wars in which
monarchs indulge, just to prove their superiority over the other lands or
nations. The evils of drinking and prostitution were also very common. Doctors
were busy in making money than curing diseases. They employed methods to
prolong the ailments. The satire found in this section on physicians and
politician still holds good for many countries of the world. The exposure of the
politicians who can do anything to become ministers and chief ministers show
the corruption prevailing in them.

When Gulliver has completed the description of his land, certain habits
of Yahoos are narrated as a comparison to the human beings. The lust, drinking,
love of stones and love for the satisfaction of the senses, is obviously a satire
on humanity. Gulliver is so much depressed at all this that he indentifies human
beings with Yahoos and finds inferior to them. A sever satire is found when a
meeting is called and suggestion is made to exterminate Yahoos as they
cannot be cured. All this has an adverse affect on the psyche of Gulliver who
begins to think himself a Yahoo. He cannot bear the sight of his own reflection.
He develops so much hatred for his own race that he begins to imitate the gait,
gesture and voice of the Houyhnhnms. The final nail in the coffin of Gullivers
dignity proves the decision of Houyhnhnms to expel him from their land.
Thus, Gulliver returns to England, disgusts his family and begins to live in the
company of horses. The final decision of Gulliver has been a subject of heated
controversy. It has also been called misanthropy of Swift. But, while declaring
this verdict, we should have three points in mind:
1.

Houyhnhnms are not ideal (lack emotions).

2.

Yahoos are not human beings (lack logic and differ in shape).

3.

Gulliver is not Swift.

Answer to all the above questions solves the trouble of the charge and the
purpose of Swift for writing Gullivers Travels.
(In short, Gullivers Travels is not merely an adventure story or childrens
classic but is equally popular in adults due to its moral purpose. Behind the
disguise of this narrative, Swift satirizes the pettiness of human nature. He
wants moral reformation of man and his society.)
Jonathan Swift is undoubtedly is

a great artist. He had to face unreasonable and prejudiced criticism in the

hands of his contemporaries, because he had unveiled the brutality of man
which was hidden under the mask of humanism. Swifts age was full of vices of
corruption but still the people were satisfied. Swift gives us a true picture of the
man of that age in Gullivers Travels. In the last voyage, his satire becomes
very bitter when he presents horses more reasonable than man. Swift is
notorious for being misanthropist in the last part of the Gullivers Travels.
Swift has to face the allegation of being misanthropist for during whole of
his life. It is because the critics attributed Gullivers blunders to Swift. But, he
makes his aim in Gullivers Travels clear in his letter to Alexander Pope. He

10

says, The chief end of all my labour is to vex the world, rather than divert it.
Secondly, he declares that He has ever hated all the nations, professions and
communities and all his love for individuals. He hates men but loves man. He
hates the animal like vices in man; the crown of creation. He was shocked to
see the follies of men of his age and didnt consider this reasonable. But, this
does not mean that he hates mankind, as he writes to Pope, I tell you after all
that I dont hate mankind; it is you others, who hate them, because you would
have them reasonable animals and are angry or disappointed because they are
not reasonable. This means he does not hate mankind but considers them
unreasonable and wants to reform them by his condemnation. The central
meaning of this statement by Swift is that he is not a misanthropist.
Gulliver, in the last voyage, became a misanthropist is undeniable and
indisputable. In the fourth voyage, Gulliver reaches a country of animals, ruled
by animals. There were two categories of animals living the rein; ugly and
repulsive brutes Yahoos and intelligent and rational Houyhnhnms. The former
appears to him nasty and obnoxious, so the feelings of disliking develop in his
heart for them. On the other hand, his meeting with Houyhnhnms proves a nice
experience. They secure him against Yahoos, treated him kindly and took him
to their state. Naturally, this kind of behavior created a sort of fondness in
Gullivers heart for them and their way of life. Up to that time nothing was
objectionable, but his fault began, when he is so bewitched of Houyhnhnms
that he also started hating men. As Houyhnhnms hate Yahoos and Gulliver
equating Yahoos with men also began hating men. He developed a general
hatred against all men. All the subsequent incidents, his hatred against the
captain and his family, etc. reflect his misanthropy.
The blunder committed by Gulliver is that he over idealized
Houyhnhnms. Actually, he was fed up of mans corruption and could not bear it.
He found Yahoos slave of emotions, sensuality and sentimentality. But, he found
Houyhnhnms in comparatively better condition than Yahoos. They lack call
types of corruption that yahoos had. In fact, the Houyhnhnms lack any kind of
emotions and have pure intellect thats why he also started thinking that
remedy of all the vices of man is to get rid of his emotions. In the result, when
he was forced to return to his native country, it was natural for him to hate his
fellowmen. But, finding no other way, he slowly reconciled himself to this world.
Shakespeares character King Lear also started hating all human
beings. But, he learns a lot from experience and when his daughter nurses him
much, he changes his views. So we cannot accuse Shakespeare of being
Misanthropist. So, if Gulliver during the course of the book changes and grows
mad, it doesnt mean that creator too changes with his creation and grows
mad. In fact, part 4 has been completely misunderstood. Misidentifying Gulliver

11

with Swift, we think as if Swift in the form of Gulliver had started hating Yahoos.
But, this is wrong. In fact, part 4 has complex meaning and is full of irony.
However, it is a fact that Gulliver became misanthropist. But can we assign
Gullivers misanthropy to Swift?
Gulliver may have close resemblance with Swift in the first three voyages.
He preaches his ideas. But in last voyage, he does not speak for Swift but for
himself. Contrary to previous voyages, here, he too becomes a victim of Swifts
satire. Gulliver should have rejected both the Houyhnhnms and Yahoos as both
were short of being man. But, somehow he is amazed by the rationality of
Houyhnhnms and started loving and obeying them. As, Yahoos were opposite to
Houyhnhnms he started hating them. The more he loved Houyhnhnms more he
went away from man.
Swift never approved his choice and gave him sever psychological
punishment. In fact, Swift condemns his wrong choice. Swift never asks us to
follow the way of life either Houyhnhnms or Yahoos. Since, Gulliver too is
severely punished by Swift; we cannot attach his fault with Swift. Gulliver in the
end committed another fault of pride. Following Houyhnhnms way of life, he
actually degraded himself from the level of human beings. But, opposite to it he
fell a victim of pride and started hating man, and therefore, became victim of
Swifts irony, Gulliver speaks purely for himself in part 4 and not for Swift.
In short, Gullivers Travels is a complicated book symbolically stands
for the mystery of human nature. Gulliver may be a misanthrope, but we cant
equate him with Swift, who throughout remained a philanthropist. He
condemned Gullivers attitude in the fourth voyage. His Gullivers Travels
gives a definite message to us. He advises us to keep a balance between
rationality and sensuality. As if we choose anyone of them, we will be either a
Yahoo or a Houyhnhnm and not a man.

Or

Or

Gullivers Travels is one of the best knows works of Jonathan Swift. This
book is vastly seen as a Child book, a Travelogue, a Novel and a Fantasy

12

depicting voyage. But, the real value of the book is in the satire that we find in
this book. In order to feel the intensity of satire found in Gullivers Travel, let
us first have a true understanding of the term satire. Dryden claimed that
The true end of the satire is the amendment of the vices. Defoe thinks it is
reformation. The satirist is a man who takes responsibility to ensure and
ridicule the follies and vices of the society. Thus satire is a kind of protest
against the corruption of the society.
Swift wrote Gullivers Travels to vex the world rather than divert
it. To achieve his satirical intentions, Swift has given a number of contrasts. In
Lilliput Gulliver is a giant, while is Brobdingnag, his himself is a dwarf. In part
one of the book, we find comic as well as serious, personal as well as
impersonal satire. There are elements of comic satire in Part one, where a lot of
effort is spent to make Gulliver drink and eat. Gullivers action of capturing fifty
enemy ships, burial of dead with heads downward and the manner of writing
are all comic. But the bitter satire in the first book mainly is to satirize the
British system of selecting rulers and lack of democracy. In Lilliput, important
office is usually filled by the applicant who can jump the highest and
decorations are awarded to the best leaper and creeper. It is clearly to bring out
the way of governing in Swifts time. The offices and favours were granted to
favourities rather than awarding to the best and deserving ones. Similarly, the
conflict between the Big-Endians and the Little-Endians and the High-heelers, is
a bitter comment on religious anarchy and opposition for the sake of
opposition. Moreover, leg pulling and conspiracies of in the politics are also
highlighted through the tricks against Gulliver.
In the Brobdingnage, the role of Gulliver changes and now he himself
becomes a Lilliput here. The opening chapters of this book are filled with
humour and laugh. The tricks played by a dwarf on Gulliver really create fun
and laughter. Most of the criticism occurs in chapter 6 and 7 of this part.
Gulliver describes European civilization to Brobdingnage king, including
Englands political legal institutions. He explains in detail how the system works
and also narrates some of the personal habits of the ruling class. From this
detail the king is able deduce that every society and political power is corrupt
in Gullivers country. The king declared most of the people of Gullivers country
as disgusting vermin. The satire there is more direct and bitter.
The main focus of social criticism in the voyage to Laputa is on
intellectual. Swift satirizes people like scholars, philosophers and scientists who
indulge in theoretical works only and ignore practical aspects of life. Here,
different experiments are shown by Swift to highlight the useless pursuits of
these classes of people. Swift satirizes the method of investigation, where
plotters decide first who is to be accused and prepare evidence against him

13

then. Satire on rest of the humanity is also found in this part, when Swift mocks
the idea of immortality. There, the immortal creatures are presented as utterly
miserable and ugly.
Swifts satire reaches its climax and becomes the most bitter in the
last voyage. The final chapters seem to prove that the human race is really ugly
and that the man has very low position in the chain of being. In the final book,
Gulliver meets Houyhnhnms, the horses, who posses reason and appear to him
to be perfect creatures. An extreme contrast to these animals is Yahoos, who
are very much like human beings but are leading a life like beasts. This book
seems to argue that reason is the only quality which can elevate man to his
ultimate potential. But ironically, this quality is possessed by Houyhnhnms,
where as Yahoos are bestial. This voyage contains Swifts clear attack on
human pride. In fact, human race is cut into two parts: the Houyhnhnms
possess reason and benevolence and selfish appetites and brutish awareness is
left for the Yahoos.
To sum up, we may say that Gullivers Travels is an excellent specimen of
Swifts satire. Some critics try to find faults in the final solution of the problem.
But, it should again be mentioned that it is not Swifts solution. In fact, like a
true satirist, Swift leaves conclusion to the judicious reader. As we travel with
Gulliver through the voyages, Swift peels away our false appearances layer by
layer. In short, in Gullivers Travels Swift continues to vex the world rather
than divert it.

Or

In prose, style is a special way of presenting ideas i.e. how a writer says
something. The analysis and assessment of style involves examination of a
writers choice of words, his figures of speech, the shape of his sentences, the
shape of his paragraphs, in short every aspect of his language and the way he
uses it. As far as, Swift as a literary artist is concerned, he is vastly regarded as
an original, authentic and intellectual writer, who always remained blind of the
charm of fame.
Swifts writings never limited to the cheap purpose of gaining popularity.
In fact, a theological and intellectual current always flows through his pages.
His purpose was not to get imaginative insight only. He always tried to be
practical. Swifts prose style is often considered as near perfect. Most of the

14

critics accept his style as the highest achievement of English prose. He writes
in a clear, precise and exact style which is absolutely free of any kind of empty
talk. Aitkin rightly says;
Swifts style is very near perfection, clear, pointed, precise.
The thorough analysis of his prose style would show a kind of ease with
which he is able to communicate his ideas in an unambiguous manner. He had
gifted ability to create the mood--- humorous or grave, gay or cynical, playful or
tender---- in fact, whichever he wanted to give to his readers. He finds no
difficulty at all in finding the exact words to express what he wanted to express.
His words are like the words of a great orator or an advocate who tries to
convince us with his impressive thoughts. The most impressive thing about his
prose style is that he is a conscious artist and knows exactly what he wants to
do. Hence, the reader is not only interested in his writings but also is convinced
by the clarity of his vision. He is master in masking the underplaying satire with
humour also.
As regard Gullivers Travels, Swifts style is both sentimental and logical.
It shows intensity of expressions and rapidness of mind. It is full of images and
clarity of diction. Swift has artistically used the technique of contrast in the
Gullivers Travels. In first voyage, it is the smallness while in the voyage to
Brobdingnage everything is depicted in a high scale. However, behind this veil
of huge structures the man is still small always considering on utilitarian basis.
In the voyage to Laputa, the contrast is not in the physical form but a selfish
sincerity to ones profession is shown. Here men are too busy that even they
have no time to give attention to rational as well as emotional aspects of man.
However, through all these contrasts it is hinted that despite of physical
differences the psychology of man is one and the same.
However, it does not mean that Swift neglects the aesthetic beauty of his
prose style in Gullivers Travels. We do find allusions and solid metaphors
when they are needed. In fact, Swifts style was well in accordance with his
thoughts. He never tried to use elaborated language or ambitious sentences or
word to impress the readers with his vast learning. The hallmark of this book is
that the facts keep coming before the eyes of the readers without too much
verbal complexity. To understand Swifts intentions not much scholarly
knowledge is required. His writing is free from any absurdities of style, diction
and references to ancient Greek or Roman religious or another mythology.
In the end, it can be said that Swift deserve praise for easy and safe
communication. His chief quality is that he instructs but never persuades. His
works shows the highest power of genius as applied to the literary creations.

15

Even the severest of the critics have not denied the originality of his work.
Perhaps we cannot find better words than that of Henry Craik to describe his
style:
His works occupy a place altogether unique in our own or any other
literature.

Or

Undoubtedly, Gullivers Travels is the most favourite work of Jonathon

Swift. In it he has mixed the ideas of adventure, fantasy, wonder and shock to
capture the readers attention. But like all the mature works the aspect of
entertainment is not neglected. Hence, the Gullivers Travels is not
entertainment for the sake of entertainment. Reading the book but ignoring
the purpose behind it, would be a great injustice to this great satirical work of
its age. In order to comprehend the idea behind Gullivers Travels one needs
to look into the background behind this adventurous tale. The Martinis is
Sariblerus Club made of such notables as Pope, Arbuthnot and Gay proposed
to satirize the follies and vices of learned, political, scientific and modern men.
Each of the members was given a topic and Swift was to satirize the numerous
and popular books describing voyage to faraway lands. Swift kept the form of
the voyage book but expanded his target thus achieving a feat which has rarely
been achieved in literature.
Mainly, Gullivers Travels is known for its unforgiving satire. But as every
satirist is idealist at heart thus the purpose of satire in it is not to degrade but
to shame men out of their follies. One of the main purposes in writing this
book was to finish the pride of man. There is a strong attack on politics, religion
and flaws of human nature. His purpose seems to be an effort to stir his readers
to view themselves as he viewed human beings. He saw men as creatures that
were not fulfilling their obligations to be truly great. They were just trying to
show themselves great. We must acknowledge that Swift succeeds in his
purpose remarkably well.
The metaphors used by Swift enhance the appeal of his work. Firstly, he
took great pains to create the atmosphere of genuine travelogue. We are told
that Gulliver was a seaman. First he is seen as a ships surgeon and then
caption ships. All this provides a sense of realism. The four books of the
Gullivers Travels are also presented on parallel way. The voyages I and II

16

focus on criticism of various aspects of English society, while last two voyages
are more preoccupied with human nature itself. Over all it leads to selfrealization.
The metaphors used in each voyage serve Swifts purpose quite well. The
small size of Lilliputians is to satirize the self-imposed grandeur, rank, politics,
and international wars. Where the Lilliputians highlight the pettiness of human
pride and pretensions, the relative size of Brobdingnagians highlights the rough
behavior of human. In the boyage to Laputa, Swift points out that an excess of
speculative reasoning can be negative as it takes us away from practical
realities of life. Finally, the Houyhnhnms as the representative of perfect
reasoning devoid of passions serve dual role for Swifts purpose. The domestic
animals showing more humanity than humans throws light on the defects of
human nature in the form of Yahoos. However, Swift does not wish us to be like
Houyhnhnms, nor are they like ideal of human nature. He uses them to show
that how reason not with love, compassion and sympathy is inadequate to deal
with many aspects of human nature.
Swift also achieved the purpose of exposing social behavior, pretension,
futility of institutions and the court intrigues. Ewald rightly says: As a satire,
the main purpose of Gullivers Travels is to show certain shortcomings in 18 th
century English society. In the first voyage, changing nature of court favours,
the rope dancing and the stick climbing illustrate this point. The references
about high heels and low heels and then quarrel between Big-Endians and
Small-Endians highlight political and religious conditions of that age in England.
In the voyage to Brobdingnage, Swift masterfully uses Gulliver as a nave
spokesman of European Civilization. However, the way the kin ridicules him and
makes fun of him clear indication of writers command in using irony for his
purpose. But, Swift does not preach an ideal world in the form of Brobdingnage.
In the third voyage, the pseudo-intellectualism and love for eternal life are
mocked by Swift. In the book four, rational Houyhnhnms are contrasted to the
brutal Yahoos. Gulliver idealizes Houyhnhnms. No doubt, they have pure reason
but they are not human. Of course they remain ideal for humans until Swift
exposes them as dull, unfeeling creatures, thoroughly inhuman and bloodless.
To conclude, we may say that Gullivers Travels is vastly considered as a
tragic and pessimistic work of Swift. But when one reaches the philosophy of
the writer, the view is totally reversed. What actually was Swifts philosophy
and purpose behind this book is crystal clear in the concluding parts of this
book. In fact, Swift created the whole of Gullivers Travels in order to give the
reader a new moral lens. In short, the book is full of such deep human

17

philosophy whose understanding can enhance our knowledge of the world and
man.

Jonathan Swift is a great satirist, moralist and above all an unforgettable

literary figure. His age was full of corruption, follies and social evils. As a
sensitive satirist Swift considered it his own responsibility to awake the society
and make them aware about their follies and absurdities. He wanted to make
his society pure from these evils. For this purpose he adopted the form of a
travelogue because in those days travel books were very popular. It was his
brilliant idea so that his message could reach the maximum number of people.
The poets and writers of his age were also busy in reforming people by
their writings. They presented the ideal world Utopia before their readers and
inspired them to follow all the good rules and regulations so that the world
could become an ideal world. They only described the good habits which they
wanted in their countrymen and totally neglected the vices which were
prevailing in the society. But, Swift as a satirist by nature could not forget or
ignore the follies and vices of the people. So he adopted a new method. He
never presented any ideal in his book
Gullivers Travels. He exposed the vices of the people so that they could
remove them from their society and made their life an ideal one. He did not
present a Utopian World but a Mock Utopian.
His purpose was not different from that of his contemporaries but he tried
to gain it through a different way. Hence, he has to face many false charges
and criticism because the people were not ready to admit their mistakes and
vices. He gave his readers real picture of his society and as reality is always
bitter so he was even charged as a misanthropist. But, the fact is that instead
of presenting a Utopian World, he had presented the true picture which is
very corrupted. He hated men but love man. He had not only described dark
aspects of his countrymen but he had also given them an ideal world which is
free from all the vices. He had a reformatory and corrective aim behind his
sever criticism as every satirist is an idealist from the core of his heart.
When we go through the different voyages of Gulliver we find the human
busy in all sort of negative activities. In the first voyage, we come across the
dwarf of only 5 or 6 inches. They are kind, generous, intelligent and hospitable.
Here, Swifts aim is to show the lack of these qualities in the English people.
But, he criticizes the Lilliputians desire of expanding their country by enslaving
the free people of nearby island, Blefuscu. In this voyage, the political
institutions and politicians are condemned for they are busy in all mal-practices

18

and never care about the people whose destiny is that their hand. The kings
were also the sheep of the same flock. They prefer their favourities and select
those officials which are best in deceiving others. So the world of Lilliputians
had some good qualities but on the other hand they have a lot of follies in
them.
In the second voyage, Swift again presents the picture of human
vulgarities through giants of Brobdingnage. In this voyage, the new moneyed
classes are criticized for their lust for more and more wealth. They run after
money, as dogs after bone. They give so much importance to materialistic
pursuits that they are ready to adopt any way fair or foul. Here, Swift changes
his method a bit and satirizes the English politicians, kings, scientists, lords and
so on. He does this not only through the words of Gulliver but by the king of
Brobdingnage also. The king unveils the so called nobility of English and calls
their society a heap of vices, rebellions, conspiracies, cruelty, hypocrisy,
meanness, malice, envy and vulgarities and so on. He condemns the wars
which were fought on useless issues. Here we can say that the main purpose of
Swift in second voyage is to keep human beings away from lust of money and
fighting.
In the third voyage, there is less bitter satire. Here Swift presents the
stupidities of his society in a comical way. We are amused to see scientists busy
in useless experiments. They are trying to remove opposition among the
politicians by operating the mind of two leaders of the opposition parties.
However, there is a sever attack on the historians who give false information
about past great personalities without investigation. The mans desire of
immortality is also condemned through immortals of Lagado.
Finally, in the last voyage, Swifts satire becomes most scathing and
offensive. This is the most complicated part of the book. Here Gulliver finds
Houyhnhnms (horses) gentle and free from all the vices but Yahoos (human
beings) mischievous and obnoxiou. Gulliver finds Houyhnhnms rational and
noble whereas Yahoos nasty and shameful. So naturally he starts likin
Houyhnhnms and disliking Yahoos. He equates Yahoos with man and thus
begins to hate all the men. Here some critics make mistake that Swift is giving
man an ideal way of life in the shape of Houyhnhnms. But this is a wrong
notion, because, Gulliver too is severely criticized by Swift in this part for his
over idealization of the Houyhnhnms. The aim of Swift here is to awake
conscience of all mankind to become well behaved with each other.
In the end, we can say that Swifts Gullivers Travels doesnt present a
Utopian world rather a mock Utopian. Every satire of Swift moves us greatly
and we start feeling guilty. Here it is right to say that Swift has described all the

19

mal-practices of the people and preach them to reform themselves. In short,

Swift instead of giving and ideal world has described a world full of vices and in
this way he urges his reader to remove these vices and become ideal.