The Desirability of Having a Historical Personality in One’s Mind

Gulliver’s Travels contains a large number of allusions to contemporary political

personalities and events. Many figures which seem to be imaginary to us were based
on real persons. In one of his earlier writings, Swift said: “In describing the virtues
and vices of mankind, it is convenient to have some eminent person in our eye, from
whence we copy our description.” In other words, a satirist may look into history for
some character bearing a resemblance to the person he wishes to describe and attack
in his writing. At the same time Swift admitted that this method of writing had one
serious drawback: “Though the present age may understand well enough the little
hints we give, the parallels we draw, and the characters we describe, yet this will all
be lost to the next.”

Main Events of the Time

Gulliver’s Travels was most probably written during the period 1720-1725. Political
allusions in this book are to the events of the end of Queen Anne’s reign, and to
events during the reign of George I. Naturally, events which took place during the
years in which the book was completed left most traces on it. In England the main
events of the time were the South Sea Bubble (1720), the return to office of Walpole
(1721), the return from exile of Bolingbroke (1723), the removal of Carteret from the
English cabinet (1724), the supremacy of Walpole in it (1725). In Ireland during the
same period the struggle over Wood’s patent began and ended (1722 to 25).

England in the Disguise of Lilliput in Part I of the Book

References to public events and public personalities are most frequent in Parts I and
III of Gulliver’s Travels. The voyage to Lilliput in Part I of the book contains the
story of Gulliver’s shipwreck and his early adventures among the pigmies. In this
part, as soon as Swift turns to describe the politics of Lilliput, that country ceases to
be a kind of Utopia and becomes the England of Swift’s time. A Lilliputian lord tells
Gulliver “We labour under two mighty evils-a violent faction at home and the danger
of an invasion by a most potent enemy from abroad.” The Lilliputian lord goes on to
refer to the two struggling parties, one party distinguished by its high-heeled shoes
and the other by its low-heeled shoes. The reference obviously is to the High Church
and Low Church parties, or the Tories and the Whigs. The potent enemy from abroad
is the island of Blefuscu which stands for France with whom England had been
engaged in an obstinate struggle for a whole generation. Thus, the story of Gulliver’s
first voyage becomes a kind of political allegory. The Emperor of Lilliput would in
that case be a portrayal of George I who is a supporter of the Whigs by his
determination to make use of only low-heels in the administration of the
government, and himself wearing heels lower than any member of his court. The
parallel is emphasized by making the heir to the throne show an inclination towards
high-heels, as the Prince of Wales did to the Tories of the time. Finally, Swift adds an
ironical passage on the leniency and mercy of the Emperor intended to remind his
readers of the executions which had taken place after the rebellion in 1715, and the
praises of King George’s mercy which the government had published.

The Allegorical Meaning of the Empress’s Annoyance with Gulliver

The incident of Gulliver’s extinguishing a fire in the apartment of the Lilliputian

Empress relates to the circumstances in Swift’s own life. The Lilliputian Empress was
filled with resentment at Gulliver’s action in extinguishing the fire by urinating upon
it, and she decided never again to make use of that apartment. This incident is an
allegorical representation of the fact that Queen Anne was so disgusted with Swift’s A
Tale of a Tub that, in spite of Swift’s political services, she could never be prevailed
upon to promote Swift to a higher office in the Church. The result of Queen Anne’s
annoyance was that Swift failed to obtain the position of a bishop which he hoped to
get in 1708; and it was with great difficulty that he got the office of a dean in 1713.
Swift also believed that Queen Anne was “a royal prude”, and that her opposition to
his promotion was due to the efforts of his enemies. In one of his poems, Swift names
the Duches of Somerset, the Archbishop of York, the Earl of Nottingham, and Robert
Walpole as his enemies.

The Earl of Nottingham in the Guise of Bolgolam

In Gulliver’s Travels, the principal enemy of Gulliver is a certain lord named

Bolgolam. Another enemy is described by Gulliver as “a person well versed in affairs,
but of a morose and sour complexion”. This person is clearly intended to represent
the Earl of Nottingham. The morose and sour complexion attributed to Bolgolam in
the book at once suggests the identification. In 1711, when Nottingham had joined the
Whigs in their attack on the foreign policy of the government, Swift had written two
poems against him. Nottingham had retaliated by using his influence at the court to
stop Swift’s promotion, and then had openly condemned him in parliament.

Bolingbroke in Swift’s Mind

Another statesman who figures in Gulliver’s account of the circumstances and

conditions prevailing in Lilliput is Bolingbroke. Bolingbroke was very much in Swift’s
mind in 1719 and 1720. Bolingbroke was at that time in exile, and Swift was in
correspondence with him in 1719 when there was some hope of Bolingbroke’s pardon
and his return to England, though the hope was not realized till 1723. During that
period several long letters were exchanged between them. It was towards the end of
1721 that Swift mentioned his book to Bolingbroke who replied that he longed to see
the book, namely Gulliver’s Travels.

The Close Parallel between Bolingbroke and Gulliver

In the book itself, there is a close parallel between the fate of Bolingbroke and that of
Gulliver. Like Gulliver, Bolingbroke had brought a great war to an end and concluded
a peace upon conditions very advantageous to his country, but was denounced by his
political opponents for not prosecuting the war to bring about the complete
surrender of the enemy. Bolingbroke was accused of treasonable intercourse with
French ambassadors, just as Gulliver in the book is accused of treasonable
intercourse with the ambassadors of Blefuscu. Gulliver flees from Lilliput because he
feels that he cannot obtain a fair trial, “having in my life perused many State trials
which I ever observed to terminate as the judges thought fit to direct.” Gulliver is
aware that powerful enemies in Lilliput seek to have him killed. Now, Bolingbroke
had declared that he had fled from England because he had definite information that
some powerful political opponents wanted to have him executed. It is obvious, then,
that in this part of the book Gulliver is attributing to himself the circumstances of
Bolingbroke.
Sir Robert Walpole in the Guise of Flimnap
Closely connected with the portrayal of Boling broke is that of Sir Robert Walpole
who is represented in the book under the name of Flimnap. One of the important
features of political life in Lilliput is that candidates for high offices have to compete
by dancing on a tight rope. Flimnap, the Lord Treasurer of Lilliput, has himself to
display his skill in this art (of dancing on a tight rope). Flimnap’s skill symbolizes
Walpole’s dexterity in parliamentary tactics and political intrigues. When Flimnap,
after an attempted 4igh jump, falls down, he is saved from breaking his neck by the
King’s cushion. This cushion is intended to symbolize the Duches of Kendal who was
one of King George I’s mistresses and by whose influence Walpole was restored to
royal favour after his fall from power in 1717.

The Silken Threads in Lilliput Symbolic of English Distinctions

Then there is the custom in Lilliput of awarding silken threads of green, red, and blue
colours to those courtiers who showed the greatest agility in leaping over or creeping
under a stick. The green thread represents the Order of the Thistle, which was
revived by Queen Anne in 1703. The red thread represents the Order of the Bath,
which was revived by George 1 in 1725. Its revival was due to Walpole’s initiative. The
blue thread represents the Order of the Garter which was bestowed on Walpole
himself in 1726, after which he became known to satirists by the title of Sir Blue-
String.

The Alleged Love-affair between Gulliver and Flimnap’s Wife

One passage in Gulliver’s account of his experiences in Lilliput is difficult to explain.

This passage describes Flimnap’s jealousy of his wife who is reported to have
developed a love-affair with Gulliver. The scandal involving Gulliver and Flimnap’s
wife aggravates Flimnap’s hostility to Gulliver. This episode in Part I of the book
seems to be an ironical attack by Swift on Walpole whose first wife, Catherine, was
not above suspicion, while Walpole’s indifference to her flirtations was notorious.
But it is also possible that the episode in question is a veiled reference to
Bolingbroke’s attempt to win the favour of the Duchess of Kendal, hitherto Walpole’s
firmest ally, in order to utilize her influence with George I to Walpole’s detriment.

Lord Carteret in the Guise of Reldresal

Besides Flimnap, another minister of the Lilliputian court is Reldresal, Principal
Secretary for Private Affairs. Reldresal is the lord who explains to Gulliver the
intricacies of Lilliputian politics and proves himself throughout Gulliver’s true friend.
It is clear that Reldresal is meant to represent Lord Carteret who was Secretary of
State from 1721 to 1724 and who stood very high in King George I’s favour. It has
been suggested that Townshend was the man represented by Reldresal, but as
Carteret was Swift’s friend, he must be the person meant. In April, 1724, Walpole got
rid of Carteret by making him Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. In that capacity Carteret
was obliged to issue a proclamation offering a reward for the discovery of the author*
of the Drapier’s Letters to the People of Ireland, just as Reldresal was obliged to
suggest a method punishing his friend Gulliver.
Contemporary Allusions in the Voyage to Brobdingnag

In the voyage to Brobdingnag, there are no references to actual contemporary

persons, while the allusions to contemporary politics are only general. Some of the
institutions and customs of Brobdingnag are briefly described and praised; for
instance, the brevity of the laws, the cultivation of useful knowledge rather than
speculative philosophy or abstract sciences, and the simplicity of the literary style in
fashion. The method adopted throughout is not to hold up ideal institutions for
invitation as in the case of Lilliput, but to describe existing institutions so as to show
their defects. In five interviews Gulliver explains to the King the constitution and
government of England, and then the King, by doubts, queries, and objections, forces
him to reveal the difference between the practice and the theory of the institutions
described. Gulliver has to admit that the working of the parliamentary government is
vitiated by the methods of selecting peers, bishops, and members of the House of
Commons, so that, as the King points out, the original idea of the institution is
“blurred and blotted by corruptions”.

The Political Views of the Tories of the Time

The comments of the King of Brobdingnag express the political views of Swift’s party
on many questions. The King is amazed to hear Gulliver talk of a mercenary army in
the midst of peace and among a free people. Every year, over the Mutiny Act or the
Estimates, the House of Commons resounded with denunciations of standing armies,
and Lord Chesterfield recommended the issue to his son as the best subject for a
young member’s maiden speech. In the same way the King of Brobdingnag echoes
the criticisms of the Tories on the financial system and their alarm at the existence of
the national debt.
The King of Brobdingnag as Swift’s Mouthpiece on Contemporary Topics
On most questions the King is not merely the mouthpiece of the Tory party but of
Swift; and the opinions the King expresses are those which Swift had already stated
in his pamphlets. Swift’s condemnation of gambling, his complaint of the neglected
education of the upper classes, his theory of the best way of treating Dissenters and
his rooted animosity to lawyers, all find expression through the King. Similarly, a
view which Swift had expressed in one of his letters finds an epigrammatic
expression by the King in the following words:
“Whoever could make two ears of com or two blades of grass to grow upon a spot of
ground where only one grew before, would do more essential service to his country
than the whole race of politicians put together.”
At the back of Swift’s mind there is always the thought of Ireland. In a letter written
in 1732 he made his meaning still more clear. In that letter he wrote: “There is not an
acre of land in Ireland turned to half its advantage, yet it is better improved than the
people; and all these evils are effects of English tyranny, so your sons and grand-
children will find it to their sorrow.”
The Allusion to Dublin Beggars
There is another passage in Part II suggested by Irish conditions, and that is an
incident in Gulliver’s visit to the capital of Brobdingnag. As the carriage, in which he
and his nurse are being conveyed, stops at a shop, the beggars who were waiting for
an opportunity crowd around the carriage and present “the most horrible spectacle
that ever an European eye beheld”. Gulliver then describes with horrid minuteness
the sores on their bodies. There can be no doubt that this piece of description was
inspired by the beggars of Dublin about whom Swift had much to say in his
pamphlets and sermons. Such passages show that, while Swift was entirely wrapped
up in English politics when he wrote Part I of the book, Irish social conditions were
beginning to occupy his thoughts when Part II was written.
II
Allusions to Political Personalities and Events
Swift’s philosophy forms only one part of Gulliver’s Travels. The book is stuffed with
personal, literary, and political allusions. On every page there are more or less
abstruse references which had a special meaning for the reader of Swift’s own time.
For instance, in Part I, Lilliput and its diminutive people represent England; Blefuscu
is France; Flimnap, the Treasurer, is Swift’s old enemy, Sir Robert Walpole, whereas
Gulliver, for the most part, is Swift’s old friend, Bolingbroke, who made the Peace of
Utrecht with the French and then was shamefully exiled by an ungrateful nation. The
well-known scene where Gulliver puts out the fire in the imperial palace by urinating
on it was once thought to portray Swift’s service to the English Church when he wrote
A Tale of a Tub. That book was devoted to the cause of the Church but it was written
in such a manner that Queen Anne was shocked and vowed ever after to refuse its
author a bishopric*. Now, however, the interpretation has changed. It is now argued
that the incident represents the stopping of the terrible war against France by
unavoidable methods, however deplorable those methods might have been.
Not Essential to Know Conditions in the 18th Century
It may, however, be pointed out that, for the understanding of Gulliver’s Travels, it is
not essential to have a detailed knowledge of the political and social circumstances of
the times of Queen Anne, or to know at first hand that distant world of treason and
war, of intrigue and apostasy, of power-crazed soldiers and cunning politicians. A
knowledge of the political and social conditions in some of the countries in the
twentieth century would be enough to understand Swift’s portrayal in Gulliver’s
Travels of the various aspects of life in the eighteenth century.
III
Scientific Allusions in Part III
The scientific projects described in Part III show Swift’s acquaintance with a large
variety of current projects and experiments and with the work of the members of the
Royal Society, while the flying island owes something both to Gilbert’s theories of
magnetism and the contemporary discussion arising in connection with Halley’s
comet.
Political Personalities in Part I
There are recognizable elements of political allegory present in both Parts I and III,
the allusions being to people and events in the England of Queen Anne and King
George I. Some of the references are unmistakable; there are others which are open
to different interpretations. There is general agreement that the latter part of
Gulliver’s experiences in Lilliput-the ingratitude he meets with after performing the
signal feat of capturing the enemy’s entire fleet, the sentence passed on him, and his
flight to the neighbouring kingdom of Blefuscu-is a thinly-veiled allegory of
Bolingbroke’s fate subsequent to the Queen’s death. It is also clear that Bolgolam
points to the Earl of Nottingham, and Flimnap to Walpole, while Reldresal
represents Charles, Viscount Townshend, who succeeded Bolingbroke as Secretary of
State.
Political Events in Part I
All of Gulliver’s adventures during the first voyage have been regarded by some
critics as a hidden history of Oxford-Bolingbroke ministry. The shipwreck in Chapter
I takes us back to the reverse suffered by Harley and St. John in 1708, two years
before they came to power. Bolgolam’s animosity to Gulliver represents
Nottingham’s opposition to the Tory Ministry late in 1711. The fire in the Queen’s
palace represents the War of Spanish Succession, and Gulliver’s extinguishing of it is
the peace negotiated by Bolingbroke and Oxford. The articles of impeachment drawn
up against Gulliver represent the charges made against Oxford and Bolingbroke after
the Queen’s death.
The Political Allegory in Part III
The allegory of Part I seems to have been carried forward in Part III into the reign of
George I and to shadow forth the lamentable state of affairs brought to pass by the
Whigs. The flying island does undoubtedly signify England, or at least the power of
the State and the tyrannical exercise of such power. The story of the rebellion in
Lindalino*––or Dublin––and the manner in which it defended itself against the
King and the island hovering overhead refer no doubt to the Wood affair and
Ireland’s successful resistance to the patent. The character of Munodi was probably
created with Oxford in mind, and the abandoned mill on his estate is very likely a
symbol of the South Sea enterprise, established under Oxford but going down to ruin
under the Whigs in 1720.