THE RESTORATION PERIOD 18TH CENTURY

 The period from 1660 to 1700 Is known as Restoration period or the age of Dryden. Dryden is the
representative wrier of this period.
 The restoration of King Charles II in 1660 marks the beginning of new era both in life and the literature of
England. The King was received with wild joy on his return from exile.
 The change of government from commonwealth to Kingship correspond to a change in the mood of the
nation.
 In this period the Renaissance delight in this world and the unlimited possibilities of the exploration of the
world, and the moral zeal and the earnestness of the Puritan period could no more fascinate the people of
England.
 Moody and Lovett remark: -But in the greater part of the Restoration period there was awareness of the
limitations of human experience, without faith in the extension of the resources. There was the disposition to
accept such limitations, to exploit the potentialities of a strictly human world.
 The historical events like the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 the religious controversy and the revolution of
1688 deeply influenced the social life and the literary movements of the age. disposition to accept such
limitations, to exploit the potentialities of a strictly human world.

BIOGRAPHY OF JONATHAN SWIFT

 (1667-1745) Jonathan Swift, pseudonym Isaac Bickerstaff, (born November 30, 1667, Dublin, Ireland-died
October 19, 1745, Dublin), Anglo-Irish author, who was the foremost prose satirist in the English language.
 Jonathan Swift is best for Gulliver's Travel," which is a parody of a travel narrative. Published in 1726, it
mocks English costums and politics of the day.
 Swift is also well known for "A Modest of Proposal," a satiric essay published in 1729 that suggests living
conditions in Ireland could be improved by butchering the children of the poor Irish citizens and selling them
as food to wealthy English landlord.
JONATHAN SWIFT’S WORKS

 A Modest Proposal
 Gulliver’s Travel

INTRODUCTION OF "A MODEST PROPOSAL"

• A Modest Proposal is an essay written by Jonathan Swift. The full title of the essay is 'For preventing the children of
poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick'
and is commonly known as 'A Modest Proposal in its short form. It was published in 1729 anonymously. The essay is
labeled as the best example of a juvenile satire, directing its arrow of ironic strictures on the existing personalities and
figures of his times. The essay revolves around his suggestion of poor Irish children to be sold for food for the elite
class of that time in a very mockingly serious mood. The hyperbolic suggestion, sometimes, evokes highly
reprehensible emotions amongst the readers.
SUMMARY OF "A MODEST PROPOSAL"
• Written in the first person, the proposal outlines the problem of the children that Ireland was facing during the time
of Jonathan Swift. The problem outlined was related to the women beggars filling the streets of the Irish cities. Some
of them have no means to feed their young kids and the kids becoming beggars was another issue facing the country.
During this time the Protestant minority English was ruling Ireland neglecting the poor Irish Catholics. Jonathan Swift
has tried to invite the attention of the government toward this problem but it seems that after all of his efforts failed, he
has chosen this selected and novel way to attract the attention of the authorities. As a proposer of this suggestion,
Jonathan claims that he has a plan to deal with this problem effectively and efficiently. He states that after he has
reserved some years of his life to think of the best possible solution to the problem of child beggars, he has come up
with a viable set of solutions. He says that some of his plans have not proved workable in the past due to his inability
to accurately make calculations. Also, while others have presented their plans they 'grossly mistaken in their
Computation'. However, in the case of this proposal, he has accurately made calculations before offering them in the
essay. He says that a child is supported with breast milk and two shillings per year. However, for the child to enter
into the professed beggary takes time and the parents are too poor to provide them. He proposes that the parents or
guardians will release the child from their care after the presentation of this proposal finding it financially rewarding.
According to this proposal, there are 200,000 Irish parents actively giving birth to children by which means that if
30,000 of the couples can take care of them, 50,000 face miscarriages, leaving 120,000 parents having the inability to
bring up their children in an appropriate way. His contention is how to deal with this explosion of the childbirth rate
and what to do with this rising number of children, for they cannot be used in agriculture, or cannot be made skillful
workers. They are also too young to support themselves, he says, adding that they also cannot be sold as slaves, or else
they would fetch a considerable amount of money. Therefore, he has suggested a comprehensive plan to deal with this
increasing birth rate. Jonathan says that he has been assured by his American friend, name, has told him that the meat
of a year-old child is very delectable Whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled and without any doubt that it will
equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout. Therefore, he has made calculations that if they are total 120,000 can be
reserved for breeding, and the rest can be reared to sell to the gentry for eating. He states that the wealthy landlords
would be the likely buyers.The reason is that they have already devoured several parents in their greed for more and
that they deserve to take lead in this work. He also suggests that by doing this, they would be becoming a source of
increasing profits for a considerable number of mothers. He further goes on by mocking the Catholic church that the
Catholics produce more children than the Protests who were ruling the country since they are against the birth control
that was introduced during that time even though there's a spike in overpopulation and poverty. If such people, he
argues, prove their ability in doing business, they can use the hide and other parts of the children to sharpen their
business skills such as they can prepare gloves and shoes from their hide or sell it in the market. Calling his suggestion
"innocent, cheap, easy and effectual" Swift states that he has no personal interest involved in this proposal as he has
no child and that his wife, too, has passed the child-bearing age.
SUMMARY ANALYSIS

 The full title of Swift's pamphlet is "A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from
Being a Burthen to their Parents, or the Country, and for Making them Beneficial to the Public." The tract is
an ironically conceived attempt to "find out a fair, cheap, and easy Method" for converting the starving
children of Ireland into "sound and useful members of the Commonwealth." Across the country poor children,
predominantly Catholics, are living in squalor because their families are too poor to keep them fed and
clothed.
 The author argues, by hard-edged economic reasoning as well as from a self-righteous moral stance, for a way
to turn this problem into its own solution. His proposal, in effect, is to fatten up these undernourished children
and feed them to Ireland's rich land- owners. Children of the poor could be sold into a meat market at the age
of one, he argues, thus combating overpopulation and unemployment, sparing families the expense of child-
bearing while providing them with a little extra income, improving the culinary experience of the wealthy, and
contributing to the overall economic well-being of the nation.
 The author offers statistical support for his assertions and gives specific data about the number of children to
be sold, their weight and price, and the projected consumption patterns. He suggests some recipes for
preparing this delicious new meat, and he feels sure that innovative cooks will be quick to generate more. He
also anticipates that the practice of selling and eating children will have positive effects on family morality:
husbands will treat their wives with more respect, and parents will value their children in ways hitherto
unknown. His conclusion is that the implementation of this project will do more to solve Ireland's complex
social, political, and economic problems than any other measure that has been proposed.
MAJOR THEMES IN "A MODEST PROPOSAL"
1. Exploitation: Although the essay seems a simple satire, the underlying theme is the exploitation of the
landlords of Ireland and England who left people with nothing to eat. They were thronging the streets to beg
for food. The laws were unfair and maltreated the poor in favor of the rich or the elite class. The rents charged
from the tenants and farmers were very high which led to poverty and begging. Therefore, the essay highlights
this exploitation in the garb of this suggests that the parents could sell their children to feed themselves and
that those children would be used for delicious dishes for the gentry.
2. Greed: The essay also shows the theme of greed lurking behind the lines. As it is not obvious, it is shown
through the presence of beggars including women and children, who are "forced to employ their time in
strolling to beg sustenance." It shows that they have been forced by their landlords to go hungry or feed
themselves and their children by begging. In other words, the greed of landlords brought the poor to the
streets. Therefore, the proposal hints at the greed of the landlords.
 3. Prejudice: The thematic idea, prejudice is not plainly noticeable but it makes up the background of the essay
in that the British Protestants used to despise the Roman Catholics and have laws enacted to exploit their
vulnerabilities, which left them to roam on the roads in search of food and security.
4. Irish Social Apathy: The essay also underlines the Irish social indifference as many people were begging in
the streets with children and the government and social responses were almost non-existence as far as the
essay shows. That was also a major reason behind his proposal of selling of the children to the gentry for meat
and other purposes.
5. Poverty: The beginning of the essay shows that poverty was widespread in Ireland on account of the
government's lack of care, the indifference of the upper class and the landlords. The laws were enacted to
crush the poor class, the reason that all women, children, and even men of this section of the society had been
forced to come into the streets to beg for sustenance.
6. Colonialism: Although it is not modern colonialism, English rule on its adjoining lands and countries, unlike
Asian and African countries, were for extraction of the sources by exploiting the local population making the
situation of living worse in the British colonies. The Catholics were subjected to religious torture and legal
exploitation, leaving a chunk of the Irish population to face starvation or beg in the streets.
7. Misanthropy: If read in literal teams, the essay shows extreme misanthropy of the author that he has
discussed in his letter to Pope, yet when taken as a satire, it shows his love for humanity and his concern for
the safety and security of the Irish children.

ANALYSIS OF LITERARY DEVICES

1. Anaphora
- Therefore let no man talk to me of other expedients: of taxing our absentees at five shillings a pound: Of using
neither cloaths, nor household furniture, except what is of our own growth and manufacture: Of utterly
rejecting the materials and instruments that promote foreign luxury: Of curing the expensiveness of pride,
vanity, idleness, and gaming in our women: Of introducing a vein of parsimony, prudence and temperance: Of
learning to love our country, wherein we differ even from LAPLANDERS, and the inhabitants of
TOPINAMBOO. This example shows the use of "Of..." as an anaphora.
2. Anecdote
- It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see
the streets, the roads and cabbin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six
children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms. These mothers instead of being able to
work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in stroling to beg sustenance for their
helpless infants who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country,
to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes. This example shows the anecdote used
as the hook or attention grabber of this essay.
3. Allusion
- There are various examples of allusions given in the essay. For example, 1. These mothers instead of being
able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in stroling to beg sustenance for
their helpless infants who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native
country, to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoe
4. Asyndeton
- I profess, in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavouring to promote
this necessary work, having no other motive than the publick good of my country, by advancing our trade,
providing for infants, relieving the poor, and giving some pleasure to the rich. The example shows the
omission of conjunction between most of the clauses here.
5. Humor
- The essay shows the use of dark humor in the below sentence, A child will make two dishes at an
entertainment for friends, and when the family dines alone, the fore or hind quarter will make a reasonable
dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt, will be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter.
This example shows the use of taboos of cannibalism in a light mood as if they can be exercised freely.
6. Ethos
- The essay shows the use of ethos. For example, i. It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this
great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and cabbin-doors crowded with
beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every
 passenger for alms. This example shows how the author has established his ethos by presenting a common
observable scene.
7. Foreshadow
- The essay shows the following examples of foreshadowing, i. It is a melancholy object to those, who walk
through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and cabbin-doors
crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning
every passenger for an alms.
8. Hyperbole
- Hyperbole or exaggeration occurs in the essay at various places, for example, i. I have been assured by a very
knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a
most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no
doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or a ragoust. The above sentence is hyperbole, and also it shows
how the suggestion is horrible and disgusting.
9. Imagery
- Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example, i. It is a melancholy
object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads
and cabbin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags,
and importuning every passenger for an alms.
10. Kairos
- The essay shows the use of kairos as the credentials of the author, references to the domination of the
Protestant, colonization of the different parts of the world by Britain, and other historical clues point to the
context and temporality of the essay.
11. Logos
- The essay shows the use of logos in the following sentences, The number of souls in this kingdom being
usually reckoned one million and a half, of these I calculate there may be about two hundred thousand couple
whose wives are breeders; from which number I subtract thirty thousand couple, who are able to maintain
their own children, (although I apprehend there cannot be so many, under the present distresses of the
kingdom) but this being granted, there will remain an hundred and seventy thousand breeders.
12. Metaphor
- "A Modest Proposal" shows good use of various metaphors in the below examples, i. I grant this food will be
somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the
parents, seem to have the best title to the children.
13. Mood
- The essay "A Modest Proposal" shows various moods but the prominent ones are formal, ironic and cynical.
14. Narrator: The essay is narrated from a first-person point of view, which is the writer, Jonathan Swift.
14. Pathos
- The essay shows the example of pathos as follows, i. It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this
great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and cabbin-doors crowded with
beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every
passenger for an alms. The example shows how Swift has used pathos to awaken pity and sympathy in his
readers.
15. Repetition
- The essay shows the use of repetition at several places such "I assure you...", "I am sure..." and "I have been
assured...". These phrases have made it a convincing piece of rhetoric.
16. Rhetorical Questions
- The essay shows good use of rhetorical questions at several places, for example, -The question therefore is,
how this number shall be reared, and provided for? which, as I have already said. This example shows the use
of rhetorical questions posed by the narrator to stress upon the idea instead of asking the question.
17. Satire
- The essay shows the use of satire in the following examples, -whoever could find out a fair, cheap, and easy
method of making these children sound, useful members of the commonwealth would deserve so well of the
public as to have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation.
18. Simile
- The essay shows good use of various similes in the following sentences, i. I cannot be altogether in his
sentiments; for as to the males, my American acquaintance assured me from frequent experience, that their
flesh was generally tough and lean, like that of our school-boys.
 19. Tone
- The tone of the essay "A Modest Proposal" is satiric, sarcastic, and, at times, ironic.

CONCLUSION
"A Modest Proposal," the narrator insists that he had not selfish motives in his proposal. He merely wanted to
promote the public good, advance trade, provide for infants, relieve the poor, and give some pleasure to the rich.
However, the narrator clarifies that what he proposes is not applicable to him since he no longer has infant children
and his wife is past child-bearing.
SIGNIFICANCE
Jonathan Swift's masterful satire, "A Modest Proposal," [mockingly!] proposes to solve the devastating poverty in
Ireland by selling poor children as food for wealthy families. Swift goes on to explain how this would solve all of
Ireland's problems from domestic abuse to poverty. Swift's Projector explains his proposal in depth, in many ways
treating these children as nothing more than a new type of livestock. Towards the end, however, Swift lists numerous
reforms that could help the country. This list makes a change in tone. However, these reforms differ from Swift's
"modest proposal" because instead of the poor sacrificing their children, it would involve the rich sacrificing some of
their luxuries.
GULLIVER'S TRAVEL
Introduction to Gulliver's Travels A very popular satire as well as one of the favorite children's books, Gulliver's
Travels, is widely taught in schools and colleges as a syllabus book across the globe. Gulliver's Travels was written by
Jonathan Swift, an Irish author. This satirical travelogue was first published in 1726 and hit the headlines at that time
for its biting satire and hidden attacks on the politicians, religious clergy, and a plethora of travelogues appearing at
that time. The book has achieved the status of the classics of the English language, has impacted the world,
specifically the children. Robert McCrum has considered it one of the best 100 novels during his calculated
assessment of the best 100 novels in 2015.
SUMMARY OF GULLIVER'S TRAVELS
The story starts with the self-revelatory letter of Lemuel Gulliver, an English surgeon. who takes to navigate seas to
lift his spirits after a business failure. However, the story goes in a linear fashion in that he goes from one place to
another and narrates important happenings in an impassioned tone. One of the first travels is to the world of Lilliput,
the land of the small people in the size of 6 inches(15cm), where he lands after his ship is torn apart during a storm.
He finds himself in the captivity of the little people who tie him with tiny threads and shots needle-like arrows at him
when he tries to free himself. Soon he finds himself learning their language to converse with them. He finds them
highly honorable people with traits of hospitality, though, a bit violent. He visits their land and joins them in
everything until he differs from them in the matter of war with their neighbor, Blefuscu, though, he helps them bring
the Blefuscu's whole fleet singlehandedly. He also learns about their interesting politics, differences, creeds, and
concepts about eating, breaking eggs, and superstitions in doing certain things. Despite providing great assistance and
having such an understanding, he soon becomes a pariah for committing supposed treason of urinating on the regal
palace that wants immediate assistance during the fire. Sensing a threat to his life, he flees to Blefuscu and sets sail
back to England. He stays with his family for a while and soon starts another voyage after being fed up with his stay.
He soon finds himself coincidently landing in Brobdingnag, the land of the giants in comparison to which Gulliver
himself looks like a Lilliputian. When one of the giants, working as a farmer, discovers him in the field, they are very
surprised to look at such a small creature and play with Gulliver, while Gulliver minutely observes and records their
social manners. Not only their giantess but also their social life where politicking is non-existent seems entirely
different from the Lilliputians. The farmer and his daughter Glumdalclitch take care of him, also exhibited him for
money. He was very exhausted and couldn't perform anymore. • That's when the farmer sells Gulliver to the Queen for
ransom. Gulliver makes an exception of going to live with the Queen only if Glumdalclitch came with him as a
caretaker. During his stay, he is abducted by a monkey, fights giant wasps when they entered the small house that is
specially made for him by the Queen. However, finally, he leaves them when an eagle accidentally takes his cage and
drops him in the sea. During his next travel, he lands on the land of Laputa, a floating island, where intellectuals enjoy
life. Despite their intellectuality, they wreak havoc. On the other land, Balnibarbi. The competitive scientific research
going on both the lands is entirely insane as far as the welfare of the residents of both the lands is concerned. Their
experiments were just a blind pursuit of science rather than to meet the practical ends like extracting sunbeams from
cucumber, softening the marble in order to use as a pillow. This was a satire on Royal Society and especially Issac
Newton on a professional as well as personal level. Swift never really understood the purpose of Newton's
experiments and theories, also his stance on religion. The mention of rivalry between Laputa and Balnibarbi is in
reality the power relations between British and Ireland. Laputa intimidates Balnibarbi into blocking the sun or rain or
crushing their land by lowering Laputa. Mocking the threats from the English to the Irish. • From there Gulliver
reaches Glubbdubdrib, where he meets and converses with historical figures from antiquity and the present time. He
also visits Struldbrugs and Luggnag where he meets cynics and then visiting Japan, he comes back where rest is
nowhere, for he again departs for the land of Houyhnhnms where horses are rational animals, while Yahoos are brute
apes resembling the humans. Gulliver lives there for some time to exchange views about his world and their world. He
even decides to spend the rest of his life with them as he appreciates their sincerity, hard work honesty, and simple life
principles. Many months pass, Gulliver almost settles at the land of Houyhnhnms. After an unfortunate incident,
however, Gulliver’s time with them comes to an end. At the assembly of Houyhnhnms, Gulliver was ruled as a Yahoo
who can't live with his master anymore because it would a threat to civilization. His master gives him time to build a
canoe to go back to his land and then returns. He is heartbroken but the master of Houyhnhnms encourages him to find
his destiny. When he boards a Portuguese ship, the borders are surprised when Gulliver expresses his disgust at the
sight of Captain Pedro de Mendez who Gulliver thought of as yahoo but was a kind and wise man. He reaches
England with the claim of having English rights on the lands he has visited. He couldn't ingest the idea of him living
with Yahoos, so he avoids his family and spends time in stables talking to his horses.

ANALYSIS OF GULLIVER’S TRAVEL

The success of Gulliver's Travels rests not only in its fantastical imaginings but also in its deft use of parody and
satire. For example, while the Houyhnhnms may be talking horses, they are also representative of traits that Swift
finds lacking in the leaders and politicians of the time.In general, the message behind Gulliver's Travels appears to be
one of condemnation. Within the novel, Swift ridicules learning without practical purpose, speaks out against war, and
mocks the sin of greed. He also, however, emphasizes those strengths that he believes might make society a better
place, including friendship, loyalty, humility, and kindness. Whether Swift intends for the reader to see these virtues
as achievable by humankind is unclear, particularly as Gulliver himself lacks humility at the end of the novel, but he
nevertheless indicates that they are worth pursuing.

MAJOR THEMES IN GULLIVER'S TRAVELS

1. Human Physical Condition: The mention of diminutive human beings, then giants, and then of different
shapes in different voyages Gulliver comes across show the main thematic strand that runs throughout the
book. In the voyage to Lilliput, he sees Lilliputians, and in the voyage to Brobdingnag, he comes across
giants. He also meets different people of different shapes, sizes, and different mental capacities during his
voyages to Glubbdubdrib and the land of Houyhnhnms where he meets brutish apes as well as rational horses.
These are different physical conditions of human beings that demonstrate the deep observation of the author
as pointed out through Gulliver's experience.
2. Importance of Education: Gulliver has stressed the importance of education in the very early pages of his
voyages, declaring that most of his leisure is spent reading. His encounter with the Lilliputians and
Brobdingnagians makes him aware of different types of knowledge being pursued by these creatures.
However, it is quite contradictory that creatures, like human beings such as Yahoos, run away from
knowledge, while the Houyhnhnms are pursuing knowledge and education as sane creatures.
3. Narrow-Mindedness and Enlightenment: In the first voyage Gulliver observes shrewdness, judging nature,
violence, and the narrow-mindedness of the Lilliputians. He also witnesses the enlightenment during his other
voyages and makes the readers aware of how political situations turn from good to bad and from bad to ugly
just over the petty issues of breaking eggs and urinating, though, it might be a benign purpose.
4. Travel: Travel is another major theme of the book as it is actually a travelogue and tells its readers that they
learn new things and new perspectives during travels, which eventually becomes an adventure too. Gulliver
comes to know about the existence of new people, along with their strange and odd customs and conventions
such as Lilliputians even fight on the breaking of eggs and urination, while the Brobdingnagians do not see
such things from this perspective. Had Gulliver not traveled so far, he would not have come to know such
things.
 5. Otherness: The thematic strand of otherness emerges when Gulliver could not merge in the Lilliputians due
to his physique as well as manners and understanding of the culture. What he thinks of their narrow-
mindedness is their cultural politics and antagonism against the Blefuscudians. The same goes for his other
voyages including his voyage to Brobdingnag and Glubdubdrib where he is unsuitable and unfit among the
natives; he is either too small, too clever, or to dunce to mix up with them. This is actually the cultural
otherness that he could not merge in any of these lands nor did the locals consider him a local person.
6. Perspective and Relevance: The individual perspective and its relevance to the culture is another theme that
runs through the book. It happens that he is a Mountain Man in Lilliput but a human specimen in
Brobdingnag. Not only does the perspective about his physicality change but also the relevance of the
perspective changes from land to land and people to people. When he meets Houyhnhnms in their land, he
comes to know that even animals could be rational when their perspective and relevance changes. His final
arrival to the United Kingdom opens up new vistas of life for him to understand.
7. Question of Truth: Man has always been in search of truth and reality and nature of truth. The question of
truth looms large in the background of Gulliver's travels. Even Gulliver as a narrator is not a reliable person as
the readers question his authenticity on account of the fantasies he has weaved and the chances he has taken to
travel to these far-off lands, for every reader knows that such lands do not exist. However, Jonathan Swift has
done every effort to make the story feels true.
8. Moral versus Physical Power: The theme of moral and physical power emerges when Gulliver faces the
dilemma of attacking the Blefuscudians at the behest of the king of Lilliput and he knows if he does not use
his physical power, he is liable to face consequences. Therefore, he uses moral power but faces consequences.
He also learns that every land has its own ethical framework regarding the use of physical power such as the
Brobdingnagians do not use physical power so often as the Lilliputians.
9. Governance: The issue of government also comes up during different travels; somewhere it is rational and
despotic while at some other places it is democratic and rational such as in the land of Houyhnhnm, while the
Lilliputians are despotic.

MAJOR CHARACTERS IN GULLIVER'S TRAVELS

1. Lemuel Gulliver - Despite being the main narrator and protagonist of the book, Gulliver is neither heroic nor
legendary but an ordinary human being due to the misanthropy he demonstrates by the end of the book what Gulliver
also shows that he is gullible as well as a non-savvy person who shows he comes across during his travels
2.The Emperor of Lilliput: Lilliput, the land of small people, is ruled by the emperor, who like all other Lilliputians,
is just six inches in height.
3.Brobdingnagian Queen: The queen is another important figure in the text who comes across Gulliver during his
voyage to the land of Brobdingnag. She falls in love with him as she keeps him with her to play with the little man as
he is compared to their giant statures.
3.Lord Munodi-He wins the attention of Gulliver on account of his being the governor of the land of Lagado who is
still interested in Gulliver about knowing him and informing him of his land where he rules supreme amid the
theoretical delusions of its intellectuals. Isolated in his own estate, Munodi suffers from acute alienation that seems
similar to Gulliver, showing him that human predicaments are not different whether it is the far-off land or England.
4.The Farmer -The first person who comes into contact with Gulliver when he accidentally lands there.
-Gulliver comes to know about his rationality and his credulity that he also believes that tiny creatures like Gulliver,
too, could be rational. He uses Gulliver as an object of entertainment to earn money by using him as labor.
-His greedy and simple-mindedness' costs Gulliver very dearly which shows the trait of the few Brobdingnagians'
greedy nature but is non-violent.
5.Reidresal: Reldresal is the aide of the king of Lilliput.
6.Glumdalclitch: Gulliver's first caretaker in the land of Brobdingnag is the farmer's young daughter, Glumdalclithc,
a nine-year-old, who is almost a kid if measured from the age of Gulliver's world yet very young to seem to take care
of Gulliver.
7.The King: The Brobdingnagian king is comparatively generous and liberal when he demonstrates when meeting
Gulliver. He prefers peace over war and shows his intellect and his expertise in political science and other statecrafts.
His erudition displays itself during his political debate with Gulliver about English history and politics.
8.Yahoos: The importance of Yahoos lies in their humanlike shapes that they keep themselves unkempt and illiterate
and behave like animals without giving a second thought to their actions. Their hairy bodies cripple their mental
faculties, too, making them subservient to Houyhnhnms, ironic governance that runs contrary to what Gulliver has
been experiencing in England. Their worst impact on Gulliver is that he considers himself one of them.
9. Houyhnhnms: These creatures are horses in shapes but highly rational in thinking and dealing with Gulliver, as
they display all moral traits necessary for good human beings. Their rationality and association with socialism what
Gulliver likes the most.
ANALYSIS OF THE LITERARY DEVICES IN GULLIVER'S TRAVELS
1.Action: The main action of the text comprises different voyages that Gulliver undertakes to escape the humdrum of
England. The falling action occurs at several places in travels such as when he is awarded a death sentence in Lilliput
or when he falls down from the grip of an eagle in Glubbdubdrib. However, rising action occurs when he comes to the
point that human beings are not worthy creatures to stay on the face of this earth blessed to them by God.
2.Allusion: For it was ever my Opinion, that there must be a Balance of Earth to counterpoise the great Continent of
Tartary, and therefore they ought to correct their Maps and Charts, by joining this vast Tract of Land to the North-west
Parts of america; wherein I shall be ready to lend them my Assistance. (Chapter-4)
3. Antagonist: Gulliver say that we human beings are enemies of ourselves. Therefore, apart from the Lilliputian
kingdom, the jealous courtier in Brobdingnag kingdom, the mindless scientists in Laputa and neighboring kingdoms,
Yahoos are the true antagonists of this travelogue.
4. Conflict: The text shows both external and internal conflicts. The external conflict is going on between Gulliver
and his views about different societies that are also an internal contact. That is why he paints the detestable picture of
Yahoos in the last voyage.
5.Characters: The text shows both static as well as dynamic characters. The young man, Gulliver, is a dynamic
character as he shows a considerable transformation in his behavior and conduct by the end of the book when starts
hating the people. However, all other characters are static as they do not show or witness any transformation such as
Reidresal, the Lilliputians, and even Gulliver's own family members.
6.Climax: The climax in the text occurs when Gulliver starts loving the land of horses and horses in return to hating
human beings after painting them dirty creatures, equating them to vermin.
7. Foreshadowing: I laid them out in learning Navigation, and other Parts of the Mathematics, useful to those who
intend to travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my Fortune to do. (Chapter-1)
8. Hyperbole: The book shows various examples of hyperboles such as, i. I felt something alive moving on my left
Leg, which advancing gently forward over my Breast, came almost up to my Chin; when bending mine Eyes
downwards as much as I could, I perceived it to be a human Creature not six Inches high." with a Bow and Arrow in
his Hands, and a Quiver at his Back. (Chapter-1)
9. Imagery: Gulliver's Travels shows the use of imagery as given below. i. I likewise felt several slender Ligatures
across my Body, from my Armpits to my Thighs. I could only look upwards; the Sun began to grow hot, and the Light
offended mine Eyes. I heard a confused Noise about me, but in the Posture I lay, could see nothing except the Sky. In
a little time I felt something alive moving on my left Leg. which advancing gently forward over my Breast, came
almost up to my Chin; when bending mine Eyes downwards as much as I could, I perceived it to be a human Creature
not six Inches high. (Chapter-1)
10.Metaphor: The King was struck with Horror at the Description I had given of those terrible Engines, and the
Proposal I had made. He was amazed how so impotent and groveling an Insect as I (these were his Expressions) could
entertain such inhuman Ideas, and in so familiar a Manner as to appear wholly unmoved at all the Scenes of Blood and
Desolation. (Part-2, Chapter-7
11. Motif: Most important motifs of the text are foreign languages, excrements, and islands.
12. Narrator: Gulliver's Travels is narrated from the first person point happens to be Gulliver.
13. Personification: The book shows examples of personifications such as, i. The Emperor, and all his Court, came
out to meet us; but his great Officers would by no means suffer his Majesty to endanger his Person by mounting on
my Body. (Chapter-1)
14. Protagonist: Gulliver is the protagonist of the text. The travelogue starts with his entry into the world of voyages
and moves forward as he goes from one land to the other.
15. Satire: The travels of Gulliver show the use of satire on religion, political ideas, living style, and above all the
whole Western culture during the early 18th .
16. Setting: The setting of the text is some islands and lands that Gulliver visits during his different voyages.
17.Simile: The book shows good use of various similes such as, i. They climbed up into the Engine, and advancing
very softly to my Face, one of them, an Officer in the Guards, put the sharp End of his Half Pike a good way up into
my left Nostril, which tickled my Nose like a Straw, and made me sneeze violently: (Chapter-1)
CONCLUSION
Throughout Swift's Gulliver's Travels, there exists a strong correlation between physical dominion and determined
morality. This correlation is most plain in four specific locales of the book. First, Lilliput, where physical dominion is
not established on either side and thus neither does the situation have an overarching determined morality. Next,
Brobdingnag, where Swift depicts the giants as more powerful and more moral than humans. Third, Laputa,the
inhabitants of which are more powerful, and thus determined to be more pious, than the Balnibari below them. World
without relative, or determined, morality. Relative morality is, well, relative. It is subject to change based solely on the
perspective of the beholder. A world without relative morality is a world in which everyone can know the objective
difference between right and wrong. By that standard, one can judge an institution's morality not based on its power,
but based on how it measures up to the objectives set for morality. This is why Swift draws the clear connections
between physical prowess and determined morality in his book.
SIGNIFICANCE
Jonathan Swift obviously made good use of the moral of this quote when writing his book, Gulliver's Travels. In this
book, Swift tells of Lemuel Gulliver's travels to fantastic nations that exist only in Swift's own imagination. However,
as Gulliver journeys to these new places, his attitudes about the state of man and his morals gradually change. In every
stage of his travels, Gulliver sees a new side of mankind that makes him pity the state of his kind, while allowing him
to see the light and become a better individual himself. So as Gulliver progresses from Lilliput, to Brobdingnag, to
Laputa, and finally to the Land of the Houyhnhnms, he learns different facets of the human character that depress him
somewhat but cause him to emerge as a stronger person.

Prepared by:
Lyzl Mae F. Pedro
BSED English 2