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
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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
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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

Gulliver’s 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 child’s 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. Gulliver’s experiences at every place are strange, exciting and amazing. A
thorough study of four books is required to feel the full magic of Swift’s 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
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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 enemy’s 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 13th 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.
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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 farmer’s
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 Gulliver’s 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 Gulliver’s 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
Swift’s 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 king’s 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 Gulliver’s 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 surgeon’s job. He wants to set out for ‘East Indians’. They sailed away on 5th August,
1705, after three days of voyaging Gulliver’s 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
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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 London’s 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 Swift’s 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 Gulliver’s 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.
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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, Gulliver’s 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 ‘Gulliver’s 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 Gulliver’s body. In fact, this reversal of roles is Swift’s method
of satire.

Satire is also found in Gulliver’s 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 Gulliver’s 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
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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
Gulliver’s 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 “Gulliver’s Travels”.

(In short, “Gulliver’s Travels” is not merely an adventure story or children’s 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.
Swift’s 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 “Gulliver’s 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 “Gulliver’s Travels”.

Swift has to face the allegation of being misanthropist for during whole of his life. It is
because the critics attributed Gulliver’s blunders to Swift. But, he makes his aim in “Gulliver’s
Travels” clear in his letter to Alexander Pope. He 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 didn’t consider this reasonable. But, this does not mean that he hates mankind, as
he writes to Pope, “I tell you after all that I don’t 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.
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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 Gulliver’s 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 man’s 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 that’s 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.

Shakespeare’s 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 doesn’t mean that creator too changes with his creation and grows mad. In fact,
part 4 has been completely misunderstood. Misidentifying Gulliver 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 Gulliver’s 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 Swift’s 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
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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 Swift’s irony, Gulliver speaks purely
for himself in part 4 and not for Swift.

In short, “Gulliver’s Travels” is a complicated book symbolically stands for the mystery of
human nature. Gulliver may be a misanthrope, but we can’t equate him with Swift, who
throughout remained a philanthropist. He condemned Gulliver’s attitude in the fourth voyage. His
“Gulliver’s 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

Gulliver’s 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’ 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 “Gulliver’s 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 “Gulliver’s 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. Gulliver’s 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 Swift’s 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-
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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 England’s
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 Gulliver’s country. The king declared most of the people of
Gulliver’s 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 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.

Swift’s 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 Swift’s
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 “Gulliver’s Travels” is an excellent specimen of Swift’s satire. Some
critics try to find faults in the final solution of the problem. But, it should again be mentioned that
it is not Swift’s 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 “Gulliver’s Travels” Swift continues to “vex the world rather than divert it”.

Or
 13

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 writer’s 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.

Swift’s 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. Swift’s prose style is often considered as
near perfect. Most of the 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;

“Swift’s 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 “Gulliver’s Travels”, Swift’s 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 “Gulliver’s 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 one’s 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
“Gulliver’s Travels”. We do find allusions and solid metaphors when they are needed. In fact,
Swift’s 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 Swift’s intentions not much scholarly knowledge is required. His writing
 14

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. 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, “Gulliver’s 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 reader’s attention. But
like all the mature works the aspect of entertainment is not neglected. Hence, the “Gulliver’s
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 “Gulliver’s 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, “Gulliver’s 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 “Gulliver’s Travels” are also presented on parallel way. The voyages I and II focus on
 15

criticism of various aspects of English society, while last two voyages are more preoccupied with
human nature itself. Over all it leads to self-realization.

The metaphors used in each voyage serve Swift’s 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 Swift’s 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 “Gulliver’s
Travels” is to show certain shortcomings in 18th 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 naïve spokesman of European Civilization.
However, the way the kin ridicules him and makes fun of him clear indication of writer’s 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 “Gulliver’s 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 Swift’s philosophy and purpose behind this book is crystal clear in the
concluding parts of this book. In fact, Swift created the whole of “Gulliver’s Travels” in order to
give the reader a new moral lens. In short, the book is full of such deep human philosophy whose
understanding can enhance our knowledge of the world and man.
 16

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
“Gulliver’s 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, Swift’s 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 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
 17

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 man’s desire of immortality is also
condemned through immortals of Lagado.

Finally, in the last voyage, Swift’s 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 Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels” doesn’t 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 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.